Author : Osmund Aft

Flood damage cleanup and salvaging of items in the home can be an overwhelming task After a flood, your first concern should be the safety of you and your family above all possessions that went through some sort of flood damage Follow these directions to ensure that all items are carefully evaluated, cleaned, or discarded according to safe practices Your first step should include discarding of flood-damaged items that cannot be salvaged Usually these items are things that are not able to be restored to a usable condition, or items that have become unsafe for use

Immediately discard any fruits, vegetables, meat, or eggs that have come in any kind of contact with contaminated flood water Flood water contains waste and germs, and consuming the contaminated water can cause severe sickness for you and your family

You will also need to discard any items in soft packaging, such as cardboard or paper Glass bottles, such as beer bottles, also need to be thrown away; as well as any other bottles with twist-on caps With these items, it is very possible for flood water to seep in

Throw away any canned goods that have obvious flood damage to the outside of the can This includes dents or leaks If the can is in decent condition, you can remove the paper label, rinse the can, and then sanitize the outside with a sanitizing product Do not attempt to salvage the food products if they have been completely submerged in flood water, even if there is no obvious damage to the packaging

Remove ceiling tiles and wallpaper if they show signs of flood damage You will also want to immediately clean the floors and if they cannot be thoroughly cleaned, replace them In severe situations, you may need to replace the drywall in your home, since this is another part of the house that is likely to harbor mold

Dispose of children’s toys that cannot be completely sanitized You do not want children coming in contact with articles that underwent flood damage You may also want to get rid of clothing that cannot be quickly washed in hot soapy water

Get rid of any items that have rust forming If any items have not been thoroughly air dried within two days, they should also be discarded This is the time when mold and mildew start to form You may also want to get rid of any furniture with upholstery if you are not able to get it professionally cleaned right away

If you are unable to restore or salvage any items, throw them away It is best to choose to discard items if you are on the fence about what to do with them You do not want to risk putting yourself or loved ones in danger Flood damage can cause one to lose many valuable belongings and documents, so be sure to follow steps to prevent your items from becoming damaged by flood and contaminated water In some cases, this tragedy is not preventable – so follow safe clean-up and discarding practices

Osmund Aft is an homeowner advocate for Malverne, NY Flooded Carpet Drying and Freeport, NY flooded basement Clean Up

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Filed under: Disaster Recovery • Healthy Home

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