If sewage backs up into my home, how should I clean it up?
Categories:
Building Maintenance
Leak
- Clean and disinfect washable surfaces that have come in contact with sewage.
- Wash with soap and water, then disinfect with a mixture of a quarter cup of household bleach per gallon water.
- Discard any upholstered, mattresses, bedding and stuffed toys soaked in flood waters.
- Sweep or vacuum soaked and soiled carpeting, then shampoo it with a commercial rug cleaner.
- Clean, dry and check your furnace, water heater, washer, dryer, and other appliances before using them. Don’t handle electronic equipment in wet areas. Call a plumber or an electrician for professional service.
- To remove odors from refrigerators and freezers, use warm water with a detergent and wipe dry. If an odor persists, try a solution of one teaspoon of baking soda or one cup of household ammonia per gallon of water.
- Throw away all foods that have come in contact with flood waters.
- Make sure everyone involved in the flood cleanup has an up-to-date tetanus shot. Boosters are recommended every ten years.
Updated 9/14/2018 2:20 PM