It is difficult to do housework that has to be done everyday, let alone what you might face after flooding or a fire. Your main objective after these events will be getting your house back up and running quickly. Sometimes when tragic things happen in a home, you and your family might be forced to live somewhere else until clean up and repairs are completed. This can be a life interrupting thing especially if you have children who are displaced from their usual home setting.

Right now there are thousands of families who are going through this crisis because of flooding and fires we have experienced in recent months. Mother Nature has been on a rampage almost since the beginning of the year. People out west have experienced wildfires that caused them to evacuate their homes and people along the southern coasts have had to flee because of storms that produced high winds and flooding.

If a home was repairable after one of these events, how bad it was affected will determine how long it might be before you are able to return home. Safety issues have to be considered before moving back in is possible. For those who had wildfires damage their homes but not burn them up, smoke and soot will have to be cleaned. Flood victims who only had a small amount of water, will have to have it dried out completely and then cleaned to prevent mold. When the damage is not too severe, you might get back in your home faster if you do the cleaning yourself and these are some of the supplies and what you will need to do to certain things in the home:

1. Mold killing disinfectant. Diluted chlorine bleach is often used for mold killing. If your carpet, rugs, or hardwood floors were salvageable, this might not be what you will use. A professional cleaner might be needed for these bigger, more difficult jobs.

2. Scrub brushes will be needed. Water marks, smoke, and soot can be stubborn to get off walls or ceilings. Get a stiff brush and a softer brush and use the one that is appropriate for the surface you are cleaning.

3. A good sized bucket and plenty of cleaning rags and water will be needed. Use paper towels for windows, but old rags like torn towels, washcloths, or t-shirts are great to use and will save money.

4. Some cotton or other fibered curtains might be washable, but heavy draperies might need professionally cleaned too.

5. For smoke smell, open baking boxes in attics and basements will help some. If you use sprays that smell good, make sure they kill odors and not just cover them up. Open all windows if possible to help get rid of the smell too.

Remember these cleaning supplies and tips are only for minor damage. When damage is severe, professional crews will likely be needed.