Water safety

Before you even think of the general house cleanup, make sure that the food and drinking water in the house is safe for human consumption. Contaminated water and food on which mold has started to develop will endanger your health.

Water that has been contaminated with chemicals can potentially harm the brain and the immune system. Water with pesticides or gasoline will taste strange and may emit a smell. Other contaminants such as lead and organisms may not be detectable. If you or any member of your family drinks contaminated water, you may experience symptoms that are similar to stomach flu, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomachache. This may also lead to dehydration.

If it is possible, use bottled water for drinking. If you have to drink the water in your house but are not sure whether it has been exposed to floodwaters, you can boil it for one minute to kill any disease-causing organisms it may have.

If you cannot boil the water, you can disinfect it with household bleach. If the water is cloudy, use a clean cloth to filter it, let the water cool, and then put it in containers with covers. Then add 1/8 teaspoon of unscented liquid household bleach per gallon of water. Stir the mixture well and let it stand for half an hour before you use it. Make sure you store the disinfected water in containers with covers.

Make sure you use disinfected water for cooking, laundering, washing the dishes, and brushing your teeth.

Food safety

Avoid opening the refrigerator frequently to maintain the cold temperature. If you do not have power and expect not to for sometime, try to get some dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible.

Make sure that there are no visible signs of mold growing on the food. If it smells different or has changed in color, throw it away; it may no longer be safe to eat. Do not taste it to find out if it is safe.

Flood damaged food, especially those that are packaged in paper, foil, cellophane, and cardboard boxes should be discarded. Throw out canned goods that were submerged in water.

Flood damaged kitchen utensils and containers made of wood and plastic should be discarded, as these are porous and could have absorbed contaminated water.

Mold safety

If your house was under water for some time, molds and mildew could have started growing on your carpet, furniture, walls, and any other parts of the house that were submerged in water or where water had dripped or leaked. Exposure to molds brought about by flood damage can cause hay-like fever reactions, and may lead to asthma attacks.

It is important that you clean and dry any flood damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent the growth of molds. Use soap and water or a detergent for cleaning, then a bleach-water solution of 1/4 cup chlorine bleach to a gallon of water for disinfecting. Do not mix different chemical cleaners together.

Pay particular attention to surfaces that may come in contact with food or the body, such as pantry shelves, the refrigerator, and counter tops. Do not forget the areas where the children play. Clean and disinfect all surfaces, particularly flood damaged areas such as floors.

Wash all linens, bedding, and clothing in hot water, or have them dry cleaned. Flood damaged mattresses and upholstered furniture should be air dried in the sun and sprayed with a disinfectant.

If there is anything that you cannot clean yourself, such as the carpet or upholstery, call a professional cleaner to attend to it.