Emergencies: Emergency Situations

Flooding: How to Clean your Property

This page provides guidance on how to clean up if your property has been in a flood.

How do I clean up after floodwater has affected my property?

You should not re-occupy your property until it has been carefully cleaned as bacteria breed in contaminated floodwater.  The following cleaning guidelines should be followed at all times:

General hygiene precautions

  • Wear waterproof clothing such as rubber gloves and boots to avoid skin contact with water
  • Always wash your hands with soap and clean water after being in contact with floodwater, sewerage or items that might have been contaminated by them
  • Use waterproof dressings to cover any cuts or wounds. Seek medical advice from your GP or local hospital should open wounds come into contact with floodwater
  • Seek medical advice from your GP or local hospital if you become ill after accidentally swallowing floodwater.

Dry out your property

  • Remove all dirty water and silt particularly from the space under the floorboards
  • Good ventilation is crucial. Opening windows and doors will allow moisture to escape from the property, but remember to keep your property secure
  • Attempt to keep a constant temperature of 20-22 degrees centigrade once a qualified engineer has checked the heating system in your property. High temperatures should be avoided as this can lead to increased bacterial growth.

Utilities

  • Check the safety of your water supply with the water supplier before use
  • Do not turn your electricity or gas back on until it has been checked by a qualified electrician/engineer
  • Any electrical and gas appliances that have come into contact with floodwater should be checked over by a qualified electrician/engineer.

Furniture

  • Before disposing of furniture, ask your insurance company to inspect any damaged items and to arrange for their removal. South Tyneside Council can also organise for the removal of bulky items
  • Wash all hard surfaces with hot soapy water. Next, use a domestic disinfectant to wash over the surface to kill all bacteria. Allow washed down surfaces to dry thoroughly as this will help to destroy germs
  • Put all soft furnishings that can be machine washed in to a hot wash of at least 60 degrees centigrade
  • Professionally clean soft furnishings that cannot be machine washed or dispose of the items if this is not possible.

Kitchen

  • Don’t eat any food that has come into contact with floodwater
  • Clean and disinfect taps before use
  • Wash your hands before and after preparing any food
  • Food preparation surfaces, dishes, pots, pans and utensils should be washed using hot unboiled tap water containing washing up liquid before use
  • Use boiled or bottled water if you are still unsure about the supply of water to your house. However, do not use bottled water for a bottle-fed baby, as the mineral content may be too high. Always ensure that the water has been boiled for the bottle unless recommended otherwise by a doctor or health advisor
  • Do not drink water from the hot tap as the water is unsuitable for drinking
  • Check with your insurer before disposing of any food if your freezer has been turned off due to flooding. Do not recover any food, including tins that have come into contact with floodwater.  Place damaged food in bin bags and place outside for the next waste collection
  • Do not handle any wet electrical equipment.

Outside

  • South Tyneside Council can clean and disinfect external walls and driveways.  If you would prefer to do this yourself, you should wash down and disinfect all hard surfaces including paths and allow three hours for the disinfectant to work
  • Provide ventilation by unblocking airbricks
  • Replace manhole covers that may have been displaced by the flood
  • South Tyneside Council can cut and collect grass from gardens and grass verges. If cutting your own grass, allow it to grow as normal and mow it wearing waterproof clothing, as cuttings may be contaminated. Cuttings should then be bagged up andproperly disposed of.
  • Avoid walking, driving or swimming through floodwater as it could be contaminated
  • Wash children’s hands regularly if they are playing outdoors. Do not let young children or pets play on grass or paved areas that have come into contact with floodwater
  • Toys that have come into contact with floodwater should be washed with hot water or disinfectant before letting a child play with them.

Useful contacts

All useful contacts can be found on the Emergency Numbers and Contact pages.

Emergency Situations

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