Sewage Cleanup Can Be Done – But Tough Job
Saturday, June 19th, 2010When you have a sewer back up in your home, either in the main floor or the basement, it can be cleaned up and returned to normal if you have patience and the will to get it done, you can restore your home to the way it was before the sewer damage.
Sewer damage can be devastating to your home and can also cost a lot of money to have a professional company come in and clean it up. However, you can clean the sewage up yourself with the proper surety and equipment if you abide by a few safety rules and use a little extra elbow grease in the process.
First, remove all damaged furniture and items that are not nailed to the floor and that can not be saved or cleaned. Make sure they are taken away in the garbage collection and not reused. Things such as plastic and rubber can be cleaned with a mild soap and water and then a bleach and water combination to make sure the mold and odor do not return.
You will need to mop up all the sewage and squeegee all the leftover water and sewage out of the way so that everything has a chance to dry out. Using central air-conditioning, dehumidifiers and fans will help to remove the moisture and lingering odors in the air as you begin to clean up the remainder of the messes.
Make sure you wear caring clothing and rubber gloves and goggles to protect your body from the sewage which is very damaging to your skin and can cause a host of medical aliments. And when you have completed the clean up, discard all the gloves and protective gear in the trash for they will not be operative again. The same with the mops and other things you are using, it’s best to throw them away rather than risk the spread of bacteria from the sewage from what you just cleaned to wherever there never was any sewage.
If there is sewage damage to the drywall or paneling, you need to remove it and start from bare, concrete walls if you are in the basement and if you are in the main floor of the house, you may need major construction.
Make sure you are using a disinfectant or bleach and water solution that will help keep the odor and the bacteria away. All hardwood surfaces such as concrete, hardwood, metal, wood flooring and so on, should first be cleaned with a disinfecting solution of bacterial detergent and then clean again with a bleach and water solution. This will make sure you are cleansing properly and that there is nothing of the sewage left.
If you can not get the area clean enough, you may have to hire a company to clean the sewage up for you. Make sure they have good references and know what they are doing. Ask them what type of solutions they are using and if the offer a warranty against any mold or mildew coming back.
