Natural disasters as well as mishaps caused by human error or mechanical malfunctions can wreak havoc on your home. Following the disaster, you’ll want to get your home clean and back in order as soon as possible so that you can start rebuilding your life. Here are a few useful cleaning tips for cleaning your home after a disaster.
Inspect Your Home in Advance
Before you clean, you should thoroughly inspect your home to assess the damage. This is especially important if you were forced to evacuate and are returning home. Since you still may be without power, you should use a flashlight so that you can see inside your home. It’s important that you turn on your flashlight while you’re still standing outside your home to avoid igniting a spark that could cause any gas leaks to catch on fire.
Remove Indoor Floodwater Quickly
Any water that’s left standing inside your home after a flood can result in a lot of damage and mold growth. Standing water can also attract mosquitoes. You should use a powerful dryer to remove all traces of moisture quickly to remediate the situation. Hiring professionals who specialize in water damage restoration may be advisable if your home suffered extensive flooding.
Eliminate Smoke Smells and Soot
Smoke smells and soot left behind after a house fire are unpleasant, unsightly and potentially harmful for your health. Brooms, mops and sponges are great for cleaning these types of messes. Wear a mask over your mouth and nose while cleaning to avoid breathing in any particles or bad smells. To protect your skin, you should also wear gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
Throw Out Unsalvageable Items
You’ll likely want to keep as many of your household items as possible, but some of your possessions may need to be discarded if they sustained heavy damage. Some of your items could be saturated with filth and toxins that could be dangerous for you. You might be able to clean and salvage some of your stuff, but you should be willing to throw out items that are beyond cleaning or repair and replace them.
Get Rid of Any Pests or Dead Animals
Wild animals can wander into your home seeking shelter after a disaster has occurred. You may find some of these critters that are needing refuge from floodwater in the upper levels of your home. Don’t approach any animals that you find. Instead, set traps or call a wildlife removal company to come take care of the problem. You should also avoid handling any dead animals that could have germs or parasites that might affect you.
Be Careful Handling Debris
Debris and other fallen objects may have filled the inside of your home when the natural disaster occurred. Any items that need to be removed should be done so with caution to prevent injuring yourself. Wearing cut-resistant gloves is advisable when dealing with sharp objects. Any heavy items should be lifted by you and at least one other person.
Getting your home back in order after a natural disaster is possible but will likely take a lot of extra work on your part. If you take the necessary precautions and approach everything in an orderly fashion, you can get your house clean from top to bottom.
