Flooding affects many OverlandPark households each year and takes a great toll on property. Handling
water damage from burst pipes or a leaking roof is a challenge. However,
floodwater–which is contaminated with silt, chemicals, and raw sewage–is more
challenging and fewer items may be salvaged. Understanding which items you can
keep and which ones you should throw away after a flood saves you wasted time
and effort.
What to Save
Non-Porous Items. Most non-porous
household items can be carefully cleaned and sanitized. This includes
impermeable dishware such as glass, porcelain, silver, and hard plastic. Rinse
all mud away and then boil metal dishes and utensils for 10 minutes or more.
Non-metallic dishes can be rinsed and then sanitized in a bleach and water
solution made from 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water.
Appliances. You can salvage most
appliances as long as all inner components are thoroughly cleaned, dried, and
checked by professionals. Hidden pockets of moisture or debris left inside
these items can prove very dangerous, making it is essential that you leave
this job to professionals.
Textiles. Save clothing and other
washable fabrics by washing them as soon as possible. Rinse them, and then
disinfect them with bleach or another fabric-safe alternative. Mildew sets in
fast and makes cleaning more difficult, or even impossible. If you are unable
to wash the clothes for a while, put them in a place where they can dry out
quickly until you can sanitize them.
Photographs. Most people assume
that cherished family photos are destroyed in flooding, but this is not always
the case. Photos can be saved if you get to them in time. You’ll need to rinse
off the contaminated water and silt, shake off water droplets, and then
gradually dry them out in a container filled with a desiccant, such is silica
or clay cat litter.
Carpet. Carpeting can only be
saved if the flooding was caused by clean water or grey water, from burst water
pipes or an overflowing washing machine, for example. It’s also important that
the carpet hasn’t been left wet for more than 48 hours. After 48 hours, mold
and bacteria have had ample time to colonize, and carpet should be thrown out.
In the case of weather-related flooding, all carpeting is contaminated and
should be discarded.
Documents. Important documents
will survive if you can freeze them to prevent mildew and then clean and dry
them slowly later.
What to Get Rid Of
Food and Medication. Throw away
all food and medicines. Even canned goods and items wrapped in plastic should
be discarded because there is a chance that the packaging has been compromised.
Beds. Mattresses cannot be
sufficiently cleaned and sanitized and should be thrown away from any Overland Park basement flooding.
Furniture with upholstery. Some
upholstered furniture can be salvaged if you hire a professional cleaner, but
the longer it has been sitting in floodwaters, the more difficult sanitizing
and deodorizing will be. Unless you really need the furniture, it is wiser just
to get rid of it.
Furniture with veneer or
laminate. Discard furniture covered in wood veneer or laminate. The only way to
save these pieces is if the wood underneath the veneer is solid wood and not
particle board, which swells and crumbles in water.
Toys. All toys that have been
through a flood should be thrown away. They are difficult to sanitize and it
isn’t worth the risk to your child’s health.
When you start the cleanup
process after a flood, section an area into zones for items to throw away and
items you to save. Make sure everyone involved in the cleanup knows which zone
is which and what kinds of items you are looking to keep. This helps ensure you
won’t accidentally get rid of something that can be saved.
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