Flooded Homes Should be Cleaned Up Immediately
Release Date: October 16, 2000
Release Number: 1345-06
» More Information on Florida Heavy Rains And Flooding
Miami, FL -- Federal and State disaster officials urged residents in South Florida to take immediate action to clean up and throw out flood-damaged household goods as quickly as possible.
Wet or damp household goods generate mold, and mold may cause serious allergic reactions, asthma episodes, infections and other respiratory problems.
"There is no need to keep damaged items to show to housing inspectors," explained Justo Hernandez, the federal official overseeing recovery efforts. Hernandez said that photographs of household damage would be sufficient to verify losses.
The photographs need not be of professional quality. A personal or disposable camera will serve the purpose. Be sure, however, to keep receipts of all replaced household items.
Residents should dispose of all porous materials, such as carpet, cloth, paper, wallboard, and rotten wood that have been soaked by the floodwaters.
State Coordinating Officer Joe Myers said, "When in doubt, throw it out."
For a soap cleanup
- Wear protective gloves
- Use non-ammonia soap or detergent or a commercial cleaner in hot water. Scrub the entire area affected by the mold
- Use a stiff brush or cleaning pad
To disinfect surfaces
- Wear protective gloves when using disinfectants
- After thorough cleaning and rinsing, disinfect the area with a solution of 10% household bleach (11/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water)
- Never mix bleach with ammonia - the fumes are toxic!
- Let disinfecting areas dry naturally overnight to kill all the mold.
Exposure to mold can occur during cleanup. Consider wearing a breathing mask or take frequent breaks in a well-ventilated space.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 12-Nov-2003 15:37:11