The aftermath of a flood, be it in a business or home, can cause untold anxiety and

distress.

Well, while we can’t control acts of nature, we can try to help with the process if you have to get your property back to normal as quickly and efficiently as possible.

As always, safety comes first, and you should only return to your home or premises when you are sure that it’s safe. If this means getting an electrician or gas engineer in, then so be it.

Likewise, you may need to contact your local council or Environmental Health if you are concerned about cleaning up and disposing of waste. In any event, you should wear protective clothing to clean up after flood water.

So, assuming that your electrical and gas supplies and appliances are safe, you’ve got your protective clothes including gloves and face mask as required, and the disinfectant is at the ready, what’s next?

• Use a pump or bucket to remove the water once the levels outside are lower than inside.
• Shovel out as much mud and silt as you can before it dries.
• Do an initial clean to get rid of the surface layer with hot water, a brush and household cleaner, and remember the places that you can’t see like under cupboards.
• Disinfect all surfaces that were touched by floodwater (this includes interiors) – household disinfectant is fine.
• Wash any affected but saveable linens, bedding or clothes on as high a temperature as you can – twice.
• Next comes drying – central heating will help, as will plenty of ventilation from open doors, windows and fans. However, if you hire a dehumidifier to remove water from the air, they’ll have to remain shut.
• For rugs and carpets, if they’re saveable at all, professional cleaning is probably best.

It’s a long process but hopefully if you follow these tips it won’t be long before all that’s left is to redecorate. And if in doubt, you can always get expert cleaners in to do the job professionally.