Isaias Lijauco
Whenever a storm starts brewing in your area, it’s always wise advice to prep up your home for it. Still, unforeseen circumstances can leave your beloved house flooded and messy after a typhoon. It’s up to you to clean up after the storm and set your house back in order. And if you don’t want to use your emergency funds to hire a professional clean-up crew, you can always do it yourself. Below are things you need to remember if you opt for the latter.
Safety First
Safety should be your number one priority when cleaning up your home after it got flooded. Most people start cleaning up a mess on impulse. However, a flooded home has various potential hazards that could endanger you if you’re not careful. For example, the water may contain sewage elements or other contaminants that could leave you sick. Or your house’s structure may not be so sound after the typhoon and flooding. So better consider these things first before you put on your cleaning gloves.
Claim Insurance Privileges (if any)
Getting your house insured is a great way to gain access to security cash in case something unexpected happens. So before you start cleaning, better call your insurance provider. Take photos and videos of your flooded home (some insurance firms require them and it also helps reduce taxes). Keep records of all your expenses for the clean-up in case the insurance you have can cover them. And check with the insurance company for other requirements you need to smoothly make your claim.
Get Good Cleaning and Disinfecting Products
Once you ensure your safety and called your insurance company, you can start cleaning your flooded home. Now there are two main goals when cleaning a flooded house: cleaning and disinfecting. To that end, you need the best cleaning and disinfecting products available. Household cleaners help remove the grime and muck left by the floodwaters. Meanwhile, disinfectants help eradicate disease-causing bacteria and microorganisms that could endanger you and your loved ones. Better get both and better get as much as you can since you’ll probably clean large areas of your house. And also take note that not all products are suitable for cleaning up after floods; read the instructions accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning up a flooded home may seem like a daunting if not impossible task. By taking advantage of the guidelines above, as well as making proper preparations and plans for how you’ll deal with the damage, you’ll get the job done in a jiffy.