A sewer back-up is not only messy, smelly and gross, it is also a health hazard. If your sewer has backed-up in to your basement or bathroom, you are going to need to act as quickly as possible to clean up your home. Here is what you need to do to protect your home and your health when your sewer backs up.
Turn Off Utilities
The first thing you need to do is turn off your utilities. If your sewer backed up into your basement where you have a gas based appliances such as a furnace or water heater operating, call your gas company and ask them to turn off the gas to your home. Sewage fumes can be toxic and flammable; you don't want to add any more fuel to the fire.
You need to turn off the breakers as well. Sewer backup can contain a lot of water, and you don't want to risk electric shock while dealing with the mess.
Call For Help
Next, call your local plumbing and sewage company and see when they can send someone out to address the root of the problem. You should also see if they can bring cleaning supplies. You will need all the assistance you can get.
Protect Yourself
Before you jump in and start cleaning, you need to protect yourself. Sewage can contain parasites, bacteria and viruses. Put on tall rubber boots as well as pants and a long sleeve shirt that you don't care if you ruin. If you have long hair, secure it away from your face. Put on a face shield or gas mask to protect yourself from the fumes and smell. Wear eye goggles in order to protect yourself from splatter. Finally, always wear protective rubber gloves.
Remove The Water
The first thing you need to focus on while cleaning is removing the water. That will make it much easier to address the rest of the muck. If you have a sump pump, use it to remove the water. If you don't have a sump pump, rent a wet-dry vacuum to get rid of the water.
Throw Away Contaminated Items
Next, take a trash bag and throw away anything that is floating around and is beyond saving. Any books, toys, cosmetics, or food should all be thrown away. Clothing may be savable, but if it is covered in excessive sewage, you may just want to throw it away.
Move items such as appliances and furniture out of the way and continue cleaning. You can see if they are savable later on.
Spray Down The Room & Clean Up The Sludge
Next, you'll want to remove the sludge that is left from the sewage back-up. If possible, put your garden hose into your basement or bathroom through the window. Spray down all the sludge and then remove the water with either the wet/dry vacuum or water pump.
Then, sweep all the solid material into a dustpan and then into a trashcan. After you have swept up all the solid material, disinfect the broom with bleach water or dispose of it.
Next, fill up a bucket of water with the strongest disinfectant that you have and fill another bucket with fresh water. Wash the floors and walls with rags, and rinse them with the clean water. Start away from the entrance to the room and work your way towards the entrance.
Then, clean out the buckets of water and fill them back up. This time, mop the entire room, including the walls. Change the water if it dirty.
Finally, create a bleach solution and clean the entire room with the bleach solution. This should kill any remaining bacteria that is still hanging out.
Air It Out
Once you have cleaned the room, set up a fan and a dehumidifier to help dry the room out. You should also open up the windows so that any remaining odor can escape. You may also want to place some air freshener in the room or some candles.
Clean Yourself Up
Finally, clean yourself up. Take a very hot shower and use antibacterial soap to clean yourself up with. If you don't typically use antibacterial soap in the shower, bring your antibacterial hand soap in to the shower with you.
Once everything is cleaned up, you can have your gas turned back on and you can flip the breakers to the electrical outlets. You may need to clean the room again. Be sure to dispose of all the trash and throw away all items that do not seem salvageable. Finally, call in a sewer service, like sewer line repair by Jaguar Water & Sewer Services Ltd, to repair the issue that caused the backup.
Share4 March 2016
Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Heather, and a few years ago, my partner and I got a very cheap property up in the mountains practically in the middle of nowhere. I knew we had to build, but there were many elements that I overlooked. I never even considered the idea that we wouldn't be connected to a town sewer system for example. However, I learned quickly as we built our septic tank. Through the process, I also researched a lot of alternatives to ensure we got the perfect septic system for our needs. If you are building on a new property and you don't have the option of sewer, this blog has everything you need to know about septic systems. I truly love to help others, and I hope these posts help you.
