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How to Safely Clean a Sewage Backup: Step-by-Step Guide

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Dealing with a sewage backup in your home or business can be both overwhelming and expensive. Beyond the unpleasant odor, it can cause wastewater to back up into drains, potentially leading to significant property damage. Acting quickly and enlisting professional help is essential to prevent the situation from worsening.

In this article, we’ll explore the major risks associated with sewage backups and provide a step-by-step guide for cleaning up the mess. From properly sanitizing affected areas and handling utilities with care to disinfecting clothing, bedding, and food, we’ll cover everything you need to know to restore your space safely and effectively.

What are the Hazards of Sewage Backups?

A sewage backup in your home or business can be extremely hazardous, posing major health risks and potentially causing severe damage. If your basement is flooded, it’s crucial to avoid entering the area until gas and electrical services have been safely shut off. Proper cleanup is essential to prevent illnesses and limit the damage, and children and pets should be kept away from the affected areas.

Step-by-Step Guide for Cleaning Sewage Backups

How to Safely Clean Sewage Backups - HydroForce Cleaning and Restoration

For extensive sewage backups, it’s always best to hire a professional restoration service. However, if the affected area is small and you choose to handle it yourself, here are some steps to help you clean up safely and effectively:

Clean and Sanitize

  1. Make sure to drain all sewage water by natural draining or pumping.
  2. All dirt, soil, and debris should be cleaned from surfaces that have touched the flood waters.
  3. All walls, floors, and any surfaces touched by floodwater should be cleaned with hot water and detergent.
  4. Make sure to rinse all areas with hot water.
  5. Walls, floors, and other surfaces should be sanitized by mixing 2½ tablespoons (tbs) of Lysol/Pine Sol per gallon of water or 8 tablespoons (tbs) of laundry bleach in each gallon of water used.
  6. Make sure to air out the area by opening windows and using fans.
  7. You should make sure not to track flood debris and sewage into clean areas.

Utilities

  • Reach out to the utility companies to have gas and electricity shut off.
  • Never touch the fuse box or any cords that are plugged in until the electricity is shut off.
  • If an appliance is under water, do not use it.
  • Never relight any appliances before the gas company has checked them. Also, make sure all pilot lights are on before you relight burners.
  • Never light matches until the gas is shut off as this can cause an explosion if there is a gas leak.

Clothing and Bedding

All clothing, furniture, carpets, toys, and even bedding should be thrown out unless they are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. If there are objects that are movable, they should be put outdoors so they can be cleaned and dried in the sunlight. Make sure to put any discarded clothing in tightly closed bags until they are picked up for disposal.

After cleaning up, it’s essential to thoroughly wash any clothing and body parts that came into contact with the sewage. Be sure to wash your hands immediately afterward. Anyone involved in sewage cleanup should take extra precautions such as avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are contaminated or smoking with soiled fingers, as this can transfer harmful bacteria to your mouth. Once the cleanup is complete, carefully wash your hands and nails using a nail brush and plenty of soap to ensure all traces of sewage are removed.

What is Sewer Water - HydroForce Cleaning and Restoration

Foods

If your food has been contaminated with sewage, consuming it is very dangerous. This is how you should deal with contaminated food:

  • Any food that is contaminated, whether it is boxed or bottled, should be disposed of.
  • Any canned goods and jars can be kept if you thoroughly clean them. To fully clean them you should follow this process:
    • Scrub them with soap and water by using the brush around the rim of the canned jars or tops of cans.
    • They should be submerged in chlorinated water for 15 minutes. Make sure to use 1 ounce of bleach per gallon of water.
    • Make sure to air dry canned jars or cans to prevent rusting.
  • Any food that was stored in the freezer can be kept for up to 2 days after losing power if the freezer is full and 1 day if the freezer is half-full and not opened.
  • If the meat has ice crystals, it may be safely re-frozen. If it is cool but not frozen, you should cook it and then re-freeze it.
  • Any food that was stored in the refrigerator can be kept for 4-6 hours after losing power, however, this depends on the room temperature. Never open the refrigerator unless it is necessary. You can also add ice to the refrigerator to help keep food cold.
  • Any food that has an unusual color, odor or is perishable should be thrown away.
  • Make sure that any food that you are discarding is placed in a tightly closed container until it is picked up for disposal.

Please note: The information given in the above article may differ by state and municipality. You should always reach out to your local health agencies for specific guidelines for your area and for specific suggestions as needed.

Professional Sewage Backup Cleaning in Chicago, IL

Sewer Cleanup Services - HydroForce Cleaning and Restoration

Sewage backups are not only messy and stressful but also pose serious health and safety risks that require immediate and thorough action. By following proper cleanup procedures or hiring a professional restoration company and taking precautions with utilities, personal belongings, and food, you can restore your home or business, minimize long-term damage, and ensure the safety of those within the home or building.

In most cases, sewage backups cause immense damage and create dangerous situations, which means they are best handled by professionals. At HydroForce Cleaning and Restoration, we specialize in providing comprehensive sewage backup cleaning services for homes and businesses in Chicago, IL, and nearby areas. Our skilled technicians are dedicated to cleaning, drying, and fully restoring your property to its original condition while ensuring a safe and healthy environment for your family.

You can call us at (630) 835-0862 for emergency sewage backup cleaning in Chicago, IL, and the surrounding suburbs.

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water restoration

Avoid These 3 Common Plumbing Mistakes

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Plumbing is one of the most important aspects of property ownership. If you’re not careful, a single leak or pipe issue could cause all sorts of physical damage to your home, subsequently costing you and your family thousands of dollars in repairs and new equipment purchases.

Thankfully, there are roughly 555,900 individuals employers as professional plumbers, pipefitters, pipelayers, and steamfitters. These professionals can offer all kinds of plumbing services and save your home from being destroyed by water and piping issues. Though plumbing services aren’t free, reaching out to professionals will end up saving you and your family a significant amount of money in the long run.

It’s important to note, however, that even if you plan on having local plumbers come over to your home and take a look at your home’s plumbing system, you could end up doing additional damage if you’re not careful. Far too many homeowners make simple mistakes when it comes to their plumbing, which end up causing all sorts of expensive and damaging problems.

Avoid These 3 Common Plumbing Mistakes

Here are some common residential plumbing mistakes that homeowners need to be aware of at all costs:

  • Putting the wrong things down your drain — Only pour liquids into your sink and never flush anything other than toilet paper and feces into the toilet. A lot of homeowners mistakenly put all kinds of things into their sink’s drain. Even if you have a garbage disposal, though you can get away with some produce debris, you should still only pour liquids. Here are some items that homeowners mistakenly pour down their drain: coffee grounds, eggshells, cat litter, cotton balls, car fluids, fruit, hair, paper towels, and flushable wipes.
  • Using drain cleaners too often — Drain cleaners are great, but they shouldn’t be overused. When homeowners have a drain blockage, they usually turn to drain cleaners prior to consulting with a plumbing professional. Using them too much, however, can corrode pipes and cause all kinds of additional damage.
  • Not turning the water off — You can’t just leave your water on and quickly swap in a new valve or perform other plumbing tasks. If you do, you’ll have the full water pressure of your system flooding all over the place. Any time you’re performing your plumbing jobs, make sure you turn off the water.

If you’re in need of 24-hour emergency plumbing services or water damage cleanup, don’t wait. Contact Hydroforce Cleaning Systems right away!