APPLIANCES
All flooded appliances and electronic equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and inspected before turning them on and using them. Begin by allowing them to dry out completely. Then have them checked by a professional. If you can’t wait for a professional, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and vacuums can be cleaned by taking them apart, cleaning them with hot water (no detergent), followed by disinfecting. Use only potable water. Consider replacing anything with electronic controls.
SOLID WOOD FURNITURE
Clean furniture outside. Put furniture on boards or blocks and level it front to back and side to side. Remove drawers, doors, and shelves. Hose or brush off mud and most dirt. Clean with soap and water or oil soap such as Murphy Household Cleaner Oil Soap. Allow to dry slowly away from direct sunlight. Furniture can take 4 to 6 weeks, or more, to completely dry. If the finish blisters off, it can be replaced.
UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE
Upholstered furniture that has been submerged in floodwater should be discarded unless it is an antique or is otherwise very valuable. Cleaning should be done by a professional. The springs should be cleaned and oiled, the stuffing (and probably the fabric) replaced, and the frame cleaned.
PAINTINGS
Move paintings into a room that is fairly dry. Bring the humidity level down to about 50%. Consult a specialist to determine if there is long-term damage. If a painting has been under water, there is little chance it can be saved.
PIANOS
It is difficult to restore a flood-damaged piano. Contact a piano professional for help in evaluating your flooded piano. For more information, see the Steinway and Sons website.
COMPUTERS
Do not turn on a computer that has been submerged in flood waters. Do not disassemble the hard drive or try to dry it out but do not assume all data is lost. Do put the hard drive into a plastic bag and take it to a data recovery professional.
LAWN EQUIPMENT
Flush out the oil and gas tanks or take the equipment to an authorized repair service.
References:
- Colorado State University Extension, How to Recover After a Disaster
- “Cleanup: Where to begin?” Houston Chronicle, 28 June 1989
- FEMA Repairing Your Flooded Home
- Tom Fowler, “All may not be lost on damaged computers,” Houston Chronicle 16 June 2001