5 Tips to Clean Up Homes after Flood

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Recent flood inundates almost all Jakarta areas and several Indonesian regions. Recovering homes after a flood could take a long and hard process.

The following are five tips you can apply to clean up your house from mud and dirt that cover your place and stick to your goods:

1. Sorting

Start cleaning up your home by sorting out the furniture. Goods made of woods or covered in fabric or other porous materials may develop mildew, so you probably want to throw them out.

Goods made of glasses, plastics, and metal that will not cause rust can be cleaned with disinfectant and reuse.

As for carpets, drying is not enough to remove mold spores. You may ask professionals to handle carpets contaminated with mold or throw out if necessary.

2. Use disinfectant

Clean up, disinfect, and dry all moist surfaces affected by flooding as soon as possible.

Open the windows for better ventilation, and do not forget to wear gloves and eye protection while cleaning.

You can use a disinfectant that can be made from a mixture of one to half a cup of clothes bleach with a gallon of water.

3. Use a fan and air conditioner for air circulation

Cleaning house after the unfortunate event may take days. Use the help of a fan or AC to speed up the drying process and provide clean air circulation at home.

Check all odors as there is a possibility of mold growing on the wall or behind narrow cracks.

You may discard all non-cleanable materials such as boards and fiberglass.

You can also use a vacuum cleaner if you have one to remove moisture from floors, ceilings, and walls.

4. Freeze documents and photos

As for photos, books, and important documents, clean them all from mud and store it in a plastic bag then freeze it in the refrigerator to protect from growing mold and further damage until you have time to thaw and clean them or take them to a professional.

5. Clean the container

Soak food containers made of glass, porcelain, and plastic in a disinfectant liquid for at least 10 minutes before use.

Boil silver and metal-based containers for 10 minutes. You do not have to use a disinfectant liquid as it will react to the metal.

Check if there is damage in the septic tank. Besides, for security reasons, always monitor information related to subsequent flooding.

Turn off electricity, water, and gas. Do not use contaminated water for daily activities or consumption.

ANTARA