Advice on clearing up after a flood

If your property floods, it's important to know what to do help you get back to normal as quickly as possible after a flood.

Information and advice on how to clear up after a flood can be found below:

• Dehumidifiers can be used to collect moisture from the air and can aid in drying out a property. Water is collected in the dehumidifier and can be disposed of down regular water drains and sinks
• Ventilate your house as much as you can after flooding - less damp is less damage
  Put on protective clothing before starting any clean-up
• Remove all soft furnishings and fittings that are damaged beyond repair from the property
• Remove dirty water and silt from the property including the space under the ground floor if you have wooden floors
• Wash down all hard surfaces with hot soapy water and a domestic disinfectant to wash over all hard surfaces after cleaning
• Any clothing, bedding and other soft/fabric articles including you want to keep should be washed the highest temperature possible
• Other soft furnishings that have been contaminated and cannot be put in a washing machine will have to be professionally cleaned or if you want to keep them
• Your local District Council’s Environmental Health Team can give you advice on clearing up if you have any doubts about it
• Seek professional advice from a structural engineer if your property is damaged
• Be aware of scammers – use registered tradespersons and contact your district council if you need help with removal of bulky items. Do not use people who are not registered waste carriers.

Further advice on what to do after a flood can be found below:

What to do after a flood

Below are additional links to advice about clearing up safely if your property has been flooded.

Flooding and health: advice for the public

How to recover from flooding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Food safety after a flood (Food Standards Agency)