how to clean-up a basement after a flood?

Answer 1

First remove as much water as possible. Rent a carpet cleaner or industrial wet vac to extract as much water from the floor as possible. Remove anything from the area that became wet and throw it out or get it outside to dry. Open as many windows as possible and set up fans to dry the area as quickly as possible. Mix up a sprayer full of a 20% Bleach and water mixture. Next shut off the MAIN power to your fuse box but make sure your standing on a DRY surface before you touch the box. Next start spraying from the ceiling and work your way down the walls and finish by thoroughly covering the floor. I know this sound stupid because your basement is wet already but by not using a bleach mixture you sure to develop mold issues. After you spray the bleach mixture get your power back on and RUN THOSE FANS.

Answer 2

Did it flood or seep? Seeping is an issue that may return time and time again now. I have that issue and this spring/summer so far has been a bear. We'd gone 9 years without any water and this year sucks! We haven't been dry since March.

Either case, you need to throw out anything that got wet. Vacuum up the water and I suggest scrubbing the walls and floor with a solution of bleach. I use 2 cups to a gallon of water. Wear a mask and keep basement windows open (if you have them). Get a dehumidifier to help dry the basement out completely.

If it is a seepage problem, you can either hire in a crew to make your basement livable (sump pump, drainage system, etc.) That costs well over $5000 according to my neighbors who just had a system installed. I've also been told that if it is a problem with the block foundation walls and floor coming apart that there is a rope like product that you push into the union, heat with a blowtorch, and then seal tightly with quick-rete. That's our issue and we are going to be doing that as soon as it stops raining here in New England for long enough for our basement to dry out.

Answer 3

buy a big bunch of kitty litter (the cheap kind is fine) and then once you pour it on the water thats left, make sure the kitty litter absorbed as much of the liquid as possible, scoop it up (put it in trashbags), when you have nothing left but a big wet moldy mess, scrape off as much of the mold that you can, and then use bleach to srub the walls clean, and pinesol to mop the floors clean. you might or might not still have a mold smell. this is because there are cracks in your foundation that have moisture sitll in them. if you want to paint your basement with a water sealant, or just regular paint again, that might work, maybe look at getting a de-humidifier and just keeping it pluged in and sitting in the basement, and on, all the time.

Answer 4

First pump out all the excessive water from the basement or flooded area.
Then use Hydra Bio Defence neat or diluted as per the contamination of the area.
The product will remove all the bad smells and contaminants from the flooded area.

Answer 5

Shop vac up the water, tear out carpet, put lots of fans down there, buy or rent a dehumidifier to suck the moisture out of the air.

Answer 6

Vacuum or pump any water.
Tear out old wet carpet.
Most things will have to be thrown, as mold will grow and cause health problems.
If something can be saved, take it out, hose it off, scrub with bleach, and let it sun dry.

Answer 7

I'm not sure how bad the flood is, but I found this resource on the FEMA website. If you read it, it should answer all your questions. Good luck!!

Answer 8

use an bucket and dump the water in a nearby drain