The last thing you want to happen is to bear the brunt of a hurricane. Picking the pieces up once the hurricane hits your place can be challenging. Imagine seeing everything you worked hard for going down the drain. But, of course, you can’t let the disaster stop you from moving forward. You still have more to do, and cleaning up after getting flooded is only the beginning. These tips will help you in cleaning up.
Make sure you shut off gas and electricity.
You can’t start cleaning unless you shut off gas and electricity. You might get electrocuted while cleaning since everything is wet. You might also hear explosions. For safety reasons, turn everything off before cleaning. If there’s a power outage, don’t be complacent. The power might return anytime, and you can be in danger if you clean up the place under those conditions.
Wear protective gear.
You must protect yourself while cleaning. Wear gloves and waterproof footwear. It’s easier to clean the place when you use protective gear. If it’s still raining outside, you must also wear a raincoat. If it’s still terrible, suspend your plans of cleaning the area. Apart from protecting yourself against potential electrocution, you also don’t want to touch anything that dirty water passes through as infections are possible.
Determine what items you can recycle.
You don’t have to throw everything out after the flood. The place might look terrible, but you can still salvage some items. Instead, find a way to save important things, and recycle valuable materials. You may also consider aluminum recycling since the material is sturdy. Partner with companies that will purchase recycled materials. Apart from saving these materials, you’re also saving money.
Scrub the walls and floors.
If you decide to return to your old place, make sure you scrub the walls and floors. The base should be clean before you bring back furniture and decorations. Keep everything dry after cleaning and decide what items to reuse.
Use cleaning products.
Buy disinfectants when cleaning surfaces to ensure the death of bacteria and avoid potential infections. Also, ensure you don’t use anything that could lead to explosions when mixed with other items at home.
Help rebuild other people’s homes.
You’re lucky if you still have a home to go back to. Others might not have the same structure as you do. They can no longer rebuild their house and have to start from scratch elsewhere. If you have time, try to extend help. You could be in their shoes and not have a home for months. Apply the same strategies used in rebuilding your house.
Work with experts.
When you finished cleaning and moved on to rebuilding the structure, work with experts. Consult builders and find ways to prevent the same thing from happening in the future. But, unfortunately, you’re in an area where natural disasters can always happen.
Hopefully, you can survive the aftermath of the hurricane. Be strong, and don’t let anything put you down. It’s only a stumbling block that will make you a better person.
