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Cleaning Up After Water Damage: What Homeowners Should Not Do

After a water loss, the urge to start cleaning up straight away is strong, and in some ways it is the right urge. The problem is that the wrong cleanup steps can make a bad situation worse, and some of them can put the person doing the cleaning at risk. Knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do, and it is the part of the advice that is most often skipped in the rush to get a home back to normal.

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This guide sets out the steps homeowners should not take after a water loss, in general terms, and explains why each one matters. It gives no DIY cleanup advice for sewage or floodwater. The water damage restoration page sets out the general restoration service, and a professional visit is the right next step after a loss.

Do not enter flooded buildings

Do not enter a flooded building, and do not wade through standing water to reach a belonging, a shut-off, or a pet. Floodwater can hide hazards under the surface, including sharp objects, broken glass, displaced drain covers and uneven ground, and wading through it risks cuts and falls as well as contact with contamination. The depth of the water does not change the hazards it hides, and a shallow layer can still conceal a sharp object or a hole in the floor. The item on the other side can be replaced, and the shut-off can wait for a professional.

A flooded building can also be structurally unsafe in ways that are not visible from the doorway. Water can weaken floors, ceilings and walls, and a ceiling that has absorbed water can sag or fall without warning. A room that looks sound from the doorway may have a floor that will not bear weight, and that is not a judgement a homeowner can make from a look. Staying out until a professional has assessed the property is the safe response, and it is one that should not be treated as overcautious.

The same rule applies to rooms where water is near electrics. Do not enter a room where water is near electrical outlets, appliances or a fuse box, and do not handle electrics in or near standing water. If water is near electrics, stay out and call for help. Shut off the water and power only if it is safe to do so from a dry place, and never wade in to do it. That is a general safety rule that applies to any standing water, and it applies with particular force to floodwater and sewage.

Do not handle electrics in standing water

Water and electricity are a dangerous combination, and standing water in a home should always be treated as if it may be in contact with a live electrical source. Do not touch electrical items that are in or near standing water, do not switch on lights or appliances in a wet room, and do not use an electrical appliance to try to remove water. A household vacuum cleaner, a fan, or a heater used in a wet room can put the person using it at risk, and none of them is designed for use in standing water.

The rule extends to the fuse box and to any electrical panel that has been in contact with water. Do not open a wet electrical panel, and do not try to reset a breaker that has tripped in a wet area. Those are jobs for a qualified electrician, and they should be left until the water has been removed and the area has been assessed. If the power needs to be shut off, it should be done from a dry place, and if that is not possible, it should be left for a professional.

It is also worth remembering that water can travel inside walls and under floors to places that look dry, and that electrical wiring inside a wet wall can be affected even when the surface looks sound. That is another reason why a professional assessment matters after a water loss, and why the drying and repair work should follow an inspection rather than a guess. If a home in the Fort Myers area has standing water near electrics, the water damage restoration in Fort Myers page is a starting point for arranging a visit.

Cleaning Up After Water Damage: What Homeowners Should Not Do — Florida water damage guide

Do not clean up sewage yourself

Do not try to clean up sewage yourself, and do not try to clean up floodwater yourself. Sewage is Category 3 black water and a health hazard, and floodwater is treated as Category 3 as well, because it may carry sewage, chemicals and debris. Household cleaning products, ordinary gloves and a mop are not a substitute for professional equipment and methods, and disturbing contaminated water can spread it further through the property.

That rule covers the obvious steps, such as mopping and scrubbing, and the less obvious ones as well. Do not use a household vacuum on standing water, whether the water is clean or contaminated, because a household vacuum is not designed for that work and using it in standing water is unsafe. Do not move contaminated items through clean parts of the house, and do not run fans or air conditioning in a way that moves air from the affected area through the rest of the property. Each of these steps keeps a contained problem from spreading while a professional is on the way.

The professional cleanup for a Category 3 loss covers, in general terms, removal of the contaminated water, removal of affected porous materials where necessary, cleaning of the remaining surfaces, and drying of the structure. The exact methods used are confirmed with the operator. The sewage cleanup page explains that service in general terms, and it is the right page to read after a sewage backup or a flood.

Other steps to avoid

Do not paint over a damp patch or a water stain, because that hides the problem rather than dealing with it. A stain that is painted over will usually return, and the damp behind it will continue to affect the material while it is hidden. The stain is a clue about where water has been, and it should be investigated rather than covered. The same applies to wallpaper that is pasted back down over a damp wall, and to flooring that is laid over a damp subfloor.

Do not throw away damaged materials before they have been seen by a professional or by an insurer, because those materials are part of the record of the loss. Photos and notes are useful, but the materials themselves may be needed for an assessment or a claim, and removing them before they have been seen can make both harder. Keep damaged materials in place until the adjuster or the professional advises otherwise, and take photos of everything before anything is moved.

Do not assume the job is finished when the visible water is gone. The structure needs to be dried through, with moisture readings to confirm the drying, and the rooms that were wet need to be checked over the following weeks for any sign of damp, smell or mold. A job that is treated as finished before the readings show the structure has dried is a job that may need to be revisited, and the follow-up checks are the step that catches a problem while it is still small.

Key Takeaways

Do not enter a flooded building, and do not wade through standing water to reach a belonging, a shut-off, or a pet.
Water and electricity are a dangerous combination, and standing water in a home should always be treated as if it may be in contact with a live electrical source.
Do not try to clean up sewage yourself, and do not try to clean up floodwater yourself.
Do not paint over a damp patch or a water stain, because that hides the problem rather than dealing with it.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Sewage Cleanup page explains what that service covers, and the water damage restoration page explains how the full job is put together when more than one room is affected.

Do not step into standing water where electrics may be involved, and if water is still coming in, turn off the main water supply for the home where you can reach it safely.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after a storm or heavy rain.

Water damage help is available across Florida. See water damage restoration in Boca Raton, FL for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.