Contact:

Guillermo Cole, Public Information Officer (412) 578-8004 e-mail gcole@achd.net

In anticipation of possible flooding this weekend, the Allegheny County Health Department is offering cleanup tips for homes and businesses that may be contaminated by floodwaters.

• Clean and disinfect washable surfaces that have come in contact with floodwaters.  Wash with soap and water; then disinfect with a mixture of household bleach and water – one and a quarter-cup of bleach per gallon of water if floodwaters come from sewers and a quarter-cup of bleach to a gallon of water if floodwaters aren’t tainted by sewage.
• Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner.  Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and eye protection when disinfecting surfaces and try not to breathe bleach fumes.     
• Discard upholstered furniture, mattresses, bedding and stuffed toys soaked in floodwaters.
• Soaked and soiled carpeting should also be discarded.  If you try to salvage carpeting, dry it out and then shampoo it with a commercial rug cleaner.
• Clean, dry and check your furnace, water heater, washer, dryer and other appliances before using them.  Don't handle electrical equipment in wet areas.  Call a plumber or an electrician for professional service.
• To remove odors from refrigerators and freezers, use warm water with a detergent and wipe dry.  If an odor persists, try a solution of one teaspoon of baking soda or one cup of household ammonia per gallon of water.
• Throw away foods that have come in contact with floodwaters.
• Make sure everyone involved in flood cleanup work has an up-to-date tetanus shot.  Boosters are recommended every ten years.

Flood cleanup tips are available by calling the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD, visiting its web site at www.achd.net for a Flood Fact Sheet or checking its Community Emergency Guidelines section in Verizon’s Greater Pittsburgh White Pages.

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