CLEANING UP YOUR BUSINESS AFTER A FLOOD

It always hurts when a flood or some other disaster strikes-but especially when it affects your ability to live and to work.

Cleaning up a business after a flood is a trial but a necessary task in order to get back to work and recover the losses as quickly as possible.

Food And Drink

If you work in a food or beverage store, then you may have to eliminate many flooded products from your shelves. Any food or drink items that are in soft packaging or have screw top bottles that were in contact with floodwater should be discarded.

Canned goods are naturally safe and contained. However if they are rusted, leaking or dented they should be thrown away. Cans that have not been damaged or contaminated in anyway can be relabeled after washing the can in detergent and sanitized by bleach. Similarly, corked wine bottles and foil or wax topped beverages can be salvaged after a wash.

Equipment

Store equipment must be sanitized. It's best to use detergent and bleach when cleaning anything after a flood. If you, your employees or your customers will be handling the item then it is very important to clean and disinfect it thoroughly. It can save you a lot of headaches and protect you legally should anyone in your store come down with illness.

Walls And Furnishings

If you suffer major flood damage then walls and furnishings inside your business have very likely been contaminated. This does not always mean that everything soiled has to be thrown away and counted as a loss. Many furnishings and even walls are salvageable if they are quickly and effectively cleaned.



This will involve using detergent and bleach to completely disinfect all of the pollutants or mold spores. Speaking of mold, a major remodeling of the premises would probably only be necessary if the flood damage was left untreated for a period of time. Quick action is needed-the sooner you act the more you can save.

The EPA

The Environment Protection Agency has some set standards about how schools and commercial businesses should respond and react to flood damage, along with the best way to provide sanitary business to customers after a water-related disaster.

True, the EPA has no way of secretly monitoring vendors all over the country to see if regulations are being followed. But for the sake of your customers and your professional reputation, it is important that you strive to provide the safest service possible, according to official regulations and common courtesy.