How To Clean Up A Sewage Spill In Your House Home flooding is dangerous on its own, but when it contains sewage, it can become extremely hazardous. Sewage floods often happen during times of heavy rain or when you haven't scheduled regular septic tank pumping in Atlanta. Follow these steps to safely clean up the affected areas of your home and yard. Protect Yourself The most important thing you can do when cleaning up a sewage flood is to properly protect yourself. Sewage contains chemicals, bacteria, and toxins that can be dangerous and even fatal if you are exposed to them. Wear gloves, a mask, and sturdy clothes and shoes to protect yourself. Keep the area closed off to all children and pets until it has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. How to Remove Solid Waste Solid waste should be gathered into trash bags and disposed of. Use a shovel or rake to scoop waste so you can stay as far away from it as possible. This can be a long job, and it may take the better part of a day to clean up the mess. During this time, try to contain the sewage--and your dirty clothes--in one area of the house until the job is done. You don't want to track sewage all over your home as you walk in and out. Sop Up Liquid Waste Once the bulk of the solid waste has been gathered and disposed of, use old towels, rags, or paper towels to soak up as much liquid as possible. Throw these into trash bags when you're done with them and dispose of them like the rest of the contaminated waste. You can also use a wet/dry vacuum to clean up more of the waste. Throw Out Contaminated Items Unfortunately, you will have to throw out many of your belongings from the affected area. It's very difficult to wash sewage completely out of furniture and carpets, and you don't want to take a chance with your family's health. If these sorts of items have touched sewage, throw them out immediately. The only items you should save are ones that can be thoroughly washed and disinfected, like hard, nonporous surfaces. Use your judgment on clothes or blankets that are contaminated. If they are soaked with sewage, it's best to throw them out. If they were barely touched, you can usually save them as long as you wash them thoroughly. Disinfect the Area Once the sewage has been removed from the area, disinfect any part of your home that the sewage touched. Use bleach to be sure you kill any remaining bacteria and remove other toxins. Use caution when working with bleach, since it can be as dangerous as the sewage itself if you're not careful. Work in a well-ventilated room and wear gloves when handling it. Open windows and doors to let the area air out whenever possible. Don't allow anyone else back into the room until the area has completely dried out. Prevent Future Backups After cleaning up a sewage spill, it's important to figure out why it happened so you can avoid a similar problem in the future. Some sewage backups are caused by local floods that you can't control, but many are caused by a lack of proper septic system maintenance. Call a plumber to inspect your septic system thoroughly for clogs that might have caused your system to back up. Have him clean out your pipes to get rid of all the scum stuck to the sides. If you have a private septic tank, schedule septic tank pumping in Atlanta every 2-3 years. You may even want to schedule an annual inspection to check your tank for leaks, clogs, and other problems.