09/10/2026
09.10.2026
Press Release- For Immediate Release
Cleaning Up Your Home After A Flood
The Jackson County Health Department and the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency want to share the following guidelines from the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about cleaning your home up after a flood:
Inside the Home
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Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed.
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Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles during cleanup of affected area. You can wear a mask over your nose and mouth to help protect yourself from inhaling mold as you clean it.
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To kill mold, you can scrub it away using use a 10% bleach solution (1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water).
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Remove and discard items that cannot be washed and disinfected (such as mattresses, carpeting, carpet padding, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, stuffed animals, baby toys, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings, and most paper products). If an item cannot be completely cleaned and dried within 24-48 hours, it should be taken outside and thrown away.
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Remove and discard drywall and insulation that has been contaminated with sewage or flood waters.
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Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces (such as flooring, concrete, molding, wood and metal furniture, countertops, appliances, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures) with hot water and laundry or dish detergent.
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Help the drying process by opening all doors and windows after it stops raining, and by using fans, air conditioning units, and dehumidifiers.
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After completing the cleanup, wash your hands with soap and warm water. Use water that has been boiled for 1 minute (allow the water to cool before washing your hands).
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Or you may use water that has been disinfected for personal hygiene use (solution of ⅛ teaspoon [~0.75 milliliters] of household bleach per 1 gallon of water). Let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy, use a solution of ¼ teaspoon (~1.5 milliliters) of household bleach per 1 gallon of water.
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Wash all clothes worn during the cleanup in hot water and detergent. These clothes should be washed separately from uncontaminated clothes and linens.
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Wash clothes contaminated with flood or sewage water in hot water and detergent. It is recommended that a laundromat be used for washing large quantities of clothes and linens until your onsite wastewater system has been professionally inspected and serviced.
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Seek immediate medical attention if you become injured or ill.
For more information
please contact:
Kevin Aston
Health Commissioner
{740} 286-5094 ext.
28246
Jackson County Health Department
102 Twin Oaks Dr.
Jackson, OH 45640
jacksoncountyhealthdepartment.net
[email protected]
(Continued from page 1)
Outside the Home
•
Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed.
•
Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles during cleanup of affected area.
•
Have your onsite waste-water system professionally inspected and serviced if you suspect damage.
•
Wash all clothes worn during the cleanup in hot water and detergent. These clothes should be washed separately from uncontaminated clothes and linens.
•
After completing the cleanup, wash your hands with soap and warm water. Use water that has been boiled for 1 minute (allow the water to cool before washing your hands).
o
Or you may use water that has been disinfected for personal hygiene use (solution of ⅛ teaspoon [~0.75 milliliters] of household bleach per 1 gallon of water). Let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy, use solution of ¼ teaspoon (~1.5 milliliters) of household bleach per 1 gallon of water.
•
Seek immediate medical attention if you become injured or ill.
In addition to the above instructions, it is also important to remember not to eat or drink anything contaminated by flood water because this can cause diarrheal disease. To protect yourself and your family:
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Practice good hygiene after contact with flood waters.
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Do not allow children to play in flood water areas.
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Wash children's hands frequently (always before meals).
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Do not allow children to play with toys that have been contaminated by flood water and have not been disinfected.
For more information, you can visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website about flooding:
https://www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.html
