How do you clean up after water damage?

Clean up after flood water, step by step

To clean and dry your home after a pipe burst or leak, stop the water, keep clear of wet electrics, remove the water, then dry and clean the room. Most flood cleaning at home follows this order. If a pipe in your flat burst, read what to do when a pipe bursts for the plumbing side.

1. Shut off the water. HDB's home care guide on pipes says to shut off the stopcock at the PUB water sub-meter to cut the water supply if there is a leakage.
2. Keep electricity and water apart. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) electrical safety advice is not to use electrical appliances near water or with wet hands, or touch an open outlet or switch with wet hands.
3. Remove standing water. Mop up pooled water and wring the mop into a sink or floor trap.
4. Lift items off the floor. Move rugs, cushions and boxes to a dry spot.
5. Ventilate the room. Open windows and doors. Once the standing water is gone, run fans from a dry socket in a dry room, with dry hands, keeping the fan and cord away from wet floor.
6. Clean, then disinfect. Wipe hard surfaces clean first, then disinfect them, as described below.

Electrics after water damage

If water reached sockets, switches, the DB box or appliances, do not switch them on, plug them in or try to reset anything. Leave them as they are and have them checked by a Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW) before you use them again. EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA. See EMA's page on engaging Licensed Electrical Workers.

If the power tripped when the water came in, leave it off and let a Licensed Electrician find the cause. Our guide to the Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) explains why an ELCB keeps tripping, and you can compare companies that list power trip repair with their published prices.

Drying carpets, floors and furniture

Start drying once the water is off and the electrics are safe.

• Carpets and rugs. Lift them off the floor and dry them flat. For wet carpet drying, prop the carpet up so air moves over both sides, not just the pile.
• Timber furniture. Wipe off water straight away, dry the legs and base, and move the piece onto a dry part of the floor.
• Parquet. Dry it without heat, using open windows and moving air, and watch for strips that lift or sound hollow.
• Sofas and cushions. Take off removable covers and stand cushions on their edge so both faces can dry.
• Cabinets. Empty the lower cabinets and leave the doors open so the base can dry.

HDB's home care guide on floor finishes explains that water seeping under a parquet floor causes loss of adhesion, leaving hollow or bulged-up strips. It advises finding the source of seepage, preventing contact with water and replacing the hollow strips where necessary.

Clean and disinfect safely

Once the rooms are drying, clean everything the water touched. The National Environment Agency (NEA) guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting residences ask you to keep rooms well ventilated during and after cleaning and disinfection, and to clean and disinfect in an order that minimises cross-contamination. Clean surfaces first to remove dirt and residue, then disinfect them. For fabrics, NEA says not to shake contaminated textiles and to wash them in a standard laundry cycle.

Throw away soaked items you cannot wash or dry properly, such as cardboard boxes and loose paper. If the water was dirty or the area is large, a disinfection service can do the job for you. The price depends on the job, so ask what each quote includes.

Afterwards: mould, the source and insurance

Over the next week, check walls, ceilings, skirting and the inside of cabinets for mould spots, stains or a musty smell, and keep the rooms ventilated. If mould appears overhead, see mould on the ceiling.

Drying out will not last if the leak continues. HDB's guide on pipes says to engage a licensed plumber to carry out repairs where necessary. If the water came through your ceiling from the flat above, see ceiling leak from upstairs for what to do next.

For insurance, photograph the damage before you throw anything away, then check your policy and ask your insurer what it covers. See insurance for home repairs for what to look for.

Questions