Cleanup after a disaster

Updated 28feb10

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Check for gas leaks if there is structural damage. Don't turn anything electrical on until you have done so. If you have to turn on a flashlight, go outside to do so. Flipping a switch usually makes as spark. Turn off the gas if there is a leak.
If in doubt, don't turn on the electricity until told to. Only the gas company should turn the gas back on to avoid the possibility of explosion. Don't enter water to turn the electricity back on.
If any propane tanks or weapons wind up on your property, call emergency services and don't touch them. Conduct a search if wind, water, or other forces could have deposited them.
Get debris, mud, garbage, and standing water out of the house and cars immediately. Inhibit mold growth after flooding by reducing temperature and humidity (turn on the air conditioner, or air the place out if you don't have one). Most floodwater is contaminated by sewage.
Restore the structural integrity of your house. Patch the windows and roof with plywood and plastic sheets to make it watertight and help it maintain a comfortable temperature.
Dry wet clothes to prevent mold.
Save flood-damaged clothing by washing. Hose off the mud first. Wash & dry on the hottest setting the clothes will take. Use extra detergent. Use bleach or disinfectant. Most dry-clean clothing can be rinsed in the washing machine on cold and air-dried before bagging for dry-cleaning later (they are still contaminated by sewage).
To save a flood damaged carpet: Pull up the carpets and pads, take them outdoors, and hose them clean. Discourage mold with bleach (2 tablespoons per gallon of water). Dry the carpet, pads, and floor thoroughly before reinstalling.
To save wet electonics: Don't turn it on! Unplug it and remove all batteries. Open it and pour out the water. Immerse it in 90% alcohol for 5-10 minutes to get the rest of the water out. Then let it dry.
Dust and ash is granular and abrasive. Wiping it off can be like scouring your possessions with cleanser. This is OK for some possessions, but not for others. Blowing and vacuuming are good ways to remove it. Paintbrushes are your next choice.
Soot is both granular and greasy; it can be a sticky abrasive. Washing carries the risk of turning the soot into ink. Use common sense to remove soot from each item. When in doubt, preserve it to restore later with expert advice. Play-dough was originally marketed as a soot remover, but it has limited utility.
Mold spreads. Isolate moldy items immediately.
Cut out soaked drywall above the flood line to prevent mold.
Salvage paper money as if it were any other paper. Banks will exchange damaged money if the denomination is identifiable and it is 51% intact. Badly damaged money is exchangeable by registered mail to the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Office of Currency Standards, P.O. Box 37048, Washington, D.C. 20013. Enclose a letter explaining what happened, what you want, and where to send the replacement bills.
Dry papers separately so they will not stick together. Remove caked-on mud by gently agitating in water. Freeze what you cannot dry to restore later to prevent mold (separate with plastic or foil if possible). Never scrub documents. Save stuck-together documents to restore later with expert advice.
Photograph negatives can be washed in clean water. Never heat, freeze, or scrub negatives.
Stand books on edge so the water drains out. Then fan them out to dry.
Dry paintings horizontally, paint-side up.
If framed material is stuck to the glass, remove the backing and dry glass-side down. Restore later with expert advice.
Clean removable magnetic media (tapes & diskettes) by rinsing and air-drying. Never soap, scrub, freeze, or heat them.
Clean wood furniture normally. Prevent soaked wood veneers from warping and separating by weighting evenly over the surface.
Clean upholstered furniture by rinsing and air-drying.
Restore leather by rinsing and blotting it dry quickly.
Blot steel items dry to reduce rust.
Warped items can be flattened by moistening and then weighting over the entire surface.
Mold can be killed in small absorbent items with a chlorine gas chamber. Put the items in a sealed container along with a little bowl. Put a small quantity of chlorine bleach into the bowl. Hold your breath and add a little toilet cleaner to liberate deadly chlorine gas. Put on the lid and wait. Too much chlorine will bleach or corrode the item.
Remove mold smell from paper and small items by putting loosely in a sealed container of baking soda for a week.
Beware of unscrupulous contractors and loan companies. These vermin always show up after disasters.

Put this list somewhere so that you can read it if something happens to your house.