Raw sewage backup can be hard to get rid of, especially if it gets into the basement. It reeks, but it can also cause other problems, including several health issues. So, when there is a sewage backup in your basement, you will need to take care of it immediately before it does any further damage.

However, cleaning sewage backup by yourself is not recommended. You ought to call a professional such as Water Damage Near Me. They will have the required tools, experience, and expertise to assess and deal with the situation.

While you shouldn’t clean sewage backup yourself, be sure to take all the preventive measures before getting your hands dirty.

The Prerequisites

You will need the right equipment and protective gear before getting down to cleaning sewage backup in your basement. So, here’s what you will need.

  1. Sewage components consist of some nasty stuff, including those flushed down the toilet. So, wear protective gear, such as gloves and boots, and don’t come in direct contact with these substances.
  2. Seal the rest of the house off to prevent the sewage components don’t enter into them as you are underway with the cleaning process.
  3. Make sure that you are wearing full- or long-sleeve shirts.
  4. Get all the stuff you will need for the process, including garbage bags, a water hose, wet and dry vacuum, buckets, bleach, cleaning agents, brushes, fans, and dehumidifiers.
  5. Turn off the gas and cut the water and electricity supply before starting with the work.
  6. Open the doors and windows to let in some fresh air and allow the foul smell to escape.

How to Cleanup Sewage in the Basement: The Process

So, now that you have taken all the preventive measures and have all the necessary items and tools, you can begin with the cleaning process. 

  1. Start by finding out the cause or source of the problem.
  2. Shift all the affected items to another area. You can put smaller things into garbage bags and keep them outside. As for the bigger items, you can move them into another room.
  3. Plug the vacuum cleaner in and suck out the raw sewage contents. Dump the contents into a sewer system or flush them down the toilet.
  4. Using a water hose, rinse the walls and other basement surfaces.
  5. Once the rinsing is complete, add one gallon of water to a bucket and one cup of bleach and mix them well.
  6. Scrub the walls and other surfaces by dipping a brush or broom into the solution.
  7. Continue with the scrubbing until all the dirt is gone.
  8. Take the water hose again and thoroughly rinse the walls and other surfaces. After rinsing the basement, let the excess water down the basement drain.
  9. Discard the remaining sewage contents in the bucket and rinse it using the brush or broom.
  10. Put all the affected items in the yard and rinse them thoroughly with the water hose.
  11. Clean the items using a solution of one cup of vinegar and a suitable agent.
  12. Discard all the items that you cannot clean.
  13. Once you finish, wash your clothes and boots with water, and dispose of the gloves.
  14. Take a shower and let your clothes dry by putting them directly under a fan.
  15. Turn the fans on in the basement so that it dries. You can as well use a dehumidifier to quicken the process.
  16. Look for mold growth and if you find any, start its removal immediately to prevent further spread.

Conclusion

You should contact a professional sewage backup cleaning service such as Water Damage Near Me when you have sewage contents in your basement. However, you can still do it yourself by following these steps. The table below sums up the cleaning procedure for treating sewage backup in the basement.

Sl. No.
Steps to Take
1
Identify the source.
2
Shift all the unaffected items to another room.
3
Use a vacuum cleaner and get rid of the sewage contents.
4
Rinse the walls and other surfaces of the basement using a water hose.
5
Scrub the surfaces with a solution of one gallon of water and one cup of bleach.
6
Rinse the surfaces with a water hose and drain the excess water and sewage contents.
7
Clean the affected items with a solution of vinegar and a cleansing agent.
8
Dispose of affected items that you cannot clean.
9
Clean your clothes and boots and discard the gloves.
10
Take a shower and let your clothes dry.
11
Dry the basement by turning on the fan or with a dehumidifier.
12
Attend to any mold growth and prevent its spread.