Damaged Items: Save or Toss?

 

Photo of workers wet vaccing a floor

 

 

ITEMS YOU CAN SAVE

MSD's cleaning professionals can assist with decisions about items that can be safely cleaned.  In general, items made of hard plastic, glass, metal, ceramic, wood or concrete can be cleaned and saved.

 

Examples include:

 

  • Bicycles
  • Tools
  • Washers and dryers
  • Plastic tubs
  • Solid wood furniture

Items located in the flooded area but not in contact with the water, such as TVs, computers, and stereo equipment, can usually be saved.

 

The MSD cleaning crew will move all saved items away from the flooded area. These items may be covered with plastic or put up on blocks to avoid getting wet when the floor is cleaned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Items You Should Toss

Many items cannot be adequately cleaning and disinfected after they have been contaminated with sewage.

 

Examples include:

 

  • Wet carpeting, padding
  • Wet linoleum, floor tile
  • Wet mattresses and pillows
  • Wet upholstered couches or chairs
  • Wet pressboard furnishings
  • Wet paper bags, cardboard boxes, papers, magazines, letters
  • Wet records, books, photos, pictures
  • Wet children's toys, playpens, baby bottles, blankets, etc.

 

Damaged property that has been approved for removal will be taken outside by the cleanup crew and placed in a truck or dumpster for off-site disposal. If you do not give permission for a damaged item(s) to be removed and disposed, you will need to indicate those items on the "Contaminated Property Release" form.