Cleaning up a sewage spill

Thorough cleaning of indoor sewage spills is necessary to protect people -- especially small children -- from harmful bacteria and viruses. Clean-up should begin as soon as possible to reduce the risk of exposure to sewage.

• Keep children and pets out of the area until clean-up has been completed.

• Wear rubber gloves and boots. Use eye protection.

• Wash your hands thoroughly and launder clothes separately after completing the clean-up.

• Remove all furniture, loose rugs, and so on from the area.

• Saturated wall-to-wall carpeting (and the pad) usually cannot be adequately cleaned. They should be removed, wrapped in plastic, and taken to a transfer station or sanitary landfill. If you decide to keep the carpeting, hire a licensed carpet cleaning company to steam clean and disinfect the carpet.

• All hard surfaces, such as linoleum, hardwood floors, concrete, wood moldings, wood, and metal furniture, and on should be thoroughly cleaned with hot water and a mild detergent (dish detergent), and then rinsed with a bleach solution by mixing one tablespoon of liquid household unscented bleach to one gallon of water. Let the surface air dry.

• Upholstered furniture, loose rugs, drapery, and so on should be professionally cleaned. Notify the cleaner of the problem.

• Remove and replace plaster, plasterboard, and lath that have been saturated and are soft to the touch. If the surface has been wetted, clean as you would a hard surface, but do not saturate the plaster.

• Clean sinks, dishwashers, and other plumbing fixtures that have had sewage back-up with detergent, and then rinse with the bleach solution.

• Disinfect clean-up mops, brooms, and brushes with the bleach solution.

• Prevent mold growth and reduce odors by increasing air circulation -- open all windows and doors. The use of fans and heaters may speed this process. Read more...

Safety Courses:

Spill Cleanup Safety Training Programs

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Incidents and Reporting Requirements

For assistance in completing the Incident Report Form 5800.1 or any questions regarding the incident reporting requirements, please call the Hazardous Materials Information Center at 800-467-4922.

Practices to Prevent and Control Spills of Hazardous Materials

• Store chemicals and hazardous materials in areas not susceptible to rain and provide secondary containment in order to control and contain any leaks.
• Verify weekly that sufficient spill control clean up materials and supplies are located near material storage and use areas.
• Clean up all minor spills and leaks immediately using the spill control material and personal protective equipment supplied in your area.