What to Keep and Toss After Water or Flood Damage

Photograph everything first, then sort. Throw away anything that touched floodwater and cannot be cleaned and dried quickly: carpet, mattresses, upholstered furniture, pillows, stuffed toys, paper products, food and medicine. Wood and metal furniture can usually be cleaned. Keep a sample of material you discard, and ask your insurer before you toss anything large.

Photograph and list before you discard anything

FEMA says to take photos and videos of the damage before discarding items, including personal property inside and outside your home, and to photograph the insides of closets and cabinets. FEMA also says to keep material samples of damaged items such as carpeting, wallpaper and furniture upholstery, and to keep receipts for anything you buy to replace damaged property or make repairs.

A simple list helps: room, item, what it was, roughly when you got it, and a photo number. Your insurer decides what is covered, not CFDR, so ask your insurer what it needs to see before you haul anything to the curb. See the Florida claim guide and how to document water damage for insurance.

Why floodwater changes the answer

The federal homeowner guide from EPA, CDC, FEMA, HUD and NIH says flood water may have carried sewage or chemicals into your home, which could expose your family to viruses, bacteria, disease carriers and parasites, as well as mold. CDC adds that eating or drinking anything contaminated with floodwater can cause disease. That is why the same sofa gets a different verdict after a clean-water leak than after a flood. If the water was floodwater, treat every soft item it touched as contaminated. If you are not sure where the water came from, ask your matched company what it saw before you decide.

The time test: 24 to 48 hours

CDC says to clean up and dry your home quickly after a flood, within 24 to 48 hours if possible. The federal mold guide says that if you could not dry your home, including furniture and other items, within 24 to 48 hours, you should assume you have mold growth, and to throw away anything wet with flood water that cannot be cleaned and dried completely in that time. Before cleanup, wait to re-enter until professionals say it is safe; see flooded home safety: power, gas and CO first.

Keep or toss, item by item

• Carpet, carpet padding, rugs: throw away if they cannot be cleaned or dried quickly (CDC).
• Mattresses, pillows, cushions: throw away (CDC; FEMA).
• Upholstered furniture: throw away if it cannot be cleaned or dried quickly (CDC).
• Stuffed animals and baby toys: throw away if you cannot clean them (CDC).
• Books, paper products, wall coverings: throw away if they cannot be cleaned or dried quickly (CDC).
• Wood and metal furniture: clean all wet surfaces with hot water and laundry or dish detergent (CDC).
• Clothing: FEMA lists flooded clothing among health-risk items to throw away after you photograph them.
• Drywall and insulation contaminated by floodwater: remove and discard (CDC).

This is a starting point, not a coverage decision. Photograph an item before it goes in the pile.

Food and medicine

The FDA says not to eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water, and to discard food and drink not in a waterproof container if there is any chance of contact. Waterproof means undamaged, commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches; screw caps, snap lids, pull tops and crimped caps are not waterproof. Discard food in damaged cans, cardboard juice, milk and baby formula boxes, and home-canned food, because they cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitized. The FDA says undamaged cans and pouches can be saved if you follow its cleaning and sanitizing procedure, and the food in them should be used as soon as possible afterward.

For medicine, the FDA says medicines that have come into contact with floodwater or unsafe water should be discarded, even in original containers with screw-top caps, snap lids or droppers. If a medicine is needed for a life-threatening condition and no replacement is readily available, the FDA says it may be used if it appears unchanged. Ask a pharmacist or doctor about replacements.

Mold and cleaning products

EPA notes that porous materials such as ceiling tiles and carpet may have to be thrown away if they become moldy, and that mold can be difficult or impossible to remove completely from them. The federal mold guide warns against mixing bleach and ammonia because it can create toxic vapors, and advises protective gloves, goggles and at least an N-95 respirator while handling moldy items.

Wet electronics and irreplaceable photographs or documents are not covered by the official sources used for this post, so it gives no steps for them. Do not plug in anything that got wet, and ask your electric utility or an electrician before power is restored.

Then get help with the drying

Call or text CFDR at 321-420-7274 and Ryan Solberg matches you with a restoration company. Ask the matched company for its arrival time and to tell you in writing which contents it can clean, move or store. CFDR is a referral service, not FEMA and not a contractor; the company inspects, does the work and contracts with you directly. See also contents restoration in Florida, the first 24 hours, flood damage cleanup and Orlando.

Frequently asked questions

Should I throw things out before the adjuster comes? FEMA says to take photos and videos before discarding items, and to throw away flooded items that pose a health risk, such as perishable food, clothing, cushions and pillows, after you photograph them. FEMA also says to keep material samples. For larger items, ask your insurer or adjuster first.

Can I keep canned food that was in floodwater? The FDA says undamaged, commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches can be saved if you follow its cleaning and sanitizing procedure. Discard damaged cans, and anything in screw-cap, snap-lid, pull-top or crimped-cap containers that may have touched floodwater.

Can my wood furniture be saved? CDC lists wood and metal furniture among items to clean thoroughly with hot water and laundry or dish detergent after a flood. Porous or upholstered pieces are the likelier losses.

What if I cannot dry things in 24 to 48 hours? The federal mold guide says to assume you have mold growth, and to throw away wet items that cannot be cleaned and dried completely in that time.