Before

After

Cleaning Up a Ft Pierce Commercial Property After a Sewage Backup

Sewage damage can be devastating, especially in a community-building like this in Fort Pierce, providing meals to those in need. When the backup occurred, all the furniture you see in the Before Photo was exposed and needed evaluation and disinfecting cleaning. Our SERVPRO of Fort Pierce NE team was called in to help with the restoration, as we are leading professionals from mitigation to deodorization. We are certified to help with:

• Sewage cleanup
• Flood restoration
• Water damage repairs
• Water removal services
• Emergency services water damage
• Biohazard cleaning

Water and Solid Removal

The Before Photo can show how widespread and threatening the standing water and sewage solids became. As a location providing food distribution to the community, the impact of this standing contaminated water was felt in the inventory as well. Any exposed or nearby food potentially contaminated had to be removed and safely discarded. We would focus initial efforts in the cleanup on eliminating the standing water and the debris to begin the floor cleaning. With the tiles being non-porous, we were able to remove moisture and solids with a combination of:

• Wet vacuums
• Truck extractors
• Light wands
• Squeegee wands
• Pressure washers

Safe Cleaning Products for the Building

Often the cleaning of Ft. Pierce commercial spaces and community buildings like this one must come with additional considerations. While we have powerful disinfectant and sporicidal products available to use, factors like the enclosed space and the daily food distribution here made it imperative to choose less pungent cleaners. Botanical products in our inventory provided a similar level of cleanliness and restoration without harsh odors. Many of our botanical products are made with citrus or other natural cleansers, leaving a pleasant scent for workers returning to the space. We made certain all exposed chairs, tables, and surfaces received focused wet cleaning.

Thorough Drying and Air Scrubbing

In the After Photo taken amid the final drying and restoration process, you can still see one of the HEPA air scrubbers working to provide the cleanest environment possible. Before this picture, the wall beneath the counter space on the left was lined with low-profile centrifugal air movers to target the exposed area where the trim at the wall base was saturated. While masonry is a low-porosity construction material, it was still beneficial to dry the exposed areas fully before reattaching the vinyl trim against the tile.

"Like it never even happened."

It can be hard to imagine the affected areas as clean and sanitary after a widespread sewage backup displayed here. We understand that there are many obstacles involved in the thorough cleaning and disinfection of the space, and much of this is putting the customer at ease about the level of cleanliness they can expect. After this incident, we were able to help the customer get back up and running and meet the requirements necessary to resume food distribution.