Cleanup
Sewage Backup: What Not To Do
A sewage backup is a biohazard event. The instinct to grab a mop is the wrong one.
June 9, 2026 · 5 min read
Do not enter or clean it yourself
Category 3 water carries bacteria, viruses and parasites. Mopping aerosolizes contaminants and spreads them into unaffected rooms on your shoes. Close the door, keep children and pets out, and shut the HVAC off so the system does not distribute contaminated air.
Do not run more water
Every flush, sink and washing machine cycle adds volume to a system that is already blocked. Stop all water use in the building until the line is cleared.
Do not assume surfaces can be sanitized in place
Porous materials that contacted sewage — carpet, pad, drywall, insulation, particleboard — are removed, not cleaned. Only hard, non-porous surfaces are disinfected and retained.