WHEELING — After flooding in Ohio County left many with damp, muddy basements, Ohio County Health Administrator Howard Gamble outlined how one should prepare for and then get down to business cleaning a room contaminated by flooding.

Before any cleaning begins, Gamble emphasized taking the proper safety precautions first. He recommends wearing gloves, sturdy shoes and clothes that can be discarded after cleaning.

Another important safety measure one should take is ensuring they are up-to-date on their tetanus shot. Gamble explained that tetanus is the “biggest problem” the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department encounters after flooding.

To help combat tetanus after the flood, the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is offering free tetanus shots. These will be administered Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. You must be a West Virginia resident and no appointment is needed. For more information, call 304-234-3682.

Gamble noted that as of 1 p.m. on Friday, they had already administered 20 tetanus shots since opening. If one is cut or punctured anytime while cleaning, Gamble recommends going to an emergency room or urgent care.

Once one is sure they are safe to begin cleanup, the first step in the cleanup process is removing all water from the room that has been flooded.

With most houses affected by the flooding having water in their basement, Gamble advised pumping water out of one’s basement once the river is below flood stage. Wheeling residents can call 304-231-3711 to get the water pumped from their basement.

After water has been pumped from the room, Gamble emphasized ensuring the power in the room one is cleaning is turned off.

“Most people know they shouldn’t be touching the flood water while cleaning, but also touching anything electrical that is not turned off when you begin cleaning up can be very dangerous,” noted Gamble.

Most cleaning will be devoted to the walls and floors of the flooded room. Gamble advised using a squeegee or broom to first sweep any mud out of the room that has been flooded.

“This flood had a little less silt and mud, so we’re gonna see a little less as far as mud in the basement, but there’s still going to be a lot of that going on,” noted Gamble.

Gamble outlined that one should get someone to assist them in opening walls in their basement to check for contamination and then remove what has been damaged inside the wall.

Gamble recommends removing any contaminated drywall or wallboard that has been contaminated by floodwater, as these materials will begin to mold if left in one’s walls.

Walls made of plaster or paneling, on the other hand, can often be saved and cleaned. Gamble said one should use a dehumidifier to dry these types of walls and then clean them.

The best product for cleaning walls, floors and other hard surfaces after a flood is a bleach solution containing a tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water, according to Gamble, who emphasized not to “overdo” the amount of bleach one adds.

“Some people think, “If I have more bleach, it’s going to clean faster,” noted Gamble. “The problem you run into is that a high bleach concentration could cause breathing problems in that enclosed space.”

Gamble stressed that during the cleaning process, some items may have to be thrown away, as not everything can be properly decontaminated from flood water.

Porous items, furniture and anything that cannot be “completely cleaned” of contaminated flood water should be thrown out, according to Gamble. Items that can be dried out, opened and then cleaned can be kept.

If one had items in the flooded room that were contaminated by water, Gamble noted the phrase, “if in doubt, throw it out,” should be used to decide what to keep and what to dispose of. This phrase also applies to any food items that may have been affected by the flooding.

“It’s easier just to throw a food item out and save a lot of problems in the future where you’re wondering whether an item is contaminated or not,” explained Gamble. “Especially if you have a freezer or fridge in your basement or another room that you use for backup food storage, all the items in there need to be thrown away. After flooding, you cannot guarantee whether the food there was contaminated by floodwater.”

Gamble added that if one lost power due to the flooding, they should also throw out items that were not properly refrigerated or frozen during that time.

When removing debris or cleaning up items in one’s yard, the same protocols should be followed as cleaning indoors. Gamble stresses wearing heavy-duty gloves, a face mask, goggles and boots while cleaning outside.

“You need good working gloves because you’re going to be grabbing debris or items in the yard that are from the flood or are leftover items from your house,” said Gamble. “You need to keep your hands protected to limit the possibility of creating gashes and cuts.”