When sewers back up into homes, the damaged area
must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to reduce the
risk of disease. Again, the first step is to put on
protective clothing as noted above. The humidity in the
damaged area should be lowered by opening up the
house and removing standing wastewater with a mop,
wet vac, or squeegee. Interior closets and cabinet doors
should be opened to allow circulation. Fans,
dehumidifiers, and window air conditioners can be used
to circulate the air, but whole house air conditioners or
furnace blowers should be used only if the air ducts were
not impacted by standing wastewater. Desiccants
(materials that absorb moisture) can be placed in
enclosed areas where air can't move through.