Overflowing Toilet Caused Water Damage. Now What?

2/9/2022 (Permalink)

Water Damage caused by an overflowing toilet, causing mold and other bacteria to grow in Redding, CA.

Whether it began with tree roots in your pipes, an overzealous child that loves toilet paper, or a dinosaur that just needed to find a watering hole, an overflowing toilet can cause water damage and be a potential health hazard to you and your family. 

So now that you can sail a small sailboat in your bathroom, you might be asking yourself, "what is the first step to cleaning up?". 

Stop the Water

• If the water continues to flow out, quickly shut off the water valve. Here is a quick tutorial on how and where to find the water valve in your bathroom.  
• Next, remove the lid to the toilet, push down on the circular rubber valve at the bottom of the toilet and lift up the float. This will stop any further water from entering the toilet bowl. 

Dry the Standing Water

• Quickly grab a mop or towels and remove all standing water. Fast action can prevent water from settling under the floor, into the walls, or cabinets. (If using towels, immediately wring out excess water into a bucket, put the used towels into the washing machine, use bleach or another detergent to disinfect them.)   

Unclog the Toilet

• The next step is to grab that faithful plunger and get to work. Make sure to remove any further dinosaur toys that may still be trying to take an afternoon swim. If the clog can't be freed from using a plunger or auger, it might be time to contact a licensed professional to help access the problem. 

Remove the Waste Water

• Grab the bucket of wastewater that you mopped up and (if the clog has been freed) pour it into the toilet. Flush the toilet. Make sure to clean the bucket with hot water, bleach, or other cleaning products that kill germs.  

Clean the Bathroom

• Make sure all germs and bacteria are killed when cleaning. We can do this by using bleach. Check out the family handyman website on how to safely use bleach to clean your bathroom.  

Contact your Professional Water Damage Restoration Company

• If the water has penetrated your walls, carpet, wood furnishings, cabinets, or wood floor, it's time to call SERVPRO of North Shasta, Trinity, and Greater Tehama Counties. With our 24-hour emergency service, our highly trained professional water damage technicians are always on call. We can provide advanced water inspections, water extraction, and drying equipment. 

Next time you have water damage, Call us! We are always here!

530-222-0200