Your steps to recovery after a flood

It's important to dispose of anything you can't wash.(Supplied: Elle Pillar)

Once the waters have disappeared from your community, you need the all clear from your local council or SES before you can return home. Here is some important information to keep in mind once you're home.

If you're checking for damage ...

Protect yourself — If you think your home has been flooded, put on protective clothing including boots, gloves, a mask and a sturdy shirt and pants before you go back to check your house.
Be careful — The property is not safe to enter if there is any sign of structural damage.
Safety first — Don't turn on your gas, electricity or appliances until they've been checked by a professional.
Document everything — Before you move or clean anything, take lots of photos of all damage for insurance claims.
Wash your hands — During a flood, sewage can overflow. Anything that has been wet is probably contaminated. Don't touch anything wet with bare hands, especially if you have cuts or broken skin. Wash your hands regularly.

Cleaning up – riverine flooding

Wear protective clothing — Sturdy footwear (e.g. rubber boots), loose long-sleeved shirts and trousers, thick waterproof gloves, hat and eye protection (e.g. sunglasses).
Wash your hands — Make sure the water you wash your hands with is clean and use soap. Do this regularly.
Dry out your home — Try to dry out your building as quickly as possible. Open all the doors and windows and use fans if you can to speed up the process.
Clean first and then disinfect — Clean walls and floors with detergent and water, then disinfect walls, floors and ceilings with a solution of 125mL of household bleach to 5L of clean water. Do not use hot water. Do the same for kitchen benches and fridges but with a disinfectant solution of 50mL bleach to 10L of water.
Dispose of anything you can't wash — If something has been wet by floodwater and you can't clean it, you should throw it out.
Take care with furniture and mattresses — Wet mattresses are hard to clean and dry and can become mouldy. You may have to throw them out along with upholstered furniture, unless you're able to get a professional to clean and restore it.
Be aware of hazardous material — Take precautions if you are handling asbestos cement debris and/or chemicals. Ask local council or SES workers about waste collection and disposal in your area.

Cleaning up – flash flooding

Assume floodwater is contaminated — Anything that came into contact with floodwater is probably contaminated. There is a risk that sewage overflow may have also occurred.
Keep pets and children safe — Keep them away from contaminated areas until the areas have been properly cleaned.
Dry out as soon as possible — Open doors and windows to increase ventilation and remove dampness.
Clean and sanitise — Wash all hard surfaces (floors, walls, benches), utensils and crockery and outdoor play equipment. Use hot water and household detergent, disinfect with a bleach-based sanitiser, and do a final rinse with clean water.
If in doubt, throw it out — Clean all absorbent household materials (mattresses, furniture, rugs, linen, children's soft toys). Materials should be either dried in the sun and cleaned or disposed of if soiled and cannot be cleaned.
Get rid of mould — If mould is present, use a household detergent or a white vinegar solution.
If yards are contaminated with mud from flash flooding, let the mud dry out before using the yard.

Mosquitoes, flies, snakes, spiders and other pests

There can be more flies than usual around after flooding, especially if there's spoiled food or waste around your home. Flies can spread bacteria and parasites, so it's best to limit their numbers.

You can minimise flies breeding by ...

Cleaning your benches and food-prep areas carefully before you use them
Keeping food covered
Throwing out or composting food scraps, animal droppings and other organic waste
Making sure rubbish bins have undamaged, tight-fitting lids
Emptying bins regularly and keeping them clean

It's common to see more mosquitoes after flooding as they breed in water. It's important to protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases including Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus, dengue virus, Japanese encephalitis and West Nile virus.

Protect yourself from mosquitoes by ...

Wearing long loose-fitting clothes if mosquitoes are around
Covering up as much as possible
Using an effective mosquito repellent containing either picaridin or diethyltoluamide (DEET) on all exposed skin

Snakes can also lose their homes in floods and may look for food and safety in homes, sheds and other buildings.

Put on protective clothing — Wear sturdy work boots and gloves and long pants to protect your legs.
Be careful — Watch where you place your hands and feet when removing or cleaning up debris.
Never touch a snake — If you see a snake, step back from it slowly and allow it to proceed on its way. Do not touch it.
Clean up — Remove debris from around your home as soon as possible because it can attract rodents, lizards and insects on which snakes feed.
Snakes can swim — Be aware of snakes that may be swimming in the water trying to get to higher ground.
Seek help — Don't panic if you find a snake in your home. Get advice from someone familiar with snakes or call a snake catcher in your area.
If you are bitten call triple-0 immediately

Crocodiles can turn up in unexpected places after heavy rain and flooding as rivers and streams inundate communities.

Keep out of the water — Stay out of floodwaters. Crocodiles are hard to see in murky water.
Safe boating — If you're using a boat, keep your arms and legs inside the boat at all times.
Be careful — Take care if using smaller vessels like kayaks to move around flooded areas. Large crocodiles can tip them over.
Report it — Always report croc sightings to your department of environment.

Financial support

Services Australia has support payments for any person in an area with a declared disaster. Your state or territory may also offer additional financial support. You can find this information by searching "Services Australia disaster support" or "disaster support" where you are.