Cleaning Up After a Toilet Reversal

If you walk into your bathroom to see a huge mess left form a toilet reversal, you are bound to panic just a little. This disgusting situation not only has a huge gross-out factor, but it can be a huge pain to clean. Even though you might be shocked and grossed-out, it is important to take care of a toilet reversal as soon as possible. Whatever the cause, the first thing you'll need to do is clean it as best you can, then contact a plumber if necessary. Keep in mind though, that cleaning up after a toilet reversal is of paramount importance.

If the problem is bad, you might choose to hire someone to professionally clean up the mess. If, however, the mess is not that bad or you decided to clean it yourself and save money, here are some ideas that should help.

• Assess the situation. How big is the mess? What needs to be cleaned? If you have rugs or mats in the bathroom that have been touched by the mess, you will probably just want to throw them out and get new ones (depending on the nature of the mess). Get these out of the way and prepare to clean.
• Gather the proper tools. Using paper towels and gloves, wipe up what you can. Continue wiping until the mess has been reduced and is more manageable. Next, use an all-purpose cleaner that will kill bacteria. Spray over the affected area and wipe up with paper towels. Repeat this step until you have thoroughly cleaned the whole area.
• Clean the toilet! Wipe up the toilet seat and bowl. Use antibacterial cleaner here as well, scrubbing the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush and cleaner if needed.
• Mop. The last step is to go over the area with a mop and floor cleaner. This is an extra measure to take to make sure everything is cleaned up as well as possible.
• Wet-vac, carpet cleaner. If the mess got your carpet soaked, don't just clean up and let it air dry. If the carpet was deeply saturated, air drying can take a long time and may cause mold or mildew. Either use a wet vac to suck up the water or get a professional carpet cleaner in to take care of the job.

Although it may be a disgusting job, the sooner you clean up the bathroom the better. Be sure you use antibacterial cleaners when you clean to ensure that you kill all the germs.