Environmental Health Center

California Flood Recovery Scripts

This is an Environminute Disaster Advisory from the National Safety Council and the Governors Office of Emergency Services.

If your cookware and kitchen utensils have come into contact with flood water, they'll require special treatment. Wash all china and glass dishes and cups and pots and pans that have been covered with flood waters with hot soapy water and use a brush to remove dirt. Any piece of equipment that can be taken apart should be cleaned in pieces. Dip in a sanitizing bleach solution and rinse in clean water. The bleach solution should be one half-cup of bleach to one gallon of water. Throw away dishes with deep cracks as well as all plastic and wooden utensils, plates, bowls and cookware. They cannot be disinfected. Also toss out plastic baby bottles, nipples and plastic food containers.

This Environminute Disaster Advisory was brought to you by the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation.

For information on floods and indoor air issues, visit our Flood Waters Fact Sheet.

For more information on the Flood Recovery Radio PSAs, e-mail hochc@nsc.org.