Please help a distressed young lady - laundry

paintpot

I hear you are a lovely bunch over here so please help if you can.

I manage some rental properties and a tenant's flat has been flooded by raw sewage. She had various baskets with linen in like towels, bedlinen, there might be clothes too, I am not sure until I go through the baskets and they have been soaked in the sewage and she didn't have contents insurance.

I am going to go through her things for her tomorrow at her request as she has been rehoused and doesn't want to do it as it is foul and I want to see what I can salvage for her. She doesn't have a washer and it has been festering for some time in the sewage which is a long story.

I will gladly bring it home and clean it for if it is salvageable but I am concerned about the germs etc. I can't use bleach if it's coloured fabrics and they might be mouldy now aswell. If I boil them Is there any hope?

What can I do to make a young lady happy after alot of distress. She thinks they will be beyond repair and I would like to surprise her that she hasn't lost these possessions along with her home if possible if I can bring them up like new.

Any advice on how I can clean them please?

vivaladiva

That's a really kind idea, not many people would offer to do this. The only thing I could think of using is something like Napisan to soak and then a boil wash. I must admit that even after this treatment I don't think I'd fancy having the stuff back (unless it had some sentimental value). I think I'd prefer a trip to a charity shop. She might be a bit dubious about charity shop stuff, but it won't have been soaked in raw sewage.
Good Luck:A.

elona

Maybe try Nappisan or soak in a solution of soda crystals and very hot water?

lil_me

Firstly she should put a claim in to whoever is responsible for the problem that occured, I know my insurers did this when I claimed from them because of a similar issue. They claimed back from the council (who I rented from) as the fault came back as their responsibility.

Napisan might be a good product to soak clothing in if you are trying to rescue it (or boots nappy soak which is cheaper)

[Deleted User]

Better safe than sorry, bin the lot Raw sewage that has been 'festering' what on earth might you catch

lil_me

I agree with Jackie, however skint I was if I needed to use freecycle, bootsales, charity shops etc I wouldn't want to use it again.

paintpot

Thank you everyone, it's a private tenancy and it's just been an unfortunate problem that arose when the tenant was away on holiday. I just wanted to try and salvage anything salvageable I don't have kids but babies poo in nappies and they are cleaned so I figured maybe it was possible, but if it isn't then it isn't!

thanks

wogglemaker

A lovely thought Paint Pot,

but it's better not to go down that route, even if the flood was recent.

I had the job of removing my parquette floor 3 months after a foul flood and can still remember the stench.

lauren_1

She may be able to claim the cost of the lost items from the property owner as he is liable for the sewerage and drains. All i can suggest is filling a bath with nappisan and letting it soak over night.

I would be inclined to bin the lot really, even the most diehard OS would probably bin a poo encrusted pile of towels especially if its not theirs or their baby.

paintpot

It looks like my bright idea was not so bright as the overwhelming consensus is to bin it. I thought it was worth a shot. Some might not be contaminated at the top of the baskets but we'll see.

thanks alot

Daisymac_2

Paintpot, that is such a lovely thought but I really dont think you will be able to save anything, it will be stained and the smell will be really embedded into the fabrics. What a wonderful person you are offering to do such a thing, but I dont think all your hard work will pay off with this. Sorry hon.