Sewage Backup Cleanup: Step-by-Step Guide
(Last updated: July 2026)
A sewage backup is not only inconvenient and disgusting but also potentially hazardous to your health. It occurs when wastewater, instead of draining through the sewer system, reverses direction and finds its way up through your basement drain, toilets, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures. When this happens, you’ll need a professional restoration company like Restorerz that knows how to clean up after a sewer backup in your Los Angeles home.
Sewage Backup Cleanup Key Highlights
- Turn off the water and electricity immediately after a sewer backup.
- Avoid contact with affected areas, as sewage is a serious biohazard.
- Call a professional restoration company to clean, sanitize, and restore your home.
What to Do Immediately When Your Sewer Backs Up
When your sewer backs up, acting fast is key to protecting your health and your home. Alongside bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, odorous and flammable gases may be present that can be an immediate danger to your home and family. When you need to know what to do when your sewer backs up, take the following steps:
1. Stop using water
The first thing to do in a sewer emergency is to turn off your home’s main water valve. This prevents further flooding and limits the risk of untreated water damage. Shut off the valve immediately, and don’t use any water appliances until the situation is cleaned up.
2. Stay out of the affected area
Sewer backups contain dangerous contents like black water, making them a serious biohazard. Evacuate all people and pets from your home, and wear rubber boots and an N95 respirator if you need to take valuables with you.
3. Shut off electricity to affected areas or contact your utility company
Electricity and flooding are a dangerous mix, so if it’s safe to access your breaker box, turn off electricity to the affected area. If you can’t safely reach your electrical panel without coming into contact with the sewage backup, contact your utility company to turn off power to your home.
4. Open windows to ventilate
Sewage backups often produce dangerous gases and foul odors, so ventilating the space is an important step in protecting your home. Open windows and doors to let in fresh air and clear the space.
If the sewage backup is only minor and there’s no risk of electrical hazards, you can use household fans to add extra ventilation. However, if there’s any amount of standing water, it’s better to err on the side of caution and avoid any electricity use.
5. Report it
Report the sewer backup to the appropriate professionals as soon as possible. You’ll typically need to contact several pros, depending on the situation:
- A licensed plumber to repair the source of the issue
- A restoration company like Restorerz to fix the damage
- City authorities if the sewer backup is caused by a main line outside of your home
- Your insurance company to begin the water damage or flood damage claims process
When you book Restorerz, we’ll work directly with your insurance company to help manage the claim. No matter what type of water damage you’re dealing with, our certified disaster restoration services deliver 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
How Our Restoration Experts Handle Sewage Backup Cleanup
When you book sewage backup cleanup with the pros at Restorerz, we’ll start with a thorough site analysis and containment to prevent the problem from spreading further. Next, we use specialized equipment, such as submersible pumps, to extract sewage from your home and dispose of items that have absorbed contaminated water. We’ll sanitize any materials that can be properly disinfected and remove things like drywall that can’t be properly cleaned. Then we’ll dry, dehumidify, and deodorize your home, making sure everything meets our strict safety and biohazard protocols. Finally, we’ll repair and reconstruct your home to its pre-damage condition.
What Should You Discard After a Sewage Backup
If you can’t clean and disinfect clothing, furniture, carpets, bedding, or toys, they should immediately be discarded. Any clothing to be discarded should be placed in a tightly closed container until it can be picked up or thrown away. Whatever movable objects have contacted wastewater should be taken outdoors, cleaned, and air-dried in sunlight. It’s also important, after touching contaminated items, not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth until you wash your hands thoroughly. Wash all clothing and parts of the body that touched flood waters and sewage.
Hiring a professional sewer backup company to clean up is the best way to ensure that they properly manage your home and belongings. We’ll save anything that can be safely recovered and dispose of anything that can’t in a way that meets all hygiene and safety standards. Since raw sewage contains a wide range of hazardous materials and gases, it’s best left to the pros.
How to Prevent the Next Sewer Backup
The best way to prevent sewer backups in your home is to have regular annual plumbing inspections by a licensed professional. In addition to inspections, other strategies you can take include:
- Installing a sump pump to prevent basement flooding
- Maintaining proper exterior drainage, including clear eavestroughs
- Not flushing anything except waste and toilet paper
- Avoiding putting grease, oils, and fats down the drain
- Regularly cleaning the drains to prevent clogs
Call Restorerz for Expert Sewage Backup Cleanup
Restorerz provides 24/7 sewage cleanup assistance in and around Los Angeles and has an Institute of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certification. Our crews can reach you in 60 minutes or less and address issues such as water/sewage removal, sanitation, and mold prevention. Contact us today to book service, and we’ll send out a team of licensed pros to get started on your sewage emergency as soon as possible.
