Storm and cyclone cleanup: a Townsville safety guide

The clean-up after a storm is the part nobody plans for. The warnings, the preparation and the event itself get all the attention; then the power comes back on and you’re standing in a wet house wondering where to start.

This is the order of operations we’d suggest for a North Queensland household, based on what actually causes problems later.

Before anything else: if there is any chance of structural damage, live electrical hazards, or floodwater contact with wiring, do not enter. In an emergency call 000. For storm and flood assistance, the SES is 132 500.

Stage 1 — Before you touch anything

Photograph everything. Every room, every damaged item, wide shots and close ups, before you move a single thing. Insurers assess on evidence, and the clean-up destroys it. Video walking through each room is even better.

Contact your insurer early. Ask two specific questions: what am I allowed to dispose of before assessment, and do you require me to use a nominated restoration contractor? Getting this wrong can affect the claim.

Check the power. If water has reached power points, wiring or the switchboard, don’t switch anything on. Get an electrician to clear the property first.

Assume floodwater is contaminated. In North Queensland flooding, water that has been across ground, through stormwater or near sewer infrastructure carries bacteria, chemicals and occasionally wildlife. Treat all of it as contaminated — including water that looks clean.

Stage 2 — Protect yourself

Non-negotiable for flood or heavy storm clean-up:

Waterproof boots with a solid sole. Debris under water is the most common injury source.
Heavy gloves — rubber over cotton liners if you can.
P2 or N95 mask, especially once things start drying and mould begins.
Eye protection.
Long sleeves and long pants, even in the heat.
Current tetanus vaccination.

Wash thoroughly afterwards, and keep clean-up clothing separate from everything else.

Watch for snakes and spiders displaced by water, and don’t put your hands anywhere you can’t see. In tropical Queensland, standing water becomes a mosquito breeding site within days — drain it.

Stage 3 — Get water out and air moving

Speed matters enormously here. Mould can establish within 24 to 48 hours in our climate, so the drying window is short.

Remove standing water — pump, wet vac, mop, whatever you have.
Open everything — windows, doors, cupboards, wardrobes, drawers.
Run fans and air conditioning on dry mode if the power is safe. Point fans at wet surfaces, not just into the room.
Hire commercial dehumidifiers if there’s significant water. They do in a day what household ventilation does in a week.
Lift wet carpet. Underlay that has been soaked by floodwater cannot be saved — it holds contaminated water and will not dry in place. Carpet itself is sometimes salvageable if the water was clean, but rarely after flooding.
Open wall cavities if water got inside them. Removing skirting and drilling weep holes lets cavities dry. If you’re not sure, this is a builder’s call.

Everything must be fully dry before it’s closed up, sealed, or repainted. Painting over a damp wall traps moisture behind the film and guarantees a problem.

Stage 4 — What to throw out

Hard rules after floodwater contact:

Discard	Reason
Carpet underlay	Cannot be decontaminated
Mattresses and pillows	Porous, retain contaminants
Upholstered furniture soaked through	Foam holds water and bacteria
Particleboard and MDF furniture	Swells and delaminates permanently
Food, including sealed packets	Seals are not floodwater-proof
Cosmetics and medicines	Contamination risk
Baby bottles, dummies, teats	Cannot be reliably sterilised
Wet insulation	Loses R-value, holds moisture

Salvageable with proper cleaning and drying: solid timber furniture, metal, glass, ceramics, most sealed hard flooring, and clothing that can be washed hot and dried completely.

Photograph everything before it goes to the kerb, and keep a written list with rough values.

Stage 5 — Clean and sanitise

Order matters. Cleaning before drying just moves contamination around.

Remove mud and debris while still damp — dried mud is far harder.
Wash surfaces with detergent and water. This is the step that actually removes contamination. Disinfectant applied over a dirty surface does very little.
Then disinfect hard surfaces. Follow the product’s contact time — most need several minutes wet to work, and wiping straight off achieves nothing.
Wash textiles hot and dry fully. Anything that stays damp will smell.
Clean the air conditioning — filters at minimum. If water reached the indoor unit or ducts, get it professionally serviced before running it, or you’ll distribute spores through the house.
Flush the hot water system if it was submerged; have it checked before use.

Do not use bleach as a first resort on porous surfaces — as covered in our wet season mould guide, it removes the colour without removing the organism.

Stage 6 — Yard and exterior

Clear debris progressively; don’t create piles that hide hazards.
Never touch fallen powerlines. Assume every one is live and call Ergon Energy on 13 16 70.
Leave large tree work to an arborist. Storm-damaged trees hold enormous stored tension and chainsaw injuries spike after every event.
Clear gutters and downpipes before the next system arrives.
Hose down and disinfect outdoor surfaces that had floodwater across them.
Drain anything holding water — pot plant saucers, tarps, buckets, toys.

When to stop and call a professional

Get help if:

Floodwater entered the building rather than just the yard.
Water was in the property for more than 48 hours.
There’s visible mould over roughly one square metre or more.
Sewage was involved — this is not a DIY job under any circumstances.
Water reached electrical fittings, the switchboard, or the air conditioning ducts.
Anyone in the household has asthma, an immune condition, or is pregnant.
There’s any sign of structural movement.

Professional restoration crews carry commercial dehumidifiers, air scrubbers with HEPA filtration, moisture meters that read inside wall cavities, and antimicrobial treatments that aren’t available retail. For a serious water event, that equipment is the difference between a house that dries and a house that grows.

Useful numbers for North Queensland

Emergency (life-threatening): 000
SES storm and flood assistance: 132 500
Ergon Energy — fallen powerlines and outages: 13 16 70
Townsville City Council: 13 48 10
Bureau of Meteorology warnings: bom.gov.au/qld/warnings

Keep these somewhere that isn’t your phone, in case your phone is flat.

We take on post-storm cleaning across Townsville for both homes and commercial premises, and we prioritise properties with children, elderly residents or health conditions. Request a callback and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s a cleaning job or a restoration job.

General information only. Follow the directions of emergency services and your insurer.