04/13/2026
When toilets overflow, the dirty water rarely stays contained to one room. It often travels outside of the bathroom, making contact with other building materials, such as carpet and padding.
Unlike clean water losses, backups are categorized as Category 3 water, meaning they are considered grossly unsanitary because they may contain pathogenic agents from f***s, urine, and raw sewage. This type of water poses serious health risks and can cause illness.
"We clean it up internally and just call a carpet cleaner," is the response we often hear. The mindset is that they cleaned the carpet, so it's "sanitized."
Because carpet and padding are porous materials, they absorb highly toxic substances that contain harmful bacteria, so there is a misinterpretation about "clean." Drywall, flooring, insulation, and porous items should be safely discarded per EPA and OSHA guidelines, followed by hospital-grade disinfectant applications. There is not an IICRC standard for āleave it in place for ___ hoursā allowance for Category 3 carpet and pad. Carpet pad affected by contaminated water is generally treated as non-restorable.
It is also about what you can't see. As restoration professionals, we identify water paths using thermal imaging and moisture meters to see how far the damage has traveled, while many maintenance professionals do not have these professional-grade tools on hand.
The next time you encounter a backup, contact the restoration professionals at (800) 262-0244 for assistance with the cleanup.
