A "do-it-yourself" approach to sewage and septic cleanup is NOT encouraged. The sewage backup restoration process involves a series of steps, to be taken in a specific order, and that need to be done right the first time. The sewage will need to be pumped out of the affected area and everything that was touched by the sewage needs to be considered contaminated. Carpeting, rugs, clothing, textiles, upholstery, and any other items that have made contact with sewage-based flooding should be thrown away and replaced. Mold appears even faster following cases of sewage flooding or backup. Mold aggravates the problem exponentially, increasing the difficulty of proper remediation, and adding an additional level of health risks since mold spores inhaled in large concentrations have proven to be extremely hazardous to your health. Every surface touched by sewage will need to be cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized. This procedure may need to be repeated several times to make sure that all contaminants have been removed.