How To Get Water Out Of A Carpet

How To Get Water Out Of A Carpet

Removing Water From Your Carpet

Have you ever encountered a wet carpet or even a relatively damp one? Well, if you have, then you understand how uncomfortable things can be. This article will provide a few tricks and tips on how to get your wet carpet fluffy and dry once again.

A dry carpet is a great comfort to you in your house. When your carpet gets wet accidentally, do not just sit back and let it dry by itself. Be proactive enough to use the tips outlined in this article to prevent a foul odour from a wet carpet.

The best trick is to call a professional carpet cleaner to handle your wet carpet if you are unsure of how to handle it or do not have enough time to dry it on your own. If your carpet unexpectedly gets wet, here are a few critical questions to ask yourself before you can take any action:

• How long has the carpet been wet?
• How wet is the carpet?
• What is the source of the liquid?
• Is the dampness widespread across the entire room or just a section of the carpet?

Tips To Keep In Mind If Your Carpet Gets Wet

Your carpet may get wet in various ways. However, there are some basic principles to keep in mind when spilling accidents occur as outlined below:

Remember the carpet pad

If your carpet has padding, you should start by taking it off the floor. This is because padding will generate a foul odour that spreads to the entire carpet. The padding will also take longer to dry, so be prompt and lift it as soon as a spilling accident occurs.

Be fast

Mould sprouts quickly. If you leave your carpet wet for a long time, this can spell doom to your carpet as mould will invade it.

Take caution

If you are drying your carpet using electrical appliances, fans, or humidifiers. Ensure that the electric devices you are using to dry the carpet are not wet or standing in water.

How To Dry A Slightly Damp Carpet

Whether you left your window open when it was lightly raining or you just spilled some water on your carpet from a glass, here are some helpful tips that you can apply to dry it. Although the amount of water on your carpet may not be much, your carpet will still need drying.

The process of drying a slightly damp carpet is relatively simple. Firstly, you need to turn on your fan and make sure it is pointed at the wet area of the carpet to speed up drying through evaporation. The second method is even more straightforward.

All you need to do is take some dry rags and lay them over the wet area of the carpet. Apply some weight on the rags by using a heavy object to soak up as much water from the carpet as possible. You should cover the heavy object with a polythene bag to make it waterproof. This will prevent water from being absorbed by the object and making it wet.

If there is some moisture left in your carpet, you can make use of your hair blow dryer to completely dry it. Be careful, however, not to get your hair blow dryer nozzle too close to the carpet to prevent the heat from melting your carpet’s fibres.

How To Dry A Soaking Wet Carpet

A soaking wet carpet can be a headache to dry. If you feel like your dripping wet carpet is something that you cannot handle alone, you should consider bringing in a professional to do the job for you. A water-damaged carpet can result from several things, such as flooding caused by a natural disaster.

It can also result from a clean water pipe that has burst. Professionals usually use high-tech water extraction machines which have the capability and efficiency of thoroughly getting rid of water and moisture from your wet carpet. You can also hire a sizable wet-dry vacuum from home improvement stores and dry the wet carpet yourself at home. If you decide to handle it on your own, then here is what you need to do:

Step One: Hire or use your own vacuum

If you hire a large wet-dry vacuum, read and understand the instructions and guidelines on how to use it.

Step Two: Ensure you have the correct attachments

Make sure that you have the right accessories and filters to handle the vacuuming.

Step Three: Lift the carpet and remove the pad

After removing as much liquid as you can from your carpet, lift the carpet and remove the pad underneath. The pad has to be detached from the carpet to help it dry quickly.

Step Four: Replace the carpet pad

After the carpet dries, replace the pad.

Step Five: Ventilate your space

Now, open your windows and doors to facilitate air circulation in the room. You can also turn on the dehumidifier, which will aid in getting rid of excess moisture in the space.

Drying A Carpet After A Burst Pipe Or Flood

Sewer water or greywater (category 2) is water that potentially has pathogens. It may come from your sink or shower. If this water soaks your carpet, calling a professional as quickly as possible is the best decision you can make. Waiting for too long can make it hard for you to salvage your carpet.

Reliable, professional cleaners will dry your carpet entirely while also decontaminating it. Blackwater is water that comes from sewer lines and is considered as category 3. Category 3 water has a lot of harmful bacteria and pathogens.

It can percolate into your room where your carpet is, or it can get to your carpet during a flood because of a natural disaster. Also, floodwater can carry other substances, such as sludge, silt, and other messy materials, from sewer lines into your carpet.

At this stage, calling a professional to handle it is your best bet; otherwise, disposing of your carpet is a good option if the damage on it is irreversible.

NOTE: To handle a wet carpet in this situation, please wear protective gloves and gear. Be sure to consult with your garbage disposal service provider if you decide to get rid of it so that you can find out the best way of disposing of it.

Get Rid Of The Smell With Baking Soda

Is your carpet giving off an unpleasant odour after attempting to dry it? Well, getting rid of the smell should not be an issue. Baking powder has many uses, and one of the most common ones is that it is a general-purpose cleaner. It is a nice anti-deodorant for your carpet too.

All you will need to do is evenly sprinkle some baking soda over the wet, smelly carpet, give it some time and let the baking soda work its magic. The baking soda will get rid of the unpleasant odour while also absorbing moisture from the carpet.

When the baking soda absorbs moisture from your carpet, it will form cakes which are pretty easy to get rid of using a vacuum when the carpet is dry. You can tell that this method is hassle-free, very efficient, and cheap. However, it is only applicable if you are dealing with a small patch of water on your carpet.

If your entire carpet is affected, you will have to purchase a great deal of baking soda to handle the situation. Instead of going through such a hassle, calling a professional to do carpet cleaning is ideal.

What About Steam Cleaning?

Steam cleaning is another good way of drying your wet carpet. However, it is highly recommended that you do not rely on this method to dry your carpet over and over. This is because as much as hot steam loosens dirt, debris, and other messes, it doesn’t completely remove them from your carpet. Therefore, you should rely on other methods to obliterate them.

Hot Water Extraction Method

Hot water extraction machines remove moisture while also cleaning your carpet. Using hot water extraction on your carpet dries it very fast and gets rid of any debris and mess. Hot water is ideal in cleaning your carpet compared to steam cleaning alone.

Hot water extraction rinses your carpet with detergents and gives your carpet an excellent deep cleaning. It also helps in loosening tough stains in your carpet.

Signs That Your Carpet Needs Drying

If you accidentally spill some liquid on a carpet, the surface might get dry, giving the illusion that it is completely dry. However, deep within its padding, the moisture and dampness might remain.

• You might develop breathing issues and an unexplainable allergy.
• Your carpet might develop discolouration because of the moisture in it.
• A damp carpet can also develop a strong or mild musty smell.
• You will see water seeping out of it as you tread on your carpet if it is incredibly wet.
• Last but not least, a dump carpet will be cool and moist to the touch.

Is It Okay To Let A Wet Carpet Sit?

It is highly recommended that you dry your wet carpet as soon as possible. Even though your carpet might not be dripping wet, you should not let it stay damp. The damage might be irreversible if you procrastinate drying it. As long as your carpet is wet, be proactive enough to dry it immediately otherwise:

• Carpet padding will get damaged if you leave it wet for a long time.
• Carpet might develop a lingering foul odour if not dried after some time.
• Subfloor can also get damaged by a wet carpet.

Does Mould Grow On Wet Carpets?

Fungi and other types of mould love damp areas. Mould colonise your damp carpet by producing spores. These spores are always around in the air and wait for a perfect condition to thrive and form mould, for instance, your damp carpet.

A wet carpet and room temperature are the perfect recipes for mould development. The development and spreading of mould can take about 24 to 40 hours to actualise. By drying your wet carpet, you will prevent a lot of problems from occurring.

Beware that mould can result in a number of health issues for you and the members of your household. Mould also destroys your flooring and carpet.

Some of the allergies that can be induced by mould include:

• Wheezing
• Sneezing
• Irritated eyes
• Itchy throat
• Itchy nose
• Skin rashes
• Running nose

It might not be easy to spot mould on your carpet, especially if it has a dark colour. However, its presence in your house might cause a lot of havoc, including violent allergic reactions, as listed above.

Dry Your Carpet As Soon As It Gets Wet

Carpets are an essential part of any living space. They provide comfort and insulation, too. A wet carpet is not something that will give you joy if you accidentally spill some liquid or, in whatever way, water finds itself into your carpet. Drying it immediately is very important.

By carefully following the guidelines provided for you in this article, you will not have a lot of trouble dealing with a wet carpet. Moreover, you will know how to handle a smelly carpet in your home or business. It is advisable that you do not rely heavily on DIY.

There are great professional carpet cleaners out there who can give you top-notch services at a very affordable price. Call them if your carpet is messy and in need of damage restoration. They will ensure that you salvage your carpet and enjoy dry, fluffy comfort underneath your feet.