Upholstery Cleaning

A flood can be costly and damaging to your home. If you have ever experienced a flood, then the chances are that you know the pain of having a wet carpet in your house. There are many things that people do wrong when it comes to drying their carpets after a flood which leads to mold growth or mildew smells. In this post, we will go over some tips on how to dry wet carpet after a flood so that they don’t smell foul and stay damp for long periods!

Omega Carpet Cleaning is one of the best carpet cleaning companies in the country. We have been providing professional residential and commercial carpet care for over 16 years, so we know what it takes to dry carpets after a flood.

Methods to Drying a Carpet

We all know that water is a major concern when it comes to household damage. Wet carpet is a common problem for homeowners after heavy rain or flooding. One of the most important things is to remove any excess water from your carpet as soon as possible because if the water dries, it will leave behind an unsightly stain and can also cause mold or mildew problems. Here are some do-it-yourself carpet drying methods that will work well for every type of wet mess:

Pumping Out Water 

Homeowners need to stay safe when dealing with flooded carpets because the home can be at risk of electrical hazards, carbon monoxide poisoning, mold growth, and structural damage from flooding on upper levels of the house (or even worse) sewage backups. Carpets should continuously be pumped out to remove standing water before seeping into surrounding floors and walls. You’ll need a vacuum cleaner that has been fitted with a high-powered suction wand attachment capable of pumping up liquid fast enough so you can pump it out. If the water in your carpet is still an inch deep, you’ll need to take a break and wait for them to seep into the surrounding floorboards before beginning this process all over again.

Use a Wet-Vacuum to Extract Water from Carpet

A wet vacuum cleaner is the first line of defense against water damage. Use one machine for suction and another for extraction (you may need more than two machines). The idea is that you suck up as much water out of your carpet with the vacuuming while using a floor dryer, such as an industrial fan or dehumidifier, to pull moisture out simultaneously. A pump may also be used in conjunction with a flood kit when extracting fluids from carpets by sucking it up into containers then pumping it through hoses outside. 

Carpet drying usually takes three days; however, if there are any areas where the carpet is still wet after 24 hours, you should repeat the process. Be sure to change out your vacuum bags every hour as they fill up with water or debris (especially if using a wet vacuum).

Rinse Carpet Before Wringing Out Moisture

If it’s not safe for humans to venture into an area of flooding and both vacuuming and extraction are already underway, then another option would be to use hoses fitted with sprayers in place of a floor dryer during the drying phase. This will allow you to eliminate standing water on carpets by rinsing them thoroughly before wringing out any remaining moisture from surfaces that can’t be reached. 

Regardless of which method is used, if there is still residual moisture in the carpet after vacuuming and extraction or water has pooled up on your walls and ceilings again, then it’s time to repeat the process.

Drying Carpet with a Dehumidifier

In order to dry wet carpets after flooding with standing water – or just regular moisture that has been sitting there too long – homeowners can use a dehumidifier by plugging it directly onto their flooded carpeting. This will suck up any excess dampness from the air as well as pull out odors left behind from other types of flood damage like sewage backups or stagnant pools of rainwater. As carpets are constantly being ‘watered’ down, again and again, the dehumidifier will need to be continually used.

The dehumidifier can be used in conjunction with fans to create an optimal environment for drying wet carpeting. However, when using this method, the goal is not to dry carpets completely. Instead, set your humidifier on low and let it run continuously so that air does not become too dry or excessively hot from heaters/air conditioners. In addition, make sure you have enough space around the device. Otherwise, moisture could accumulate and cause damage which will offset any savings made by cutting time short. 

A dehumidifier can be used while drying carpets as long as you take care of standing water or wet surfaces from spilling onto electronic components that could short out. Dryness should set into areas of high humidity within about three days using this method- which will involve checking every eight hours for damp spots continuing daily until no additional moisture shows up. After one week, you’ll want to dispose of any dry material leftover inside the vacuum cleaner and wipe down the dehumidifier with a cloth.

Air the Carpet

Airflow will be your best friend when it comes to drying out wet carpets and flooring. Letting your carpets air out is probably one of the best ways to dry wet carpet. This will help with any unpleasant odors, and it’s a good idea to avoid mold from forming on floorboards, furniture, or other surfaces that touch the carpeting.

You can also use fans when it comes to drying out wet carpets. They are an excellent way to go about this process. Tie up any loose carpet edges or remove furniture from rooms being dried out for air currents to have plenty of room inside. In addition, use heavy objects along walls and near doorways to add extra weight that helps keep doors closed- which will limit airflow into areas where you don’t want moisture lingering on surfaces. After 24 hours, check all damp areas to see if they’re now dry. 

If you notice any still wet areas, use fans and the same technique as before but extend drying time by an additional 24 hours – or until carpets feel completely dry once again.

Blot Dry Your Wet Carpet

The best way to do this is by using towels, paper towels, and sponges. It would be best to go over the area repeatedly until no more liquid comes up out of the carpet fibers. Use an absorbent towel or dry sponge to blot up as much water from the carpeting as possible.

Use a Carpet Dryer

An alternative way of drying wet carpets is by using an appliance called a carpet dryer or clothes dryer – if you’re feeling more adventurous! These devices work in much the same way as regular laundry machines and can often remove excess water from your flooded carpeting with only one pass over them. If this method doesn’t seem like it’s working for whatever reason, there are plenty of other ways to go about getting that stale floodwater out, including renting a commercial-grade pump system or even hiring professional cleaners who use high-powered fans to force air at upholstery sofas and bedding. It’ll take some time, but eventually, you’ll be able to clean up and start over.

Before you dry your wet carpet, keep these things in mind:

– The level of damage: If your carpet is soaked with water containing no chemicals or sewage, it will need only a light cleaning and drying.

– Your carpet’s age: Older carpets are more likely to contain mold and mildew spores.

– The state of your health: People with weakened immune systems should be particularly concerned about breathing in tiny droplets from wet carpets. This includes young children who may put their fingers in their mouths after touching these surfaces, people over 50 years old, pregnant women, diabetics, those living with chronic diseases, and those with a weakened immune system.

– Carpets can shrink as they dry and cause gaps to form between the carpet and baseboards.

– You might need a new pad under your carpet if you have padding underneath it, but in cases with no padding below the flooring, there should be no long-term damage even if carpets are left wet for days before drying begins. 

– If you have a natural wool carpet, it may be necessary that the carpets are dried quickly to curtail any mold growth, which can cause serious health problems.

Contact a Reputable Carpet Cleaning Company for Help and Advice

Call professional carpet cleaners if you have any doubts about how to handle a flood. Hiring Omega Carpet Cleaning is the best option! We know exactly how to help you with this problem. We will also give you detailed information about which drying methods are better in your case.

Contact us for our carpet cleaning service in Melbourne from the moment you notice water on your carpet so that we can put together an emergency plan for cleaning and dehumidifying as soon as possible.