When you clean your carpet, it will become wet. This will also be the case when your house encounters flooding. A damp carpet is a major issue regardless of the cause. Aside from the odour and mould issues, drying a soaked carpet is extremely difficult and time-consuming. However, you do not have to get rid of your wet carpets.
If it is wet because you cleaned it, simply hang it to dry will get the water out of your carpet. However, if your home has encountered flooding, you will need to do much more.
First and foremost, you must use garments and sheets to absorb moisture from the carpet’s surface. Do not apply pressure while using this method because it will cause the water to penetrate deeply into the carpet fibres.
After removing the excess water from the carpet surface, you should use a dehumidifier to remove any residual moisture.
Finally, hang your carpet somewhere out of direct sunlight. This process will absorb all of the water from your carpet.
What Is the Best Way to Dry a Wet Carpet?
To begin, absorb the liquid with a dry towel or cotton cloth. Do not rub; instead, place the towel on the rug and gently wipe it until it is thoroughly dry.
Use a vacuum cleaner. If the spillage was dirty, you could also clean the rug this way.
Then, place anything underneath the wet area and raise it to allow for better air circulation.
Use a blower, hairdryer, or heater to speed up the drying process. But be cautious. Bring the fan as close to the flooring as possible. It has the potential to cause material damage.
You must clean the outer layer and the underside of the carpet. It may become deformed or rot over time unless the rug is completely dry.
Things get a little more complicated in cases of floods.
With a dry cloth, begin absorbing all of the moisture on the carpet. Please do not walk on the mat and take off all of the furniture on top of it. Continue to use clothes and sheets (preferably without patterns) until no excess liquid is visible on the surface.
To aid in the drying process, use an ac unit or dehumidifier. To avoid the formation of mould, use cool air.
For outdoor drying, fold or roll the carpet after placing dry sheets on the pile to soak up excess water. Open the rug and hang it to dry after you’ve moved it outside. Keep the carpet away from direct sunlight. Hang it in the shade or flip it inside out.
Before re-laying the carpet, make sure that the floor beneath it is completely dry.
Aside from that, it is essential to note that if your rug is woollen or silky, you must immediately contact a professional.
If you want to hire carpet experts, you can send them to a carpet cleaning company. Carpet cleaners have drying rooms that are specifically designed for this purpose. Rugs are carefully positioned, sufficiently heated, and allowed to dry for 8-12 hours in these rooms.
Drying Carpets in the Winter
Carpets are a must-have piece of home decor. They insulate you from the cold and provide sound insulation. Because of their constant use, it would help if you thoroughly clean them regularly.
They are easily cleaned using various methods; however, the drying process is the most crucial component. Due to the moisture trapped inside, they emit a foul odour when left wet for an extended period. In addition to smelling bad, Moist carpets begin to rot on the inside over time. As a result, after washing, the carpets must not be left wet.
If you blot your carpet with a damp cloth after something has been spilled on it, dry it right away. It may appear dry at times, but be cautious because there may be water left in the bottom parts.
Drying manually washed carpets can be time-consuming and exhausting. Carpet drying is twice as problematic in the winter as it is at any other time of year. When rain and snow combined with a low air temperature, the drying time of carpets is significantly extended. Carpets will produce more microbes and become dirtier faster if washed in the winter and not adequately dried.
If you hand-wash your carpets, you should hang them to dry. However, in the winter, it will take a very long time. It would be best if you tried to wash them on sunny days in such cases. It is inconvenient to dry carpets by rolling or folding them.
Carpet drying is laborious and time-consuming in winter conditions. As a result, hiring carpet cleaning services in the winter is more advantageous. Companies’ heated drying rooms help prevent time loss and bacterial growth.
The most important considerations for carpet drying are to provide a warm environment and to allow the carpet to rest for a while after washing.
How Do You Manage a Smelly Wet Carpet?
Many prefer carpets in homes, workplaces, and other places for softer and warmer floors and visual beauty. Carpets, which are commonly used both indoors and outdoors, are exposed to many external agents during the day, such as dirt and moisture, and they begin to smell bad over time. Malodors caused by dirt and moisture from unintentional wetting have become people’s worst nightmare. Getting rid of this rather disgusting odour is a difficult task for many.
Malodors in carpets can occur due to accidental spills or drying issues after washing. One of the most natural and simple methods is to sunbathe smelly carpets if possible and with enough space. When sunbathing, however, you should expose the back face of the rug to prevent the colour from fading.
You can also pour some carbonate on the stinky carpet and then sweep it with a vacuum cleaner after at least a half-hour wait. This simple method for eliminating odours is quite effective. Sunbathing the smelly carpets isn’t always an option. Carrying wall-to-wall (or fitted) carpets, for example, is nearly impossible. As a result, you may only open the doors and windows to allow the carpet to dry. Of course, the weather is an essential consideration in this practice. Choosing sunny weather will be a better option for ventilation.
You can vacuum the wet part of your carpet with wet-dry vacuum cleaners to help it dry faster and prevent odour formation. You can also pour two glasses of water, a cup of white vinegar, and two cups of carbonate into the smelly area. However, it is best not to pour too much liquid, as this may result in even more odour.
If you live in the area, hire a Canningvale carpet cleaning company if you don’t have time to clean them. BOAS Cleaning Services can easily remove foul odours and dirt from your carpets.