Carpet products do not tolerate flooding by neighbours and spilled liquids. Water changes the structure of the natural pile, spoils and erodes the dye, destroys the basis of the carpet. It is impossible to completely ban such conditions. To prevent or minimize damage and clean a dirty carpet immediately. To do this, it is not necessary to take the product to dry cleaning. You can dry your carpets properly at home by following the tips below.
How to Dry a Wet Area
Tea spilled from a cup or spilled water forms a small wet area. Such spots are quickly eliminated at home without the involvement of specialists.
This is done in one of three ways:
- Immediately after the liquid has spilled onto the carpet, blot the puddle with a sheet, paper towel, or any clean, dry cloth. If you manage to do this before the moisture is absorbed into the carpet material, nothing will happen to its pile and base. You need to use only cotton fabric – synthetics do not absorb moisture, therefore it is unsuitable for its removal.
- Vacuum cleaners for wet cleaning effectively cope with the removal of wet stains. Yet, do not try to remove moistness with a vacuum cleaner. Water will break his turbine.
- If water gets on the edge of the carpet, lift it up and place a dry cloth underneath to prevent the floor from getting wet. A wet spot can be dried with a blow of warm air from a hairdryer. A conventional electric fan or air heater is also suitable.
The most sensitive to water are natural carpets and products with a long pile. Drying them must be approached very carefully. Residual moisture or overheating of the material during drying can damage it. It is important to dry not only the pile but also the base, which is more susceptible to deformation when wet.
How to Dry a Wet Carpet at Home
A carpet with a long pile or a large-sized product is quite difficult to dry on its own. In winter or during damp autumn, it is better not to take risks and trust the services of dry cleaning. In summer, carpet drying at home is more efficient. Before you dry carpets at home, make sure there is room for drying and the weather forecast is favourable. Otherwise, the rain will make your attempt meaningless.
How to dry properly:
- Move out of the room or move all the furniture that is on the carpet. This will allow it not to deform under the influence of moisture and mechanical stress. Try not to walk on the carpet, so as not to crush its pile.
- Clean water around the edge of the carpet with a dry cloth. Then go to the product itself, continue to blot water until moisture remains on the surface of the carpet.
- Organize an outdoor drying area by laying a clean sheet on the grass in the shadow.
- Carefully roll the product into a roll, take it outside and lay it on a sheet. Before rolling, cover the pile with a dry cloth to absorb some of the moisture and make it easier to dry.
- During drying, make sure that the carpet is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- As the product dries, alternately turn it over, placing the pile-up and down. This ensures faster and more even drying.
Thus, you will be able to return the carpet to its former appearance and prevent damage to the material.
Important: It is not recommended to dry a wet carpet on the crossbar. Its base is pulled out under its own weight.
We provide industrial carpet cleaning in Melbourne that removes deep dirt, dust, and tenacious stains. To achieve top-notch results, we only utilise environmentally friendly materials and modern cleaning processes as a responsible cleaning company in Melbourne.
The consequences of prolonged exposure to water on the carpet
If you leave a wet carpet lying on the floor, then, regardless of the material and type of product, the following problems will arise with it:
- For adhesive-based carpets, the fastening of the pile will loosen and the strength of the base will decrease
- Moisture will become a breeding ground for the development of bacteria and fungus, there will be an unpleasant smell in the room
- Dirt that has fallen on the carpet will be absorbed into its structure, after which it will be extremely difficult to remove it
- Natural products, especially handmade carpets, deform under the influence of moisture and lose the ideal pile structure
If you leave a wet carpet in the kitchen or other room, moisture will begin to act on the floor material. This is especially dangerous for boards, parquet and laminate. Being flooded with water, they swell, changing their structure. Putrefactive bacteria corrode wood, and mould and fungus cause allergic reactions and respiratory diseases. Therefore, a wet carpet can cause not only forced repairs in the room, but also a visit to the doctor. It is much easier and cheaper to dry the carpet yourself or seek professional help. The latter option is especially good for expensive natural products. Failure to follow the drying technology can permanently ruin their strength and appearance.
