Scenarios like you just got home and found there’s a pipe leaking or there has been a typhoon that causes water to seep inside your property can be such a pain. If water has gotten into your carpets, it means a tedious work is at hand.
Although it can get quite tempting, you should avoid ignoring wet stains because they can damage the overall quality of your carpet, especially the padding underneath. This creates an ugly appearance and leads to mould growth. What’s worse, mould growth can decrease the air quality in your home, increasing the possibility of illness.
This guide will give you information about some effective methods of wet carpet drying at home. These tips can help you remove water from your soaked carpet fast.
Make Use of Fans
It won’t help to dry out your carpet outside if it’s humid. So, consider using the ever trusty fan. You just need to place your carpet directly underneath the fan as it creates a sufficient current of air. Your carpet dries out fast the moment a funnel of air is blowing over it.
Ceiling fans can work well in drying too. You can also use a standing or desk fan, although it is not as competent as a ceiling fan. The air funnel coming from stand fans doesn’t dry out your carpet fast enough.
Pro tip: place two stand fans on the opposite ends of the carpet for a fast drying process.
Have Enough Air Flow
We often hang our clothes outside to dry them out fast, right? You can use the same method when drying your carpet as it works in the most efficient way possible. If your carpet is in an area with several windows, no need to bring it outside to dry. Just open these windows and let fresh air do wonders.
The process of drying starts quicker once you create an efficient ventilation system inside the room where you dry the carpet. It’s also a great way to get rid of the musty or damp odour inside the room.
However, while this can be a great option, you also need to take note of the weather before doing it. Too much humidity will do little to no good to your carpet drying process. Cloudy or rainy weather makes it more challenging for you. It’s better to close the windows in this case.
Helpful tip: you can open one window completely while the other one slightly if your room has two windows facing on the opposite walls. Doing so produces a solid crosswind that can help dry out your carpet fast.
Use Facilities With an Air Conditioner
If you don’t have any fan or sufficient airflow at home, consider an air conditioner. The problem is that it’s not as competent as the other previous methods because it doesn’t provide a good air circulation. It also increases your entire maintenance expenses because of the AC’s running costs.
Moreover, using an air conditioner to dry out your carpet might cause your house to get stuffy. Even so, when the weather is humid or rainy, using an AC is better. But make sure to check the carpet as it’ll be hard to know if it’s dry or not. This is because of the cold air that comes from the AC and gets in contact with the damp carpet.
Uncover the Carpet Padding
Exposing the padding should be your priority if you have a large carpet. You can then put back the padding once you’re done extracting the amount of water from it.
The first step is to pull back the corner of your carpet to expose the padding. Make use of pliers to pull the carpet’s fibres. Using pliers will give you a strong grip, but ensure you’re gently pulling it; otherwise, you’ll accidentally take out the fibres.
Afterwards, you might hear a tearing sound. This is just the sound of the tack strip so no need to worry. The strip is what holds the carpet along with the carpet. Now, when drying off the padding, carefully follow the steps below:
- If your carpet is in a closed room, use a dehumidifier. Doing so will draw out the moisture from the carpet quickly.
- Using a fan, blow air between the carpet and the padding.
- Make sure that the sides of the carpet are elevated. Use a fan to douse moisture out from the carpet and the pad.
- Use the vacuum hose and place it under the carpet and put the carpet over the hose. The airflow coming from the vacuum speeds up the drying process.
Use a Towel to Dry
Another way to dry your carpet is by using a towel. Start by laying out towels over your carpet’s soaked areas. The towel’s fabric is absorbent, so it can dry out the carpet by absorbing water from it. However, doing so requires a bit of physical effort as you need to walk back and forth over the towels until they are completely drenched in water.
It also works to squeeze out the water by jumping over the towels. Once they are completely soaked in water, replace them with dry towels and do the same process. Continue doing it until the carpet has dried out. While you’re at it, be sure to check the padding if they aren’t soaked in water.
The Importance of Quick Drying Your Carpet
The traditional ways of carpet cleaning (e.g. carpet steam cleaning) can leave carpets and paddings drenched in water for 2 days. Be extra careful with slow-drying carpet because this type is prone to mould, bacterial and mildew growth.
Moreover, it does not take too long for a saturated carpet to develop an unpleasant odour, which defeats the purpose of carpet cleaning. This is why quick-drying your carpet is important. The faster it dries, the lesser the chances are for these problems to happen.
Takeaway
Yes, carpet cleaning can be a strenuous task. However, you can achieve it in no time with the help of these wet carpet drying methods. You also have the option to have it cleaned by professionals. They have the tools and techniques that can do the job well.
