You’ve just finished cleaning your carpet. Now you’re probably wondering how to dry your carpet after cleaning. Life doesn’t stop just because you’ve cleaned your carpets so naturally you want it to dry quickly so that you can use it as soon as possible.
However, there is a certain period when you won’t be able to use your carpet. That length of time can vary depending on the climate and the method used to clean your carpet.
When you steam clean or shampoo your carpet, you may be successful in cleaning the carpet but you may also leave behind a lot of moisture that needs to be removed. The quick removal of this moisture will prevent the growth of mildew and eliminate the risk of your carpet having an unpleasant odor and bacterial growth.
Sometimes you may overlook the importance of how to dry carpet after cleaning, but leaving your carpet damp for too long can pose a danger to your health in the long run.
There are a few methods you can use to quickly dry your carpet in the shortest time possible.
How To Dry Carpet After Cleaning: Handy Methods
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to dry carpet after cleaning, starting with wall-to-wall carpet.
Drying Wall-To-Wall Carpet
Remove all furniture from the wet floor
By moving the furniture off the wet floor, you will allow for better airflow which will speed up the drying process. Leaving furniture on wet carpet can damage both the furniture and the flooring so it’s always best to let your carpet dry before moving it back in place.
Remove excess water
Since you can’t remove the entire carpet, there are several methods you can use to get rid of the water underneath your carpet.
- Use the carpet cleaner itself. Most carpet cleaners have a water extraction setting built into the unit.
- Use a wet-dry vac, a vacuum which can suck up water. Regular vacuums should not be used due to the risk of electric shock or damaging electrical components inside the machine.
- Rent a hot water extraction machine from your local carpet cleaning company. This machine can suck up all the water from your carpet, but you must check underneath to make sure all the water is gone.
Circulate the air
Dehumidifiers, floor fans, ceiling fans, and even your HVAC system can all be used to help speed up the drying process. You can also open up any windows in the room if it’s a nice day out.
Call a cleaning expert
If you carpets are wet from a natural disaster or a busted pipe then it’s best to call a professional who knows how to deal with wet wall-to-wall carpet. This way, you can potentially salvage your carpet, the padding, and sub-floor. Make sure the professional you hire is reputable by looking for reviews online.
Area Rugs And Carpet Spots: Dry Wet Carpet Fast
Take it outside
If your carpet isn’t a wall-to-wall carpet, you can take it outside to dry in the sun. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant to kills bacteria and germs. However, if it’s not sunny outside, this solution won’t help you.
Spread dry towels over the wet area
Use clean towels to blot out as much water from your carpet as possible. Wring out the water from the towels. Keep doing this until the area is dry. Check underneath the carpet to make sure there is no water on the floor or padding.
Vacuum the carpet
Don’t use a regular vacuum to suck up the water from your carpet. Most home vacuum cleaners are specifically designed for home use and don’t deal with water. Using them for water could be dangerous. You need a vacuum that is specifically for this purpose.
Rent a wet-dry vac from your local hardware store. Use the wet-dry vacuum cleaner to remove all the water in your carpet, however, it may not be able to remove water from the padding or water that has soaked under the edges.
Depending on the amount of water in your carpet, keep an eye on the cleaner’s fill tank to make sure it doesn’t overflow.
Open the windows
Opening windows in the room will allow air to circulate. This will also help in getting rid of any unpleasant odors left behind after the carpet dries. However, this solution will only work if it’s not a cold day outside.
Use fans to evaporate the moisture
This is a slow process of drying your carpet, but you can combine it with others to help your carpet dry faster. You can use floor fans, ceiling fans, hairdryers, air conditioners, and a dehumidifier if you have one. Remember to keep checking underneath the carpet to make sure that the carpet padding and floor aren’t still wet.
Conclusion
There are many methods of how to dry carpet after cleaning. We hope that the above points will help you in drying your carpet as quickly as possible. Having a wet carpet in the house can lead to damage in your flooring and padding and it could cause the floor to buckle. It could also lead to the formation of mold which is dangerous for your health.
If your home has wall-to-wall carpet, it might be difficult to dry the entire carpet since you can’t remove it. If you’ve experienced some sort of water disaster from a flood or busted water pipe, calling a professional is recommended to avoid damage to your furniture and floor.
For area rugs that you can easily remove from the room, it’s easier to dry underneath the carpet. You can even take it outside to sun dry if the weather allows. Or use dry towels to soak up the excess water and moisture or fans and dehumidifiers to quicken the drying process.
Just remember, dry your wet carpet as soon as possible.