How to Rescue Wet Carpet

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How to Rescue Wet Carpet

Whether from burst pipes, overflowing sinks or clogged toilets, flooding is bound to happen to most homes sooner or later. It’s one of the last things you want to see as a homeowner and when you do it can cause all kinds of chaos and damage.

The Danger of a Flooded House

One of the biggest dangers present when flooding and water damage occurs can be hazardous not only to your structure but your health as well; mould. It can cause respiratory problems, affect people with asthma and brings an awful smell to your home. The toxins produced by mould colonies that grow in flooded homes can also severely affect those with allergies. As you’ll read and hear very often, time is a critical factor when mould is involved because when it has constant access to water it multiplies rapidly.

When your carpet gets wet and isn’t treated promptly, it can cause delamination where the glue is weakened by excessive moisture. Once delamination occurs the layers the glue was holding together separate and allows a nice moist area for mould to begin forming.

Fast Action is a Must

Because the threat of mould builds as more time passes, it is essential to act immediately when your carpet gets flooded. Ideally, you want to have the carpet and its padding dry within forty-eight hours to prevent mould growth throughout the carpet and your home. Note that it will take time for the carpet to dry so the quicker you begin, the better.

What Should You Do?

With any water damage that has occurred, the first step is always to determine the cause and to fix the source of the flooding. If you see or smell any traces of mildew you should make sure to call professionals immediately. Mould experts like ours at Kleen-Tech can clean the house safely with the necessary safety equipment and return it to a safe state. We will be able to determine if the carpet is salvageable or will need to be condemned. We can supply all the equipment described below so you can rescue your wet carpets with as little fuss as possible.

Carpet with no Pad

Using a wet-vac carefully remove as much water as you can by slowly moving the nozzle over the affected area as this will be faster than using a back and forth motion. Use air filtration units to prevent the spread of mould spores around the house. Set up a dehumidifier around the house to minimize the humidity.

Carpet with a Pad

Wearing thick and sturdy gloves, pull the carpeting and padding from the tack strip along the edge. Dispose of the pad as soon as you’ve removed it as it will have absorbed a lot of water and won’t take long to start housing mould. Now lay the carpet down flat and using a wet-vac, do as described above and dry the carpet with a slow, steady motion. Again, it is advised to use a dehumidifier and air filtration while you dry the carpet.

Clean & Sanitise the Carpet

You can either hire a carpet cleaning system or have our team thoroughly clean the carpet to ensure no germs or contaminants from the water are left behind. It’s also advised to use an anti-microbial agent throughout the carpet to eliminate the risk of mould spores growing.

Once the carpet and surface underneath have finished drying, it’s time to replace the padding and reinstall the carpet. This can be tricky as the carpet will stiffen when dry, so you may want to have a professional experienced in carpet installation do this as they will likely have specialised tools to make the task easier.