How to Dry Wet Carpet and Avoid Carpet Mold

The only thing worse than a flooded basement is a flooded basement that results in every homeowner’s worst nightmare: carpet mold.

Carpet mold spreads quickly, especially in dark, damp areas and can cause a lot of damage underneath floors and inside walls and ceilings. So the best way to save yourself from an expensive carpet-replacement bill is to stay ahead of the problem. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to perform water extraction.

How can you dry your carpet?

Consider the following steps to dry your wet carpet.

1. Locate the source.

Before you can begin extracting water from the carpet, you must determine that new water is not coming in. During rainy seasons, it is a little easier to identify leaks or holes where uninvited water may be pouring through. Standing water must be pumped out of the area, and holes must be patched… otherwise, it might happen again.

2. Prepare the area.

Make certain that furniture is out of the way and that any electrical outlets and wiring are safely protected from the water. Furniture can hide water and promote more mold growth, so it is best to just move it during the drying process.

3. Extract the water.

Water extraction should be done as soon as possible to ensure that no carpet mold begins growing. Use a wet vacuum (either your own or one rented from a specialist) to suck up excess moisture before attempting to dry the area.

4. Turn on fans and dehumidifiers.

All hands on deck! Utilize every fan in your home, and borrow or rent some from others if possible. Aim them towards the carpet, and let them run for several days at least. It is important that you keep these running at all times, even after you think the carpet is dry. Additionally, a dehumidifier will empty the air of moisture and help dry the room and carpet faster.

5. Sanitize everything.

It is a good idea to sanitize the carpet after drying it. You can steam-clean it or call a professional to shampoo it and dry it again. Additionally, you should sanitize walls, trim, baseboards, doors, furniture, etc. that was touched by the flood water.

6. Perform a final damage check.

After everything has been cleaned, dried, and put away, check everything (including furniture) to ensure that no water or damage was missed. It is especially important to check the carpet padding underneath the carpet; if left to itself, wet carpet padding will fuel mold growth. It is a lot less expensive to replace the padding than to replace all of the carpets.

Carpet mold needs to be dealt with quickly and accordingly to avoid long-term damage. If the job is too big for one person to handle, or if you need a free estimate, call Spectrum Carpet Cleaning today at (574)-848-5804. We perform 24-hour emergency water extractions and want to save you from extensive damage and expensive bills.