Almost anybody who owns a carpet would have had some kind of experience with carpet water damage. Whether it’s a leak from an air-conditioning unit or an unfortunate incidence of flooding, your carpets may have suffered water damage in the past. A crucial factor in salvaging carpets from water damage is how quickly the carpet is able to be dried. The longer you wait to dry the carpet, or indeed the longer it takes for someone to realize there is water soaking the carpet, the higher chance there is for the carpet to become permanently affected by water damage. Though the best way to fix a serious case of water damage is to call in a professional carpet cleaning company, there are steps you can take at home as preliminary steps to minimize the problem.

Step One

The first thing you must do is to is to remove the water from the carpet. A waterlogged carpet would promote a higher chance of bacteria, mold, and mildew growth. If the waterlogged carpet is located in the basement, the risk of such microbes in the water is double due to natural higher humidity levels deeper underground. Removing the water will immediately help minimize physical damage to the carpets.

Step Two

Remove items affected by pooling water, and check for mold growing on them. Search for possible hidden areas of water saturation, especially within walls, where mold may be growing. Make sure that you have chased down every last corner that might potentially have absorbed any water. Keep a special eye out for any wooden surfaces or items, or anything else that may absorb water such as fabrics, or even porous substances like brick walls and mortar between joints.

Step Three

Sanitize the items that were affected by water, including all surfaces and upholstery if they were also affected. Deodorize everything that has smells, as bad smells tend to be indicative of bacteria and pathogens that can foster, and cause illness in people.

At this point, you should decide if you need to throw away your carpet or not. If you find that the carpet is too badly damaged to be salvaged, there is no point trying to sanitize it. Generally speaking, if the water was clean, it would be fine to keep the carpet; if it was sewage water or contained toxic chemicals, however, it’s likely time to replace your rug. If you need a second opinion as to whether or not your carpet is salvageable, you can speak to a professional carpet cleaner and restorer.

Step Four

If you are keeping the carpet, you will need to dry it properly. Hang it up in a windy place, or use a vacuum device or high powered fans. The less time it takes to dry the carpet, the less time mold has to grow.

Step Five

Once dried, steam clean the carpet so as to fully sanitize it and kill the germs. This is also a good time to check if the carpet needs any repair or restoration work, such as replacing the padding underneath the carpet, which would be likely cheaper than replacing the carpet.