Carpeting can really warm up your home. It adds a sense of comfort and livability to any room. Carpets are a tad harder to clean because you can’t just wipe up spills like you would a hardwood floor. But many people still prefer carpeting because it is softer feels cozier. When you have flooding or a spill on your carpet, you need to act immediately because otherwise you may have to replace the entire carpet. Here are some tips to fix water damaged carpet.
How to Fix Water Damaged Carpet
1. You need to act immediately as soon as you realize that there is water on your carpets. If you don’t do something within one to two days of the damage occurring, bacteria and mold can begin to grow in your carpet.
2. Remove all of the furniture from the carpeted room and stop people from walking on it. This will reduce any chances that the damage will spread.
3. The way to start taking care of the damage is to dehumidify the room. If the air is dry it will be harder for bacteria to grow. Open up the doors and windows in the room where the carpet is wet so that the air can circulate. You may also want to accelerate the process by investing in large fans and dehumidifiers.
4. Once this is done, you should remove the tack strip holding the carpet down. This will allow you to get to the underlying layers. Most of the time you will have to get rid of the damaged backing and get a new one. After the backing is taken out you need to wash the carpet.
5. If you are cleaning the carpet outside you can use a hose. If the weather doesn’t allow for this or you are doing it inside you will need a water extraction vacuum. This will absorb the water and hopefully prevent further damage. This process can take up to half a day if the carpet is very wet. Once it is completely dry shampoo it to kill any bacteria or fungus. In the case that the carpet is too damaged or that you let it sit too long you will need to replace the entire thing.
Find A Carpet Cleaner
If you have more questions about fixing a water-damaged carpet, you should try to talk to a professional so that you can get the best help possible. The easiest, fastest way to get in contact with reliable, local carpet cleaning services is to use TalkLocal. Just tell us what you need, where you are, and your availability, and we will connect you with up to three professionals. Within minutes you will be connected to someone who should be able to help you out, for free!
