When you’re carpeting has been flooded, for whatever reason, you need to act quickly to address the situation. First of all, identify the source of the water entering your home. If possible, stop the leak. However, if contaminated water is involved, do not attempt the carpet water extraction or clean-up on your own.
Black water or contaminated water is not just simply dirty. It is laden with all sorts of disease-carrying pollutants from sewage or floodwaters. In this case, it is a must that you call a professional water restoration and carpet cleaning company for help. Avoid coming into contact with contaminated water or with the wet carpeting until the professional crew arrives.
If the water is not contaminated, do the following steps to extract the water from your carpet:
Clear the Area
Before you start the extraction, move out the furniture in the room, especially wood furniture that can emit its wood stain or finish and permanently stain your carpet. Also, make sure to remove all other objects that have been damaged or affected by the flooding or leakage such as cushions or clothing that may obstruct the carpet water extraction and drying process.
Begin Carpet Water Extraction
The most important thing to remember about this task is that you need to use a carpet water extractor or a wet/dry vacuum and not a regular home vacuum. Carpet water extractors can be rented from your local hardware store and retail stores, among other sources.
To start extracting water, slowly go over the entire affected area with the vacuum wand. Continue vacuuming until you can see there’s no more water being suctioned into the tank. It may take you some time to finish depending on how saturated the carpet is.
When you’ve extracted all of the water from the carpet, empty the extractor’s reserve tank. Vacuum the carpet one more time for good measure.
Dry the Area
Adequate air circulation is very important to restore wet carpets successfully. To speed up the drying process, consider installing a dehumidifier or an industrial-sized fan. Leave this equipment running continually until your carpeting has dried thoroughly. Keep the fans on for up to 48 hours to make sure the carpet padding dries completely.
When You Need Expert Carpet Cleaning
While having your own carpet cleaner at home is great, sometimes it’s still necessary to call for professional service. To locate reliable carpet cleaning companies in your area, use TalkLocal. We’ll connect you directly with qualified carpet cleaners in just a few minutes!
