How to Fix a Water Damaged Carpet

After any a water leak or flood, you could wind up facing a homeowner’s nightmare: a wet carpet. Wall-to-wall carpeting saturated with dirty water is more than an eyesore. It’s a potential health hazard, too. Mold thrives in moisture-rich environments, and it doesn’t take long to develop.

Since time is of the essence, your job is to get all the wetness and grime from the carpet as quickly as you can. At the same time, you should protect yourself in the process so you aren’t exposed to any problems.

The next time you stare down a soggy carpet dilemma, take these steps toward restoration:

1. Make Sure the Area Is Safe

Obviously, if your carpet is still under water, you need the help of professionals like the experts at ServiceMaster of Lincoln Park. Otherwise, you could risk electrocution.

Never wade into a drenched room, no matter how much you want to start working on your carpet. First, be certain that all electricity to the area has been temporarily shut off.

2. Assess the Extent of the Damage

Although your main goal is to save your carpet, it isn’t always prudent or possible. Quickly assess the situation. Is the carpet ruined or salvageable? In many cases, carpeting that looks bad can be kept as long as the padding beneath it is replaced. It’s much less expensive to get rid of destroyed padding than to buy room after room of new carpeting.

3. Start the Drying Process

At this point, you’re ready to begin drying the floor. A Shop-Vac will be a time-saver, as it can rapidly suck up water. However, it can’t completely remove all the moisture. Eventually, you will be left with a still-wet, but much more manageable, carpet that you or ServiceMaster of Lincoln Park can steam clean.

Turn on fans and open windows, if the season permits, to circulate the air. Not only will this help the drying go faster, but it will help prevent mold growth after carpet damage.

Many homeowners ask: “Can I use baking soda on a wet carpet?” They’re right to harness the power of this kitchen staple. Baking soda has tremendous drying properties, and it can inhibit future mold spores from growing. Sprinkle a generous amount on the wet carpet and wait. When the area is dry in about 30 minutes to an hour, vacuum or scrape up the baking soda.

4. Bleach the Floorboards

Your carpet isn’t the only item that got damaged — the floorboards deserve attention, too.

Ideally, you can use a solution of bleach and water to scrub away any remaining dirt, mildew and residue. On the floorboards and any other surfaces aside from the carpet itself. Be sure to wear protective gloves and maintain sufficient ventilation.

5. Check All the Furniture

Before you replace the furniture that was on your carpet during your flooding or water leaking event, conduct a thorough once-over. Does it need to be steam-cleaned or replaced as well? There is no point in putting water-logged furniture back to the room you spent so much time drying. If you aren’t sure if the furniture is safe, bring in someone who can give you a trustworthy, honest opinion.

Yes, water damaged carpet is an unpleasant sight, and it’s not fun to deal with. But with the help of ServiceMaster of Lincoln Park, you can put the incident behind you and save the carpet for another day.