In Melbourne, water is one of the most common causes of damage to carpets. However, despite this risk, most people wouldn’t know how to dry carpet – or the importance of acting quickly.
If not treated within 48 hours, damp carpets can begin growing mould and mildew. This can cause serious health problems for anyone exposed to the wet carpet – particularly children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with allergies. It can also seep into surrounding surfaces, damaging another flooring, furniture, and even the building’s structure.
In addition to being done quickly, drying carpet should only be performed by a professional. If the wet carpet is not treated correctly, the unseen damage may remain – and get worse over time.
How do carpets get wet?
Any water source is a potential cause of wet carpet. These are usually broken into three categories:
- Clean – Water that has no or few other substances in it. This can come from cracked or broken water supply lines, overfilled sinks or baths, or malfunctioning appliances (e.g., kettles, coffee machines, and fridges).
- Grey water – Water that has a moderate level of contaminants in it. This can come from toilets that have urine in them, failed sump pumps, or the discharge pipes of dishwashers or washing machines.
- Black water – Highly contaminated water. This can come from sewerage backflow, ground surface water, or rivers.
The category of water that wet the carpet will determine how it should be dried.
What should I do if my carpet gets wet?
Wet carpet should always be treated as an emergency, whatever the cause. If you find that your carpets are wet, you should immediately:
- Stop electrical supply to the area – this includes turning off power to any exposed sockets and removing all power strips and extension cords.
- Remove all furniture – please note, if the furniture legs are wet, they should not be put on dry carpet.
- Secure curtains and blinds – if window dressings are in contact with the wet carpet, they may also become damaged.
- Remove excess water from the area – this includes mopping any surrounding hard floorings (like tiles, wood, and vinyl), putting down towels, and vacuuming with a wet/dry vac.
Once you have made the area of wet carpet safe, contact our carpet drying experts on 1300 887 131 to arrange an emergency service. Jena’s Carpet Cleaning has over 15 years’ experience, and we can usually reach anywhere in Melbourne within the hour.