How to Clean Carpet After Water Damage | Lasting Solutions
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Water damage sounds like a ridiculous problem that you can face with your carpet. Like for real, how else can you wash that? And still, when you wash the carpet using detergent and water and the water gives a stain on top of that, it sounds crazy!
The condition of a carpet that happens due to water damage is really disappointing. On the other hand, the smell of your carpet after water damage is nothing but unbearable.
We will present some effective solutions for cleaning a carpet after water damage. Another solution that we will share today is the ways to stop mold growth because of this water damage. Replacement will never seem like an option after you read this. So let’s dive deeper right into it!
How To Clean Carpet After Water Damage?
Although water damage is a common problem and everybody faces this problem, most of us don’t seem to find any permanent solution. But now we will share a few of the life-changing solutions that we have learned over years. Without any more delay, let’s hop into the methods!
Solution-1: Vinegar and warm water obtain the absolute solution
To follow this solution, let the affected area completely dry. Open all the windows and doors of the room. Allow fresh air to come into the room and speed the drying. Make sure that the airflow goes on the affected area of the carpet directly.
Now you have to make a cleansing solution for the water-damaged area of your carpet. Mix one cup of vinegar with two cups of warm water and place that mixture into a spray bottle. Promptly spray the affected area with the solution but don’t spray too much. Too much spray will make the molds grow.
Apply baking soda to the sprayed area properly. Baking soda will absorb all the smell and the stain. Moreover, baking soda is safe for your babies and you as well. Leave the baking soda overnight and vacuum the area in the morning. The next thing you will find is the favorite carpet of yours looks all shiny and doesn’t stink.
Solution-2: Rubbing Alcohol can deal with the trouble
For cleaning your carpet after water damage, get some rubbing alcohol and take a harsh cloth. Dip the cloth into the rubbing alcohol. Then rub the affected area until you get the expected result. Rubbing alcohol will remove all the smell and stains as well.
Solution-3: Heavy-duty detergent will get the task fulfilled
If you want to make your carpet neat and clean after water damage then you will need a heavy-duty detergent. Mix the detergent with water and one cup of vinegar. Now take a scrubber and dip the scrubber into that mixture. Start rubbing the affected area with the scrubber. The detergent will make your carpet clean.
Solution-4: Either lemon drops or orange drops, both will strive
Lemon drops or orange drops will work fine but you can’t apply this solution to a big carpet. You can do this procedure only if a very small area of your carpet has been affected due to water damage.
All you have to do is to put some lemon drops or orange drops on the affected area. Leave that for 10-15 minutes. Presently, rub the area gently with a cloth dipped into the water. Your carpet will be cleaned with a beautiful smell to please you for hours.
Read next: How often should you clean your carpet
How To Stop Mold In Carpet From Water Damage?
Molds growing under carpets can be a nightmare if your carpet has undergone some water damage. Molds are sticky and these spread at a very rapid speed. They can also damage your furniture, walls and not to mention the carpet itself.
Mold naturally exists on dust particles but in order to spread, they need moisture and a cool temperature. When your carpet gets wet, it provides both of these necessities for mold to spread. So it’s better to prevent mold from spreading in the first place rather than stopping it when it has already spread.
- For the prevention of mold under carpets, you can lay a thin sheet of plastic or polythene under the carpet so the water does not reach the floor. Doing this after you have already set up the carpet can be troublesome so do this beforehand.
If you have a small carpet, make sure to take it out and clean the floor under it every once in a while. In case you have accidentally spilled water on the carpet, try to dry it out as soon as possible.
- On the condition that you could not take any of the prevention steps and mold has already settled in, you can stop it from spreading and slowly work on cleaning it up. First thing you have to remove the carpet totally and start removing the mold from it.
You can wash it if it’s washable with soap and scrub it well. Otherwise, try to brush off the mold, you can use vacuum cleaners. Then let it dry outside in direct sunlight since UV is very effective against mold.
Once that’s done, clean the floor thoroughly with antiseptics or normal floor cleaners will do the job. Make sure everything is dry before putting it back together and do the prevention steps to prevent mold from forming in the future.
Read next: How to get mold out of carpet
Should Carpet Be Replaced After Water Damage?
It really depends on the type of damage the carpet has suffered. In most cases, you can fix your carpet through drying or heavy cleaning. But there are some cases where you may have to replace it.
Water damage may affect your carpet in various ways. If left untouched for long enough, mold and other fungi may start growing on both the carpet and the floor. It can really damage your carpet to a point where it cannot be fixed.
This usually happens when the fungus has permanently started living inside the carpet, eating away at the fabric. You’ll start seeing cracks, tears, and blemishes on the carpet if that happens. From that point, it is very hard to recover the carpet and a replacement is recommended. But as stated earlier, regular water damage such as spilling, should not force you to replace your carpet.
Related post: How to dry carpet fast after cleaning
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it impossible to use a carpet after water damage?
No, not at all. If you take measures immediately to save your carpet from damage then your carpet won’t be ruined. You can use several solutions for saving your carpet. Our shared ways can save your back for sure. Your carpet will become neat and clean again once you use the solutions.
How long does it take for mold to grow on a wet carpet?
Around 24 to 48 hours. If you leave your carpet in a room with no air circulation and don’t let that dry properly after water damage then in 48 hours your carpet will get into a miserable situation because of molds. So it’s better to call mold remediation experts to get rid of molds on your carpet as soon as possible.
Can you vacuum the water out of the carpet?
Obviously. Actually, wet vacuuming is the best and easiest way of making water out of the wet carpet after water damage. Vacuuming will make your carpet dry and pull all the smell out. Getting rid of molds is also possible with wet vacuuming. Moreover, wet vacuums are inexpensive as well.
Will the smell go away from the wet carpet after water damage?
If you take immediate measures then the smell will be gone. You should use lemon or orange drops for getting rid of the smell. But make sure that you let the carpet dry away as soon as possible otherwise the smell will bother you a lot.
Bottom Line
It just feels hilarious whenever we see a single stain on our favorite carpet. Water damage not only damages the carpet but can also bring mold to your carpet. That’s why we have shared our favorite tricks on how to clean carpets after water damage. We have used all the ways and found the ways really effective in the least effort.
But if you start to notice mold growth in your carpet, it will be a foolish act to try to handle it all by yourself. So call mold remediation experts to see if there is any mold issue on your carpet or not. Ask the experts to help you with the mold issues. If it hasn’t been long since your carpet has faced the damage, your given ways will save your precious carpet for sure.
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