Flooding can lead to many issues in the home and one such damage you will experience will be damage to your carpets. When carpets are saturated with water, it can increase their potential for mould growth and structural damage.

You need to act quickly to save the carpets.

When you are given the sign to enter the affected areas, you will need to begin the carpet flood drying process immediately so that you can prevent further absorption of water into the carpet and its underlying padding. When water stays for long in the carpet, the risk of it becoming irreversibly damaged is increased. So you have to take immediate action so that the extent of damage done can be reduced. The first stage in saving your carpets begins with removing excess water. You can use pumps, extraction equipment and wet vacuums to remove the water from the carpet and underlying materials. Proper air circulation is another critical factor that will help in drying the carpets. Make sure that you open doors and windows so as to expedite the drying process. You can have fans positioned to direct the airflow across the surface of the carpets.

You need to lift furniture from the wet carpet so that air flow can be ensured.

This will also prevent further damage to the carpet. You can place the furniture on blocks and have it elevated from the carpet so that air can circulate freely. You can also remove the furniture from the affected area so that you can ensure thorough drying. This way, the legs of furniture will not damage the wet carpet fibres. You can use absorbent materials like paper towels, cloths and towels to absorb excess moisture from the flooded carpets. You can blot the carpet using these materials in order to soak up excess water. But make sure that you don’t scrub or rub the carpet as this can damage the carpet fibres. This can also spread contaminants across the carpet. You have to keep blotting until the materials are no longer saturated with water.

Dehumidifiers can be used to great effect to remove excess moisture from the air.

This will promote efficient drying of carpets. You can place these in strategic areas to reduce humidity levels. This will support faster drying. You have to monitor the humidity levels of the area and adjust the dehumidifier settings accordingly. Steam cleaners can be used to remove dirt and debris from the carpets and this will also promote drying. You can use a steam cleaner with a carpet attachment so that the carpet can be cleaned and sanitised. The heat that comes from the steam will kill mould spores and bacteria. Anti-microbial treatments can be carried out to inhibit the growth of mould and prevent unpleasant odours emanating from the carpet. You can apply these directly to the surface of the carpet. Make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions to understand how to carry out the treatment safely.