You can’t always prevent water from reaching your carpets – flooding, power outages, and storm damage happen. You can, however, prevent water from permanently damaging your carpets. Damage doesn’t just refer to discoloring; mold and bacteria growth can result from excess moisture. This can happen even after you wipe it up. Any moisture on your carpet needs to be extracted to be sure no further damage will occur.
Whether the cup of milk was spilled during your favorite show or red wine was tipped over while you were entertaining, you still want to clean the accident as soon as possible. Allowing liquids to sit on the carpet will result in drenched carpet pads that are difficult to dry. Clean the spill immediately by blotting it with clean white towels or paper towels.
Not only should large volumes of moisture be extracted and discarded, but also every little puddle and spill should be blotted out and the inside of your home thoroughly dried. Fans blowing across the carpet will aid in drying, a dehumidifier will pull moisture out of the air, forcing it out of the carpet padding. If you don’t have access to this type of equipment, you can rent one or your carpet cleaning service will provide one.
Most people stop there but that is only half of the process. In order to prevent mold and bacteria from forming due to leftover moisture, it is important to thoroughly clean your carpet. If you are using a home steam cleaner, run an anti-bacterial carpet cleaner through the system. Professionals have access to these specialty cleaners and can help you remove the bacteria to avoid mold, mildew, and odors that can lead to illness.
This process works best when it is completed within 48 hours. If you wait beyond that you’re risking damage that could be a lot more expensive to repair. If you get mold growth, your carpets and padding might have to be pulled up and cleaned or completely replaced to fix the problem. If you are unable to attend to a carpet mishap in a timely fashion or the job is just too big to handle on your own, call Royal Interior Cleaning. We will be there in no time to clean up the situation and make sure your carpets look, smell, and feel even cleaner than they did prior to any water damage occurring.
