Carpet cleaning is a messy business, but proper drying is essential to get that perfect carpet look. Cleaning can leave carpets damp or wet, which creates problems of its own. Wet carpets can breed mold and bacteria. Damp carpets attract dirt and dust, which lead to more frequent cleanings & carpet replacements.
This is the most important part of the carpet cleaning process. If your carpet is still wet after you have finished, then you need to do something about it! Otherwise, you will create mold and mildew, which will be harmful for your health. When it comes to getting your carpets dry after any cleaning job, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Your goal here is to get your carpet back to its normal state. The fastest way to do this is with the help of an air blower machine. Although, you probably won’t be able to use it on high. You may also want to try using fans placed strategically around the room for better drying results.
How often should I clean my carpet?
Daily foot traffic and dirt may wear down your carpet faster than you think. It’s not uncommon for people to get their carpets cleaned every 3 months. If you have pets, or children and pets, you’ll want to clean more often than that and definitely before any big gathering like guests over for dinner or a party.
Carpet cleaning depends on a number of factors such as: the type of carpeting (flat weave, wool, etc.), how much traffic your home receives (children and/or pets), and how many people live in your home (more people equals more dirt tracked into the home). You may want to ask yourself these questions when determining how often you will clean your carpets:
- How often does my family spill food or drink?
- How often do we host parties?
- How often do we have company over?
- How many children live in your home?
There are a few things you can do to help speed up the drying process.
1. Use the right equipment. Hire a professional carpet cleaner if you have one available. The machine he uses will have an engine that operates at a very high temperature that will suck the moisture out faster than just steam cleaning.
2. Move furniture to allow air circulate. You should also plan to have the heaters on in your home for about 24 hours after the carpeting is cleaned so that it can dry completely.
3. Use fans to speed up the process of drying the carpeting.
4. Don’t walk on the freshly cleaned carpet until it has dried completely, which could take anywhere from one to three days depending on your location and how wet it was before cleaning.
You can schedule a clean on dry days and leave it to be cleaned at night; this means that your carpets can stay wet and damp for many hours and still remain dry and usable during the day. If you decide to clean the carpets on wet days, make sure they are completely dry before letting them dry naturally.
