Five Tips for Water Damaged Rugs Cleaning & Repair
In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, many Houston houses were hit with floodwaters that damaged rugs and carpets. Now that the rain has stopped and the water levels have receded, now is an ideal time to assess the damage to your property. Perhaps you already have insured your more valuable items like antique Oriental carpets. But in case you haven’t, there are steps you can still take to potentially save your treasured rugs. With that in mind, here are five tips for water damaged rugs cleaning & repair.
Tip 1 – Remove Water Quickly
After your rugs have sustained water damage, it is vital that you drain them of excess moisture as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that mold will grow. We recommend renting a wet/dry vacuum to suck up the water. Also, be sure to wear plastic gloves and a protective mask that covers the mouth and nose in order to limit your potential exposure to mold or other harmful contaminants.
Tip 2 – Dry Out the surrounding Area
You can accelerate the rug repair process by removing moisture from the rooms inside your home. As soon as you are safely able to do so, open up all your windows in order to get rid of the stagnant air. Renting high-power drying fans and/or a dehumidifier can help get rid of any lingering water in flooded rooms. Leave these devices on for several days in order to allow fresh air to circulate throughout the house and thereby create the ideal conditions for a dry cleaned rug.
Tip 3 – Seek Professional Dry Cleaning
Even after your rug has been dried, steps still need to be taken to ensure that it’s sanitary. For an immediate, easy-to-make home remedy, simply mix a gallon of clean water with two tablespoons of liquid bleach and scrub this solution into your carpet with a bristle brush. This will disinfect your carpet in the short term until you are able to take it to a rug repair expert who can properly sanitize and deodorize your rug. Such a professional rug washing and dry cleaning procedure is necessary to protect the integrity of your rug over the long haul.
Tip 4 – Assess Damage Thoroughly
Oftentimes in the case of floods it’s the damage that isn’t visible to the naked eye that’s the most harmful to rugs. Even if you were able to successfully execute Tips 1-3, your rug may have absorbed floodwater deep within its fibers. For this reason, consider investing in a thorough inspection by a rug repair expert who can evaluate the water damage and determine whether your rug was contaminated by mud, mildew, sewage or silt.
Tip 5 – Replace Your Rug if Necessary.
Unfortunately, it may be the case that your rug is unsalvageable. This is due to the fact that the rug has taken in contaminated water that can be safely expunged. In such instances, it is recommended that the rug be discarded so that others living in the home are not exposed to unhealthy and even dangerous bacteria. If you’re forced to discard your rug, look into your warranty to determine whether the manufacturer will reimburse you for a new rug. You may also want to contact your home insurer to find out whether they’ll cover water damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
We understand that the flooding caused by the recent hurricane has been trying for many Houston residents. We hope this information has proven helpful to you, but if not we’re happy to address any additional concerns you may have. Contact us here for more information.