Carpets naturally add to the beauty and the appearance of the interior spaces where they are installed. Carpeting on the floors of a residential or a commercial space creates a tremendous positive impact on the minds of anyone who traverses over that space. But if carpets are soiled and there is the deposition of dirt and dust over the carpet, cleaning is the most imminent action that should be performed. Possessing an unclean carpet is detrimental to the health and hygiene of the space as well as the health of the people inhabiting that space. Therefore cleaning and maintenance of the carpet are essential. Scheduling of cleaning and maintenance operations at regular intervals helps to keep track of the same.
Problems associated with moist carpets :
Whenever the carpets get soiled or dirty or stained from various sources, cleaning is the most important operation that should be performed. But most of the carpet cleaning operations employ water or steam or other fluids over the carpet. Thus the cleaning and maintenance operations render the carpet wet. Wet carpets resulting from spillage or leakage of water has a similar effect.
Moisture is detrimental to the carpet fibres. Moisture rips off the carpet fibres of their durability and rich texture and makes them weak. Thus the carpets become prone to damage easily as their condition and quality deteriorate over time because of staying moist over prolonged periods.
Steps to achieve a foolproof carpet drying routine :
Carpet drying is an extremely important function. Carpet drying should be performed fast because leaving a carpet wet for just 24 hours results in the formation of mold, which is toxic, dangerous for the carpet fibres and also deteriorates the indoor air quality. The steps to achieve a successful carpet drying operation, even during cold or moist weather, can be discussed below.
- Removing furniture: Removing all furniture and installations from over the carpet is the most important preliminary step. Keeping the furniture on the wet carpet might cause mold formation on them too, and removing them offers ample space for drying the carpet.
- Going old school: If sunlight is available and the carpeting is not from door to door, then it should be dried out in the sun because sunlight is the most natural and active disinfectant.
- Soaking in water: Soaking up the maximum amount of water by blotting the wet area using clean towels or rags, preferably made of cotton, is an essential step. The other drying procedures may follow.
- Vacuuming: Vacuum cleaners which support vacuuming of water should be employed to suck up all the water from the wet carpet.
- Opening windows: Opening windows is an extremely effective way to speed up the entire carpet drying operation. Air circulation improves the evaporation of water from the surface of the carpet and is also beneficial in getting rid of any foul and objectionable odour.
- Setting up fans: Setting up fans like axial fans, circular or oscillating fans, box fans etc. will speed up the drying process immediately in any weather.
- Ceiling fans: Switching on the ceiling fans helps to improve the drying process.
- Employing dehumidifier: Employing a dehumidifier for basic drying functions is extremely advantageous. It reduces excess moisture and keeps the moisture level optimum to render rapid drying of carpets.
Following these processes in order will definitely help to accelerate the carpet drying operation. Carpet drying is extremely important to prevent the formation of molds and maintain good indoor air quality as well as to preserve the durability of carpets. Therefore professional help might be required often if the people are not competent enough to effectuate carpet drying themselves.
