How to Keep Your Carpets Mold Free After Water Damage

 

Have you had standing water in your home recently? Whether it’s from a storm or a leaking pipe, flooding can cause unnecessary headaches. Dealing with water damage can become worse when the carpet is wet. Wet carpeting can lead to mold growth. It does not take a lot of water for mold to start growing. If you follow these simple steps, it will reduce the chances of mold growing under your carpets.

Dry Water Quickly

The first step in treating any water damage is to clean it up quickly. Allowing moisture to sit underneath your carpet for an extended period of time increases the chances of mold. You should try to deal with water damage within 48 hours. It is best to use a wet vacuum first to remove all the excess water.

Create Good Airflow

Having good airflow in the wet area helps to dry the area more quickly. Opening windows and using high-power fans will let the area dry faster. You will need to be patient when it comes to drying out your carpet as it does not happen overnight. When you think the carpet is dry, you should continue to run the fans for 24 hours for at least a week. Taking this extra step will help ensure no mold is growing underneath your carpets.

Replace Carpet Padding

When your carpet gets hit with water, the area that gets the most damage is your carpet padding. Your carpet padding absorbs most of the water, and it is hard to remove all the water. After your carpets are wet from water damage, you will want to replace your carpet padding to reduce the chances of mold growth.

Steam Clean Your Carpets

Steam cleaning your carpets is an important step to prevent mold. When you steam clean your carpets, it pulls the toxins out of the carpet. The toxins that are removed are the same toxins that can cause mold growth. You can steam clean your carpets yourself or call a professional.

Sanitize Walls and Baseboards

To help prevent mold from spreading, you should sanitize your walls and baseboards. If mold starts to grow on your walls and baseboards, it can spread to the carpeting. Be sure to use a cleaner that will get rid of mold. You may have to call the professionals.

Use a Dehumidifier

After water damage, there could be excess moisture in the air that you are unaware of. Running a dehumidifier will eliminate any moisture in the air that can cause mold and mildew to start growing. A dehumidifier will also help dry out the area more quickly.

Call the Professionals

Following these steps will help reduce the chances of your carpets growing mold underneath them. However, the safest way to get rid of mold completely after water damage is to call the professionals at Kelley Klean. Kelley Klean will not only make sure to take care of your damp carpets, but they will also take care of any other damage from water that you cannot do yourself. Contact Kelley Klean today for more information.