How To Effectively Clean And Restore Water-Damaged Carpets In Your Business

By Robert Stewart, CEO, The M. Conley Company

Robert Stewart

Water damage to carpets can occur from a broken pipe, a leaking roof or an overflowing appliance. While this is a common issue for businesses, there’s no need to panic. With the right approach, you can often save your carpets and restore them to their original condition. Here’s how to handle water-damaged carpets effectively.

How Does This Happen?

Carpets are vulnerable to water damage in various ways. Maybe a broken window seal let a sudden downpour in, or your workplace’s sprinkler system malfunctioned. It’s possible that your laundry facilities flooded because an old washing machine finally broke down. No matter what caused it, the outcome is always the same: a sopping wet carpet that needs to be fixed quickly.

Clean water damage, while still problematic, is the least concerning. This type of damage might be from rainwater finding its way indoors, a malfunctioning appliance like a washing machine, a broken water line or even an accidental spill.

Moving up the scale of concern is greywater damage, which involves water with moderate contaminants. This could stem from issues like a dishwasher discharge pipe leaking or a toilet overflowing.

The most severe and hazardous form is blackwater damage, which is highly contaminated and typically results from sewer backups. Each type of water damage requires a different approach to cleaning and may influence the decision of whether to attempt restoration or decide on a replacement.

The Cleaning Process

It is very important to act as soon as possible. The longer water sits, the more damage it can do, which could cause mold growth and unpleasant odors. Here’s a step-by-step approach to cleaning your water-damaged carpet:

• Ensure the area is safe before starting, especially in high-traffic or operational zones. If there are any risks of electrical hazards, turn off the power in the affected area.
• Get all equipment, furniture and materials out of the water’s way.
• Use a wet vacuum or pump to extract as much water as possible from the carpet.
• If possible, lift the carpet off the floor to allow air circulation underneath. This will help prevent mold growth. If it is attached to the ground, take box cutters and cut off the wet pieces. They can easily be patched back in, but this will keep mildew from spreading.
• Set up fans and dehumidifiers to circulate the air and speed up the drying process.
• After cleaning, ensure the carpet is completely dry before replacing furniture or resuming business operations.

How Long Does Cleaning Take?

The extent of the water damage will determine how long the cleaning takes. For little spills, your carpet could be restored to normal in a day or two. On the other hand, it could take up to a week for the carpet to get completely dry after more intense flooding. Waiting through the process is crucial to avoid having a destroyed carpet.

Knowing When To Replace Carpet

A carpet cannot always be saved. There are a few signs that your water-damaged carpet may need to go. The carpet poses a health risk if it remains wet for longer than 72 hours before you start drying it. This is because it may have mold and germs. In cases where the water damage is from sewage or other contaminated sources, replacement is usually the safest option. The most obvious sign is visible mold growth, which means it’s time for the carpet to go.

How To Prevent This From Happening

While we can’t control everything, there are steps we can take to reduce the risk of water damage to commercial carpets.

Pipes, appliances and building structures should be closely monitored for prospective water sources. If you come across any leaks, have them repaired immediately. To add an extra level of security, you might also want to install waterproof mats or rugs in places susceptible to spills or moisture. If you have any questions or want other recommendations, you can always ask a carpet cleaning company.

Dealing with water-damaged carpets can be stressful. Remember to act fast, and don’t be afraid to call in the professionals if the job seems too big to handle on your own. It’s better to act sooner rather than later when it comes to protecting your business from water damage.

The M. Conley Company has more than 100 years of experience distributing paper, packaging, janitorial and food service materials and supplies. The wholesale distributor has created lasting relationships with its vendors while serving manufacturers, contract packagers, healthcare facilities, education and government facilities, contract cleaners, food processing plants and more. For additional information, visit www.mconley.com.