Water damage of any kind is a frustrating situation to deal with, but it can be even more problematic if your property has been affected by a flood.

When excess water is present, porous materials will absorb the moisture. This can cause the affected items to warp and/or become discolored. The more water these materials take in, the more damaged they become. Furthermore, the moisture will easily spread to new areas because of the porous nature of the affected materials.

Knowing this, a large volume of standing flood water can be severely damaging not only to your property’s structure but also to your personal contents, such as clothing items and furnishings.

Because of their proximity to the floor, carpeting and rugs are among your personal contents that are affected most by a flood. They are one of the first things affected by flooding, so they will also be one of the furnishings that is most susceptible to the worst harm.

Any water damage, no matter the item, is reason for concern. But with prompt reaction and response, you can limit the amount of harm done and improve the chances for complete restoration of both your property and belongings. So if you act quickly enough, there is a better chance at salvaging your water damaged carpeting and rugs.

Continue reading to learn more about what you can do to save flooded carpets and rugs and how to respond to flooding in your home or business.

When Can Flooded Carpets and Rugs Be Saved?

When determining the salvageability of water damaged carpeting, rugs, and other items, you first must consider the flood water.

If the water involved in the flooding is clean water, then there is a greater possibility of saving your carpets, rugs, and other damaged materials. However, if the flood water has been contaminated by sewage or other hazardous materials, then the situation becomes more complicated. This is because the contaminants can make salvaging damaged items more work than they are worth.

When contaminated flood water affects a property, any materials that absorb the water also take in the water’s contaminants. So not only will the materials become damaged by the water, but they will also suffer further damage by the contaminants.

How Can Flooded Carpets and Rugs Be Saved?

Flooded Carpet and Rugs Affected by Clean Water

If your carpets and rugs were damaged by clean water, then you can either conduct the cleaning yourself with a washing machine and do-it-yourself techniques or with professional help. Rugs can be thrown in the wash or brought outside for manual cleaning using shampoo. Meanwhile, flooded carpet drying is the first step in salvaging carpeting.

If the wet carpet can be removed, then you should. This will speed up the drying process. If not, use air conditioning, electric fans, a dehumidifier, and/or a wet/dry vacuum to help dry out the water damaged carpeting. When the carpet is dry, vacuum and shampoo the carpet. Allow it to dry and vacuum it once more.

Sometimes water damage can produce musty odors. These smells can remain even after you’ve cleaned your water damaged carpeting. If there is a lingering smell, pour baking soda on the carpet to soak up the odors. Push the baking soda deeper into the carpet’s fibers with a sponge or broom, and have it sit overnight.

The next day, vacuum the carpet twice, once in each direction to ensure you pick up all remnants of the baking soda.

Flooded Carpet and Rugs Affected by Contaminated Water

Generally speaking, any carpeting and rugs that were damaged by contaminated water should be discarded. Because of the hazardous nature of the contaminants, these items need to be worked on thoroughly to ensure they are safe and clean. But it often is not worth spending the money to salvage them. However, valuable carpeting and rugs are typically seen as an expectation.

If you want to salvage carpets and rugs affected by contaminated water, then reach out to a professional carpet cleaning service. Standard household cleaning products and equipment are not sufficient for such items, and they need to be treated carefully due to their contaminated nature.

Get Help from Professional Water Damage Restoration Services

When your home or business has suffered damage due to flooding, it is essential that you get immediate help. This will provide you with the best chance to minimize the damage and salvage the affected materials, such as water damaged carpeting.

Professional water damage restoration and cleanup services are available to help homes and businesses recover in the aftermath of water damage, including flooding.

Water restoration professionals have the necessary knowledge, training, and equipment to provide restoration and cleaning work for your property. Professionals will eliminate the excess moisture and water, thoroughly dry the property, and clean and restore damaged materials — including water damaged carpeting and rugs. With professional help, your carpeting and rugs will be salvaged, and your property will be safe to return to.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.