by Holle Abee

Created on: June 14, 2008   Last Updated: June 18, 2008

If your carpet has become inundated by water, don't despair. You might be able to save it! Much depends on what type of water you're dealing with. Carpet can harbor some pretty nasty health hazards, so first of all, you need to determine the water source.

If the damage is from contaminated water, like from overflowing toilets, don't attempt to salvage the carpet. Even the most arduous carpet cleaning methods will not produce guaranteed safe results. In fact, because of health concerns, you shouldn't even handle the carpet. The best thing to do in this case is to hire a professional carpet extractor to safely remove all the carpet and padding and dispose of it properly.

After the carpet has been removed, clean the floor with a solution of one-fourth cup of bleach in a gallon of water to kill any bacteria left behind.

If the water damage is from a burst pipe or rain water, it's safe to attempt carpet cleaning and drying. If the damage is in a relatively small area, lift the carpet from the tack strip at the nearest wall and raise the damaged area off the floor, using blocks to hold the carpet in place. Cut the wet padding from the area, too, and take it outside to dry. Use several large fans to dry the carpet and the floor underneath.

It only takes 12 hours for dangerous molds to grow on and under damp carpet and padding, so if both aren't completely dry in 12 hours, you need to dispose of them and purchase new floor covering.

If the carpet and padding are completely dry within the 12-hour period, replace the padding and re-attach the carpet to the tack strips. Clean the area with a commercial carpet cleaning solution to remove any water spots.

If your entire room has water damaged carpet, take up the carpet and padding and move it outside into the sun. You'll need a couple of helpers for this. Start in a corner, pulling the carpet from the tack strip. Continue around the perimeter of the room until all the carpet is free. Roll the carpet up and move it outside. Do the same with the padding.

Sunlight kills most forms of mold, and of course, will aid in the drying process. You can use a wet vac to remove most of the water. Then let large fans and the sun take care of the rest. But remember: allow only 12 hours of drying time, and that includes the padding, too.

While the carpet is outside drying, disinfect the floor and remove as much water as possible with a wet vac. Use fans to evaporate any remaining moisture.

When the carpet and padding are completely dry, replace by re-attatching to the tack strips. You might want to hire a professional to do this for you.

Once the carpet is back in place, use proper carpet cleaning methods to remove any dirt or stains.

Before you begin any carpet cleaning or drying, check with your insurance company. In some cases, the damage might be covered. For example, if you live in an apartment or condominium, and the water damage is from a burst pipe, the insurance company might pay for new carpet or at least for a professional to do the work for you.

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