Water Restoration
When it comes to taking care of your rugs, one thing that is hard to prevent is water damage. Whether your rug is damaged from outside water, overflowing toilets, water heater leakage, or a broken ice maker line, drying your rug is quite a task. When water unexpectedly gets on your rugs, you need to take the following steps to help make sure your rug is not permanently damaged.
- Take All Furniture Off the Rug
If your rug has furniture sitting on top of it, you need to remove the furniture from the rug moving it to another area temporarily. The furniture stains or coatings can migrate to the wet rug fibers causing hard to remove stains. Furniture can have metal on the bottom of the legs allowing rust stains as the rug dries.
- Quickly Remove as Much Water as Possible
Blotting with folded bath towels is a good way to remove water from a rug. Blot – do not rub. Rubbing can cause the natural fiber to fuzz and look differently when the rug dries. A folded towel under the rug and another on top allows you to stand on that area drawing out the water. However, if the flooding is excessive, you might need to use a wet/dry vac to remove more of the water. The longer the water sits, dye colors can run or staining can occur. Do not roll up the wet rug. It can cause the dye colors to transfer to other places in the rug.
- Dry the Rug Right Away
After drawing out as much water as possible, the rug needs air movement to remove the rest of the moisture. Use a box fan for air movement. Run the home heat/air conditioning will help pull moisture out of the area. A rug sitting wet can cause mildew odors or even mold to form. Drying quickly also allows the rug pile to fluff up. When the rug is dry, vacuuming will even out the pile to make the area look like the rest of the rug.
For certain kinds of water damage, a professional rug cleaner should be consulted. Toilet water or backed up drains holds germs and bacteria. Rainwater entering your home can carry mold spores and bacteria. A professional rug cleaner should be used to treat and remove contaminants that can make an unhealthy home.
If you have an area rug that has been severely damaged by water, Cristomar is available to fresh water, deep clean your rug and dry it properly in the certified dry room. The sooner the rug is worked on, the more likely it is able to be restored without color run, or irreversible damage. Give us a call today and let’s get your rug restored after a water damage incident!
(770) 753-4242