How to Dry Wet Carpet Without Vacuum – 10 Easy Tips
Carpets give a house a better décor, and the fiber is so cozy and comforting after a long day at work.
However, every once in a while, you’ll end up with a carpet that’s soaking wet – whether it’s from your clumsiness or water leakage. This isn’t shocking because, according to water damage defense, 14000 Americans suffer a water leakage at work or home every day.
So, what do you do if you happen to make the statistic? Well, I’m about to teach you how to dry wet carpet without a vacuum, so you know how to go about it.
Tips on How to Dry Wet Carpet Without Vacuum
There are many reasons why you may look for tips to dry a wet carpet without using a vacuum. For starters, household vacuum cleaners don’t have a very high suction power, so using it to dry a soaking carpet can be tragic. Secondly, you might not have a cleaner.
Whatever your reason is, I got you.
Let’s dive in.
1. Find the Source of the Water
I know this may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget it in the heat of the moment. Regardless of how tempting it may be to move your valuable carpet first, always find the water source first. This will ensure that you stop the flow and prevent any further damage.
2. Move the Furniture Around the Affected Area
This is probably the worst part of drying a carpet (at least for me). It would help if you moved the furniture as fast as you could. Leaving the furniture may result in trapped moisture, which can destroy your furniture.
And also, there is no way you’ll dry your carpet with all the furniture on top. The faster you can move the furniture, the better; ask someone to help you move the furniture to avoid further damage to your carpet.
3. Use Towels
Now that you’ve stopped the water source and you’ve moved the furniture, it’s time to get rid of the moisture. The towel method is just one of the many ways you can use to dry your carpet – it all depends on the amount of moisture in the towel.
Get the heaviest towel in your selection for the towel method and simply squeeze them against the wet carpet.
As you apply pressure, the towel will absorb the water; continue with the process until you’re sure there is no more water in the carpet.
If the towels get too wet, use fresh towels to continue drying your carpet.
4. Use a Carpet Sweeper
There are specific carpet sweepers designed with brushes that help pull out moisture from the carpet. Well, their main job is to pull dirt and debris, but they can double as moisture removers. The carpet sweepers are especially great for pulling water from high fiber carpets.
To get better results, use the towel method to dry the remaining moisture once you’re done drying the carpet using the carpet sweeper.
5. Use a Dry Compound
A dry compound is one of the best options for a wet carpet. The advantage of using a drying compound is that it absorbs more water than towels.
To dry your carpet using this method, pour and spread a generous amount of the dry compound on the floor and give it time to absorb as much water as possible. The time it will take to dry a carpet depends on the nature of your carpet and the manufactures instructions. After the dry compound has done its magic, use a towel to remove it from your carpet.
This method might take a few trials to work, so repeat the process a couple of times before you rule it out.
If it fails you, move on to the next suggestion.
6. Air Dry Your Wet Carpet
If your carpet is glued to the carpet, this method may not be very practical for you. That said, don’t try to remove your glue carpet as it may affect the glue.
Anyway, if your carpet isn’t attached to the floor, ask someone to help you carry it outside – and live it to air dry. And don’t panic if it rains when your carpet is out, it won’t make it worse for your carpet.
Please keep checking the progress of your carpet, but don’t bring it inside until it’s completely dry, or you’ll end up with an odor in your home.
There are also a couple of things you can do to air dry your carpet indoors. They include:
7. Using a Humidifier or an Air Conditioner
Running your air conditioner or humidifier will help get rid of the moisture and help reduce any allergens.
Fans don’t really do much in removing moisture from the carpet, but it’s a good way to save a wet carpet. They increase air circulation, which speeds up the drying process.
If it’s not very humid outside, you can open the windows to help fasten the drying process, but it’s best to keep the windows closed if the humidity is very high.
8. Use a Hairdryer
This method is valid if only a small part of the carpet is wet. Simply hold the hairdryer a few inches from the carpet and move it to circulate the hot air. It’s easy to stop the process and assume the rug is dry if you touch it for wetness when it’s still hot. Allow the carpet to cool first to confirm it’s completely dry.
9. Use Baking Soda
We use baking soda to do so much in the house, so why not use it to dry your carpet? It dries a wet carpet faster and ensures it eliminates all the excess moisture.
The best way to go about this process is to use a carpet sweeper or towel to get rid of excessive water. Once you remove all the water and the carpet is damp, pour a generous amount of baking soda on the carpet. Next, use a sponge or brush to gently work the baking soda into the carpet fibers. Let the baking soda sit for at least 30 minutes to allow it to absorb any remaining moisture and odors. After that, you can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda from the carpet. For a deeper clean, consider using tide cleaning measurements to ensure that the carpet is thoroughly cleansed and refreshed.
Once you pour the baking soda on the carpet, all you have to do is wait. You can be assured the baking soda will absorb all the moisture in the carpet and prevent mildews from forming on the carpet.
CAUTION: Do not try to use Caustic soda for the cleaning purpose, it’s not the same element as baking soda. You can learn more why you shouldn’t try using caustic soda to clean floor tiles, carpet or metal items from our site.
10. Remember to Check the Carpets Subfloor
Before you decide to put back the furniture, it’s important to ensure your carpet is completely dry. It may dry on the surface but still wet on the subfloor.
What I’m about to recommend is very painful, but it will not cause more damage than what the water has done already.
Secure a firm grip from your carpet and pluck just a few fibers carefully; touch the floor to confirm it’s completely dry. If there is still some wetness, repeat the process you used.
Final Thoughts
I hope you learned great tips on how to dry wet carpet without vacuum cleaner. However, the greatest tip is being patient. Depending on how wet it is, it may take up to 15 hours for a rug to completely dry.
It’s also important to mention that you really don’t have to do it if you’re busy or it is simply too tasking for your liking. You can hire a carpet cleaning company to dry your carpet. They have big wet and dry vacuum cleaners with higher suction power than households’ vacuums.
I highly recommend using a cleaning company, especially for glued carpets.
