This title might leave you a little confused, coming from a carpet cleaner. You might ask, “Don’t you have to leave wet carpets after you are done cleaning them?” The answer is yes, but not as wet as you might assume.
From being in this business, we have seen and heard a lot. In the past, and still to this day, the reputation of a carpet cleaner is that they leave your carpets soaking for DAYS, not hours, but a couple of days. Friends, this is not how Olmec Reflections leaves your carpets. In this blog we are going to point out the dangers of having wet carpets for days and how we are different.
Wet Carpets are a Breeding Ground.
A hard lesson to learn is often that of biological science. You might have conducted an unintended experiment when you threw that wet, balled up towel into the hamper that sat for a few days before doing the laundry. When you eventually get to it, you noticed a moldy smell. This is the telltale sign of mold spores, fungi, and bacteria forming.
This same forming can and will happen to your carpets when water sits on them for a while. Mold spores will form, sadly, on the padding as well, and will take over. They grow fast and will get into the air and on everything in the area. This can be detrimental in so many ways.
Here are 5 hazards that will occur from a wet carpets in the following days:
1. Your air quality will suffer.
Once you’ve smelled mold or mildew, it’s unmistakable. Sadly, some people live in situations where this smell is common and they become nose blind to it. The thing is, it not only stinks, but it is destroying the air quality!
The quality of air we breathe in is often severely underestimated. Breathing in mold spores can lead to respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, and even bronchoconstriction! Fungal infections in the lungs and throat are also common.
2. Your skin could pay the price.
When mold and mildew spores travel in the air, they will also come in contact with your skin. This can trigger hives and other rashes. Bacterial and viral infections are also prominent in these conditions. Such problems may require serious medical attention if left untreated.
3. Neurological Symptoms may occur.
Those that have let water damaged carpets go unattended have experienced neurological health issues such as loss of memory, sudden mood changes, migraines, and chronic fatigue. When left untreated, these issues have worsened.
4. The carpet padding will need to be replaced.
Sadly, when wet carpets sit for too long, the carpet padding will probably need to be replaced. No amount of disinfectant treatment used will undo the damage that has been done to the padding. You will need to hire a professional carpet installer to bring up the carpet and replace the padding.
5. Your surfaces may be compromised, leading to expensive fixes.
When mold spores are in the air, they will touch everything in the area. This includes all your surfaces. The unfortunate situation can force you to replace your furniture, and even your structure! If mold and mildew are on your walls and ceiling, you will need to call a restoration company to clean it up. You can do it yourself, but it can be a very hazardous job.
How Olmec Reflections is Different:
Usually, the most common question asked of us is, “when will my carpets be dry?” It’s a fair question considering all the hazards of having a wet carpet for days.
“When we clean your carpets, they will stay damp for a maximum of 6-8 hours.”
We’ve even seen carpets dry quicker! How do we do it? There are several measures we take to get the carpets we work on drying quickly.
- Extraction: The biggest reason that other carpet cleaning companies leave your carpets sopping wet for days is that they don’t take the time to extract the moisture after the cleaning. At Olmec Reflections, we take our time and extract as much water as possible. The job might take a little longer to perform, but this is the difference between quantity and quality care.
- Fans. You might notice when the Olmec Reflections flooring pro unloads the truck, a good number of fans are included. As we move throughout any space, we will put down a high-powered fan when it is complete that will connect to another fan every few feet. This is to give the dry cycle a head start! Here’s a video of our owner explaining our process.
- Knowledge. Our flooring pros have the knowledge it takes to give your carpets and air quality the best chance toward a cleaner and restored space. Before we clean, we will make sure the humidity level is appropriate for maximum drying effort. This includes closing any windows when it is humid and turning up the indoor air system. We also talk to the tenant or owner of the space and let them know what to do when we leave.
We hope this information has helped. If you know someone who is suffering mold/mildew spores in their space, please help them take action! This situation often strikes elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals that might live in hoarder situations or have water leaking into their home. Take heed of the fly-by-night carpet cleaners that charge next to nothing for services. These are the ones we see do the worst jobs, including leaving your carpets sopping wet for days.
Looking for a trusted local company to restore your carpets? Olmec Reflections is here for you. We restore the like-new glory of your carpets, rugs, and upholstery with a premium clean! Contact us to book your carpet cleaning today!