Hazards Of A Wet Carpet

By Author: Leo Nov
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You may not have originally considered this, but your exquisite Persian rug or expensive Oriental carpet resting perfectly on the floor can actually turn to be your worst nightmare as a homeowner. How? Imagine water seeping through it and then the fabric getting soaked for more than two days. And yes, we are not talking about clean water but dirty flood water.

Not only a wet and dirty carpet is unsightly, but it is also dangerous to your health especially if the water that seeped through it is contaminated. How bad can it be and why should we avoid it?

1. Wet carpets attract microorganisms.

Similar to toothbrushes and toilets, carpets contain thousands of tiny organisms. Water is especially a potent ingredient in making this happen, since it creates perfect conditions for bacteria to live in. This is particularly hazardous in homes with toddlers who crawl on floors. This is just as dirty as if you were to let your child hold toilet seats.

2. Wet carpets can cause foul odors.

These bad odors can be very hard to remove, even with the toughest cleaning agents. The smell usually sticks to curtains, ...
... clothes and other porous objects. In severe cases, people end up having to re-carpet their entire home just to get rid of the smell.

3. Carpets can ruin flooring.

Whether in a basement or on a living room, a wet carpet can make your flooring decompose faster. This is particularly true for houses with wooden flooring. The dampness and heat is incubated between the flooring and the carpet, thereby creating the perfect temperature to make wood softer.

4. A wet carpet can loosen glue.

Some houses have their carpets glued onto their floors. When left unattended, the moisture in a carpet can saturate this glue. Eventually, the carpets will loosen and you will be able to drag them around with your feet. This will take hundreds of dollars to fix and is a great loss of money.

Surely, you do not want any of these to happen to your carpet. Avoid all these scenarios by cleaning and drying your carpet regularly and calling professional help when needed.
Leo Nov is an editorial staff member of RestorationSOS.com, a leading service provider for water damage cleanups. To learn more about water damage and restoration service, visit RestorationSOS.com