“How long will it take for my rugs to dry?” is probably the most asked question McCartin’s Services hears from customers before hiring us for a professional carpet cleaning.
And the answer we always give starts with… it depends! And what it depends on are several factors. These factors play a significant role in the reasons why your carpet takes the amount of time it takes to dry.
Reasons your carpet may take longer to dry
1. Carpet Cleaning Method
The method of professional cleaning that the company uses to clean your carpets is the single biggest factor affecting drying time, and not far behind will be the skill level of your service technician. We believe the method McCartin’s uses is the best overall deep-cleaning method for your carpet. Learn more about McCartin's carpet cleaning services and other services that we provide.
McCartin’s uses a cleaning method called “hot water extraction” cleaning. It’s better known by almost everybody outside of our industry as “steam” cleaning. And it is also the method that most large carpet manufacturers require to be used to maintain the stain and wear warranties on the carpet they sell.
The basic principle of this cleaning system is that we use water that is heated and put under pressure to rinse the soil out of your carpet. Our machines have a very strong vacuum system to extract most of the water and transport it back outside to a waste water tank in our truck, your carpet will be left damp, but never wet.
If left to dry without any drying aids, your carpet will take anywhere from 6-12 hours to dry. However, if the weather is not humid or damp outside you can shorten this dry time by assisting the drying by leaving some windows ajar and maybe have a ceiling fan providing some additional airflow.
2. Experience of the carpet cleaning technician
The second biggest factor affecting the time it will take your carpet to dry will be the experience of the service technician.
To leave a carpet clean and not soaking wet after a professional cleaning takes a combination of experience to use the right amount of water to achieve a clean carpet and the dedication to spend enough time vacuuming off the excess water to leave the carpet not overly wet. McCartin’s carpet cleaning process is never rushed. In the industry it is called a splash and dash job. Where the tech arrives and is in and out so fast your head spins, but they are there long enough to upsell you on additional services. McCartin’s is there until the job is completed to our high standards.
Leaving carpets too wet is a BIG deal. If carpets do not dry within a certain timeframe mildew and odor will occur, the rug may buckle, and wood flooring beneath the rug can be damaged.
3. Humidity Affects Carpet Drying Time
The third factor is one that we as the professional cleaners have little control over, however it can make a big difference in your carpets ultimate drying time. And that factor is humidity both in your home as well as outside your home.
For a carpet to dry, the moisture that is on your carpet must evaporate into the air. This only happens if the air is drier than the carpet. And in very humid conditions the air can’t absorb a lot of moisture and it’s going to take your carpet longer to dry.
Often in the summer when the humidity is high, we ask the homeowner to leave the air conditioning on. Air conditioners pull the humidity out of the air in the room which helps to make the air in the home feel dry and cool.
5 Steps You Can Take To Assist in Drying Your Carpet
Don’t go too long between professional cleanings. The heavier the soil load in your carpet the more effort and water that has to be used to get it clean. The longer it will take to dry.
We often will have fans on the carpet after we clean one area and move to the next area of the home. If you have a fan available, it is helpful to use it once we have left.
Open some windows to get air flowing through your home. Just two windows at the opposite end of the home will speed things up significantly.
Turn on your ceiling fans. Try to keep the air circulating over your carpet will make it drier, quicker.
Turn on your air-conditioning. This tactic works best on days, when opening windows is not a good option.
As your carpet is drying after it’s been professionally cleaned, you’ll want to be very careful when walking on damp carpet, especially where it transitions to other flooring surfaces such as vinyl or tile. You also want to avoid walking onto damp carpet due to the potential re-soiling issues. The bottom of your shoes or bare feet will pick up dirt from the other surfaces you walk on and they will wipe right off onto a damp carpet.
If you need to walk in the room that has been cleaned, don’t hesitate to ask us for a pair of protective shoe covers for you to wear while the carpet is drying. McCartin’s happily provides these.
When you are in need of a real high quality professional carpet cleaning , contact McCartin's Services. (215) 860-6955. Get our monthly special