Whether you have cleaned the carpet by yourself or got it done by a professional, a cleaned carpet needs to be properly dried before getting back to its place. If it is used before properly drying, there can be a risk of mold or mildew can be formed on it. So it is necessary to dry the carpet for adequate time. But, how long does it take carpet to dry after cleaning?
Usually, carpets take 6-10 hours to dry after the cleaning process completely. Even if you get your carpet steam cleaned, there will still be moisture, which will take 2-3 hours to dry. However, if your carpet is dry cleaned, then it will take very little dry time.
Apart from this, many factors actually affect the drying time of carpet after cleaning. Let’s get to know about all of them & more about carpet drying time.
How long does it take carpet to dry after cleaning?
Typically, the carpet is dry in six to ten hours after complete cleaning procedure. However, rooms with poor air circulation, chilly air, or high humidity will take longer to dry wet carpet. Apart from this type of method used to clean carpets and carpet material also affect the drying time of carpets. So let’s have a look at all the factors that affect the drying time of carpets after cleaning:
1) Method Of Carpet Cleaning
Your carpet may be cleaned in a variety of methods. Depending on how you restore it, the drying time might vary. Here are the methods along with their drying time:
- Dry Cleaning: This type of cleaning utilizes dry-cleaning chemicals and a little quantity of liquid, significantly reducing drying time. Although water is used, this approach results in a 95% to 100% dry carpet at the conclusion of treatment. So it involves 0 to very minimal dry time.
- Steam Cleaning: Steam cleaning removes all of the dirt and grime using heat vapor and pressure. Drying time for a professional steam cleaning followed by no-dry treatments might range from 3-6 hours.
- Shampoo Cleaning: In this scenario, a high-friction brush turns deep-cleaning chemicals into a froth. After applying the shampoo, a vacuum removes the entire combination. This approach takes 6–10 hours to dry the carpet.
- Bonnet Cleaning: When cleaning carpets, bonnets are used to scrape up spray cleaning chemicals. This is a great alternative for frequent cleaning but does not give the same thorough clean as steam or shampoo. Your bonnet-cleaned carpet should dry in 5-10 hours.
2) Carpet Material
Some carpets dry out fast, while others take a little longer to dry out completely, based on their material. Certain carpet materials dry rapidly, while others take a little longer. Wool carpets, for example, are extremely absorbent and take more time to dry than nylon or polyester carpets. Carpets made entirely of wool can take up to 24 hours to dry and even longer in chilly temperatures.
3) Temperature
Another thing that can affect how quickly or slowly the carpet dries in your home is the temperature inside your house. As a general rule, the temperature should be between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. This way, the moisture can evaporate more quickly.
You should have your carpets steam cleaned when the weather is warm and sunny so that they dry faster.
4) Ventilation
A carpet that receives adequate airflow dries more quickly. You may aid the drying process by opening a window for fresh air or turning on a ceiling fan to circulate moving air.
5) Equipment Used
Dry times show a clear distinction between a powerful, contemporary truck-mounted system and a less powerful, less expensive type. Also, the age of the equipment is important. Contemporary, well-maintained equipment will extract more water than a machine that is 25 years old and in poor condition.
6) Carpet Size and Thickness
When it comes to cleaning a carpet, the larger the area, the more time it will take. In addition, because a thick carpet may store more moisture, drying time will be longer than a thin carpet.
How to dry carpet fast after cleaning?
The main thing that matters is eliminating the humidity from the carpet. If you want to decrease the drying time, you can do a few things to make the carpet dry faster. Here are the things you should follow:
- Switch on Fans: You can speed up the drying process of your carpet by turning on the ceiling fan. If you don’t have a ceiling fan in your room, you can use a standing fan. Oscillating fans with high power will work best.
- Dehumidifier: Using a dehumidifier makes sense if you live somewhere that gets a lot of rain or snow. A dehumidifier will reduce the amount of moisture in the carpet, allowing it to dry more quickly.
- Wet-Vaccum: A wet vacuum cleaner is a type of vacuum cleaner that is specifically intended to absorb liquids and moisture from a surface. This is especially beneficial if the carpet is slightly damp following the steam cleaning.
- Opening the Windows: Another technique to circulate the air is to open the windows. However, doing so while the weather is chilly or humid will be ineffective. However, on hot, dry days, an open window might help your carpets dry more quickly.
- Air-Conditioner: Air conditioning may really speed up the drying process, even though it may seem paradoxical. In addition to lowering the temperature, they also remove moisture from the air, so the drying process will improve.
How to dry carpet fast after cleaning with baking soda?
Baking soda can be a good option to dry the carpet after cleaning it. Here is a quick step-by-step process to use baking soda to dry carpets:
- Attempt to remove as much water as possible from the carpet before adding the baking soda.
- Overspray the moist area of the carpet with baking soda.\
- Allow several hours for the baking soda to rest on the carpet.
- Any moisture or odor that is on the carpet will be taken away by the baking soda.
- Vacuum the entire area with your trusty old vacuum.
- See, moisture is gone from the carpet!
Can you walk on wet carpet after cleaning?
No, you should not walk on a wet carpet after cleaning. You should wait atleast 30 minutes and best for six hours before walking on the carpet. If you walk on the carpet just after cleaning, first it will make the carpet dirty again. The second thing that will happen is the fabrics on the carpet will settle down & will look bad after drying up.
If there is urgency, try to walk with your socks on or clean soled shoes. Moreover, do not stand on the wet carpet for too long.
How long does carpet take to dry after steam cleaning?
It will take atleast 3-6 hours for the carpet to dry after dry cleaning. Actually, the time can be less depending on the equipment used to steam clean the carpet. Dry cleaning is a popular method of cleaning carpets.
When it comes to cleaning carpets in heavy traffic areas, steam cleaning or wet cleaning is a common option. With the use of heat vapor and pressure, steam cleaning is able to remove all of the muck and dirt from the surface.
Steam cleaning doesn’t use a lot of water to make vapor, but it does use some water to do it. So that’s why there will be some water left in the carpet, which will take 2-6 hours to dry.
How long does it take for a rug to dry outside?
Rugs take longer time than carpets to dry. It can take around 24 hours for the rug to dry. And if you will place it outside, then it will take fewer hours. Actually, air drying is best for rugs. It will help them dry naturally and will intact its look after the cleaning.
If you are unable to keep the rug outside for an extended period of time, bring it to your garage, basement, or laundry room to finish drying by air.
How long does it take for carpet to dry after using bissell?
With Bissell carpet cleaner, it will take anywhere between 6-12 hours for the carpet to dry. The time can be even more or less depending on various factors, like temperature, humidity, carpet material, thickness, and size.
These all factors can change the drying time. Moreover, if you live in a dry area, then it will take just 4-6 hours. However, if you live in the mountains or any humid area, then the drying time can reach anywhere between 12-24 hours.
How long after carpet cleaning can I put furniture back?
If you place the furniture on a wet carpet, then it can transfer humidity into the furniture, and on the other side, your carpet will get ruined. So it is important to wait atleast six hours, before putting your furniture back.
It will be best if you wait 24 hours because there will be a surety that no moisture is left on the carpet.
Bottom Line
Now, you know how long does it take carpet to dry after cleaning. So from next time, do not rush to place the wet carpet on the floor. Instead, let it dry for adequate time.
We hope this article was helpful and informative. Please leave your thoughts & suggestions in the comments!
Thank you for reading!
