Flooding can be devastating, causing irreversible water damage to whatever the water touches. Not to mention if the water is mixed with sewage, the damage will be much more detrimental. Flooding is very damaging to carpet and area rugs. Most carpet can only survive minimal water exposure and then only if it is dried properly directly following exposure. For Area rugs, if they are wool or synthetic, they can typically be saved with a thorough professional cleaning.

• When do you call a professional cleaning service following a flood?

There are three types of flood water: Sanitary, Gray, and Black. Sanitary flood water comes from a sanitary water line within the property. Gray flood water is an overflow of groundwater that contains natural minerals. Black flood water contains sewage which is extremely health hazardous and will require a professional cleaning service.

For Sanitary and Gray flood waters, they can typically be handled by the owner of the property. With the use of bath towels, fans, dehumidifiers, and disinfectant spray, most of these minor floods can be dried and treated without professional service. However, if there is excessive water that goes beyond the capacity of a few bath towels, call a professional flood water removal company immediately.

Additionally, if you did your best to dry the area and over the next few days to one week begin to see any discoloration in the carpet or smell a damp scent, it is a good idea to call a professional cleaning service to inspect the carpet for mold.

• Can flooded carpet be salvaged?

In many cases, if there was a controlled, minor, flood, the carpet and pad can be cut and repaired without having to replace the entire room. If the flooding was not contained to one small area and spread throughout the room, it is likely that all of the carpet and padding will need to be replaced due to water damage.

Some carpet cleaning companies have carpet repair experts along with expert technicians who can evaluate the damaged carpet and make recommendations. Carpet repairs can cost anywhere between $150 – $300+ depending on the company and the amount of expertise.

• Can area rugs be salvaged?

Most of the time area rugs can be salvaged from a flood. The best thing to do is call your local professional rug cleaning facility and have them evaluate the damage over the phone – most area rug cleaning companies will ask for photos of the area rug. If they believe they can clean it, they will either ask you to bring it to them wrapped in a tarp or come to pick it up and bring a tarp to wrap it in for transportation.

When the area rug comes to the rug cleaning facility it is typically sanitized immediately – which is an extra charge and in most facilities is a requirement. Following a thorough sanitization, the area rug is then put through a multi-step washing process. Be sure to ask the area rug cleaning company about their cleaning process prior to booking. It is important for the area rug to go through a safe and effective cleaning process following a flood.

Typically, a professional area rug cleaning for a “flood rug” can cost anywhere between $8 – $12 per square foot. It is priced about twice as much as a regular cleaning because it will most likely need to go through the process multiple times in order to have great results.

Do you need help with water-damaged carpet or area rugs?

Ayoub Carpet Service has a team of experts who are able to professionally clean or repair most water-damaged carpet and area rugs. Servicing Northern Virginia, DC, and parts of Maryland for over seventy years! Call or text today: 703-255-6000