5 Tips for Cleaning a Basement Carpet after Flooding

wet carpets

Floods can cause serious water damage, particularly in basements. If your basement carpet has gotten wet after flooding, you need to start proper cleaning at the soonest time possible to avoid permanent carpeting damage.

Follow these tips to clean your basement carpet after a flood.

1. Turn off Electricity

This is something you should never mess with as it can put your life at stake. Switching off your main switch is just good enough if your basement is correctly wired. Instead, it is best that you call in the help of a professional electrician for your basement to be electrically safe.

2. Switch Off Water Supply

If your basement develops a leak all of a sudden, it is possible that there is also a leak in an appliance you got down there. Turn the water off at its entry point. Avoid going down, though, since it might still be unsafe to do so.

3. Check the Area

Once you have turned off your electrical and water supply, this is the only time for you to finally inspect your basement and with any luck, you might find the main source of your problem. Make sure you check the walls and ceiling for noticeable signs of running water. Inspect all plumbed-in appliances carefully. Examine your carpet for any water intrusion from below. The wettest and darkest spot is most possibly where the problem lies.

4. Save Your Carpet

If your carpet is completely ruined or if you got it for a cheap price, it is best not to waste your time trying to salvage it. Apply for an insurance claim then get a new carpet fitted. Carpets that are not dried and cleaned properly are the perfect candidates for mold. But, if your carpet is worth saving and you have high insurance excess, there are a couple of alternative solutions.

If your carpet can still be recovered but it has become extremely water-sodden or if you have to lift it to solve an underground leak, you can clear your basement then use a commercial wet-vac for mopping up any excess water. Remove your carpet and put it in a place where the sun can dry it out. You can also contact professional carpet cleaners for help.

After this, look for a carpet fitter who can relay it for you. However, avoid wasting time trying to save its underlay. This is cheap and it will tear and stretch while you lift it.

For localized water spill that doesn’t well up from below, you just have to mop it using a commercial wet-vac and turn on some large fans and a powerful dehumidifier. Never rush things. Shampoo it until it is clean once it is finally dry.

5. Move Fast

Ignoring your damp basement carpet is the perfect recipe for mold to grow and spread in this part of your home. Soon, this mold can migrate upstairs and end up affecting you and your family’s bronchial health. In case you don’t think that you can follow the recommended steps above, your next best option is to call in the help of experts who can solve the issue immediately. 

Basement flooding could be an indication of structural problems with your foundation. In that instance, assistance from a basement foundation repair contractor in Akron is necessary.

How to get rid of basement mold

mold in basement

Basements are often used as storage spaces. But more and more homeowners are now turning their basements into secondary living spaces that add square footage and value to their property. However, no matter how you are using your basement, mold prevention and cleanup is one thing you should never take for granted.

Mold accumulation in the basement can cause mild to moderate illness, particularly in young children, the elderly, and people who have compromised immune systems and breathing difficulties. When left untreated, mold gives off an earthy and unpleasant odor that will discourage you from stepping inside your basement ever again.

Tips for Basement Mold Removal

If you want to get rid of mold in your basement, first, don’t forget to wear a mask. There is always the possibility that you will inhale mold spores as you remove black or white mold. Another simple tip is to dampen the mold before you start to remove it. It reduces the chance that it will spread in the air and into other parts of your home. If you have carpet padding or wall paper on your basement walls, it is best to remove it completely.

Here are some useful tips to get rid of that pesky mold in your basement:

Bleach

Mix four parts of water with one part bleach. Use the mixture for scrubbing areas affected by mold. Allow the mixture to stay on the wall for a minimum of 15 minutes before you begin working. It’ll ensure that walls are properly disinfected. See to it that you clean the whole area well. If you use bleach mixture, make sure you are using rubber hand gloves. You should also take care that your skin doesn’t come in contact with the bleach.

Seal Cracks

Once you notice that mold reappears after the process of removal, you may seal the cracks on walls. For this purpose, there are some available waterproofing compounds. These are available in every hardware store. Usually, such compounds come with all instructions to use them. Therefore, you will not have a problem using this. You may waterproof walls so you don’t suffer from damp walls again.

Use Dehumidifier

If you always deal with mold in your basement, it’s a good idea to buy a dehumidifier. It’ll ensure that excess moisture will be taken care of and there will be no formation of mold.

Pay Importance to ventilation

Typically, basements have mold because they’re not ventilated well. It is essential that you ventilate the place properly. Even after you successfully removed mold, never forget the area’s ventilation. It will also help in getting rid of the musty smell. If there are carpets or furniture, clean it outside. Also pay attention to cracks in your foundation that are allowing in moisture.

If you have tried those tips above and you still get no results from DIY mold removal in your basement, it might the best time to seek for professional assistance. There could be a bigger problem that requires assistance from a basement repair contractor in Cleveland, OH.

There are also some products available for getting rid of mold. You may try such products before you ask for help from the experts.

Why Should You Clean Carpets When Moving into a New Home

carpet

Looking to move to a new place? Before calling your local residential movers, consider also contacting professional carpet cleaners near you.

Sure, you have many things to take care of, from organizing things to ensuring that everything is working properly. However, of all the things that you have brought with you from your old home, there is one thing that you need to clean first – carpets.

Why Do You Need to Clean Carpets?

Your new home is surely your sweet, simple and warm place where your world revolves every moment. You certainly have an emotional connect with your home and every little thing about it. From furniture to flooring and from curtains to carpets, all of them are the apple of your eye. Certainly, loving your home and keeping it clean is a part of your lifestyle now. Amidst the busy schedules, you still manage to keep your house as beautiful and presentable as possible.

A well managed house is always a statement to your personality and how much you adore the place you live in. Well, it is really obvious that keeping the carpets clean is a big challenge. You must have been confused regarding how to manage those wet carpets or some stains that spoil it’s beauty. Instead of looking for options, it is best to take up professional carpet cleaning.

You will definitely not be worried again for your carpets after you realize these benefits

Help You Know How to Take Care of Your Carpets

Indeed, professional carpet cleaning teams will be an encyclopedia of the types of carpets. Also, they will be very particular which process and products are suitable for your carpet. You will definitely feel like having a doctor for your carpets that will suggest you the best at all times.

Clean all Impurities

Isn’t it too exhausting and yet not convincing to clean your carpets on your own ? You might use a vacuum cleaner but it won’t clean the deep embedded dust particles in your carpet. Professional carpet cleaning is advisable once every six months to ensure the hygiene of your home. The equipment used by professionals are strong enough to absorb every bit of dust. You will feel like having a cleaner, newer carpet after every cleaning session.

Extend the Lifespan

You will want to use your carpets for a long time with the same sustainability ? That’s what professional cleaning does to your carpets. They not only clean them but also aim to restore and increase the life of your carpet. It’s like giving your carpet another happy year after every session.

Professional carpet cleaning will solve all your worries about your carpets. They will help you in making your house look prettier with their techniques. Believe me they do care about your carpets as much as you do.

This post is brought to you by our trusted partner: Moving Company Aurora, CO.

Our 6-step cleaning process

family on carpet

Step 1 – Walkthrough: First, Sacramento Carpet Cleaning will walk through the areas to be cleaned, identify any problem areas such as heavy soiling, pet odors, stains, or damaged carpet in need of repair. If necessary, we’ll consult with you about what can be done to address every and all issues. Love’s is a local Sacramento carpet cleaner with over 20 years of on the job real life experience. That experience will help examine and determine problem areas and the solutions needed.

Step 2 – Move Furniture: We will move the light moveable furniture before beginning the cleaning process. Please note, that  our company always  follows industry safety standards when furniture moving is provided. All furniture is moved with the exception of heavy, breakable items including china cabinets, pianos, bookcases full of books, beds, large dining tables, dressers or any electronic equipment including TV’s, VCR’s, stereos or computers.

Step 3 – Vacuum: Using our company commercial grade vacuums we will deep vacuum and pile lift exposed carpets, to remove the loose soiling that may have occurred between cleanings.

Step 4 – Prep: Using our “Green Certified” PreSpotter, we pretreat all surface spots and stains before we begin cleaning to ensure the best chance of removing tougher stains and high traffic soiling. If the technician finds anything that requires a more extensive method of removal, they will let you know and discuss with you the process needed. A good example would be if there were a large ink stain, wine stain, or pet stain that might require more extensive corrective processes.

Step 5 – Cleaning: Micro Sponges are rotated through the carpet with special equipment using soft counter rotating brushes. The Strong Dry Compound Cleaner dissolves, absorbs and traps soil, spots, stains and odors as it cleans. The Sponges are then extracted with our special Dry Extraction carpet cleaning equipment.

Step 6 – Final Grooming: At our company, we use a professional carpet grooming machine for raising the carpet pile and bringing back the fresh fluff, just like new look. Carpet grooming will extend the life of your carpet. It is a “must” process for proper carpet maintenance.

Hidden health risks of carpet mold

oriental rug

Why is mold bad?

Molds are a major source of allergens. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, dripping nose, swollen red eyes, and skin rash. Allergic reactions to mold are common.  They can be immediate or delayed.  Molds can also be the culprit that triggers asthma attacks in people.  In addition, mold may irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.

Carpet at Risk

Carpeting is a part of the home that can be at high risk for mold growth.  In order to flourish, mold needs dampness, oxygen, a food source, and a place to grow on.  Mold spores are often found naturally in the air.  If spores rest on a moist spot indoors that contains dirt for them to feed on, mold growth is sure to come. Normal carpeting, as well as throw rugs, can provide an abundant  breeding ground for mold if conditions are right.  At especially high risk for mold growth are carpets located below ground level in basements, carpet in homes located in moist or damp climates, and carpet that has been wet for any period of time.

Identifying Mold in Carpeting

Just because you can’t see mold on a carpet’s surface does not mean that mold growth is not there.  Matter of fact, mold will most likely only be visible on the surface of carpets in extremely severe cases of infestation, such as carpet damaged by water saturation that has remained wet for some time. Some examples of where mold growth has occurred or is likely to occur:

Visible Mold: As mentioned above, this can be the extreme occurrence. Carpet in this condition is not salvageable to the health conscious and should be removed. Often, even if mold growth is not visible, it could be alive and thriving underneath the backing of the carpet where its difficult to be seen.  Carpet suspected of containing mold should be inspected on both sides.

Carpet Mildew: Any color changes or smells on carpeting indicating mildew is probably a case of mold.

Wet or Water-Damaged Carpet:  Any carpet that has had water damage from flooding or standing water will most likely need to be disposed of.  Conditions are perfect for mold colonies, in this case.  Even if you can’t see or smell any evidence of mold, it is most likely occuring unless the carpet has been removed, cleaned and dried within 24 to 48 hours.  Even then, it is not guaranteed to prevent mold growth.  It is more likely that the carpet will need to be replaced.

Wet Padding Beneath Carpet:  If padding beneath the carpet has become wet or damp, the padding as well as the carpet on top are at risk for mold damage.  The padding should be replaced, as well as the carpet, in some cases.

Basement Carpet: Carpeting in basements in areas with high humidity or big swings in temperature, which cause conditions for condensation are at higher risk of mold

Smells and Stains: There is a vast spectrum of causes that may generate odors and stains on carpets. If you suspect mold, samples may be taken and analyzed to determine if it is due to mold growth.

5 reasons to get your carpet cleaned by a professional

carpet cleaning

Although most homeowners prefer cleaning carpet cleaning by themselves but professional carpet cleaning is inevitable. Most professionals are experienced to clean your carpet because they have necessary equipment and skills needed. You need to hire a professional carpet cleaner for the following reasons:

1. Experience

Professional carpet cleaners have a lot of experience where they get a lot of information on what they are supposed to do. When you hire a professional carpet cleaner, you will be guaranteed to get quality services because they have been cleaning carpet for a long period of time. Unlike DIY, professional cleaners know what to do each and every time to avoid problems and uncertainties DIY have.

2. Save time

Hiring professional carpet cleaners create a lot of time which you can use to do other tasks. Alternatively, you can use the time to become better by looking at what the experts are teaching you. Most people are doing it themselves but it requires professional skills to do it and do it well. When you hire experts, they take less amount of time to clean your carpet and you will end up with a lot of time to visit friends, attend more house chores and perform other household chores.

3. Increase the life span of your carpet

A professional cleaner knows the right equipment and cleaning products to use. This increases the life span of your carpet flooring because it will be cleaned using the right cleaning products. Additionally, the right cleaning method determines the lifespan of your carpet. For your carpet to last long, you need to use the right cleaning method to avoid any damages and unnecessary cleaning procedures. Most homeowners do it themselves avoiding the hassle of requesting a professional, spending a lot of time waiting and a lot of time on the money they need to spend to clean the carpet. With the right equipment and skills, experts will clean your carpet than everything you will have in your home.

4. Guarantee

Most homeowners are looking for a guarantee that their carpet is cleaned properly. With a professional carpet cleaner, you will have a guarantee that your carpet is well cleaned and in case of any problems, you can have a refund of your money. This is not applicable when you do it yourself! If you have to hire a professional, you need to get a guarantee because they offer quality carpet cleaning services.

5. Saves you money

Most people who do it themselves end up doing it wrong and only a professional cleaner can do it right. If you need to clean your carpet, you have to hire a professional cleaner because he/she is experienced and skilled to perform the task. When you do it yourself, you can use wrong cleaning methods and equipment resulting to replacement of the carpet flooring. If you need to have your carpet flooring for a long period of time, hiring a professional cleaner is the best option.

When hiring a professional cleaner, you need to consider their level of experience, the equipment you’ve and the type of carpet flooring you are cleaning. Most homeowners prefer professional carpet cleaners but doing it yourself can save you a lot of time and money.

DIY: remove pet stains from carpets

cat on carpet

Urine and vomit are some of the stains most homeowners fear. If you encounter any of these stains, you need to know how you can deal with it. Some of these stains are caused by animals while others are made by man and all you have to do is to prevent them from occurring.

Urine

If you have a pet, you need to know that it will need regular carpet cleaning because pet stains lasts long on the carpet. If possible, you need to clean the pet urine as soon as possible to avoid staining because when it dries off it is hard to remove. If you cannot be able to remove the urine stain, hiring a professional carpet cleaning company is the nest option.

Vomit

The vomit of a pet can stain a carpet flooring so fast, therefore, you need a dustpan or a scraper to remove the vomit as soon as possible. Depending on the type of pet you have, you need to act fast because different animals feed on different foods. If you have a dog or a cat, you need to have the right cleaning equipment and solution because they have different meals. Most people fail to remove pet stains because they only expect urine, feces or vomit stains from animals.

If you have to clean your carpet, you need to have the right equipment, cleaning solutions and use the right cleaning procedure. If you don’t have the right equipment and skills, hiring a professional carpet cleaner is the best option. You will benefit from the skills, experienced and professional equipment used when cleaning your carpet.

When hiring a professional carpet cleaner, you need to consider their level of experience, level of experience, skills and equipment used when cleaning your carpet.

The type of carpet flooring you’ve is also a factor you need to consider because it determines the method of carpet cleaning and how long you need to clean your carpet.