Sure, cold air dries carpets. Just not very fast. Given the same humidity levels, warm air has the capacity to take up more water and speed evaporation of water in the carpet than cold air.
Unfortunately your carpets can't go in a dryer, but there are some easy steps you can take to help the drying process: Turn up the Heat (or turn down the cool!) – if you have air conditioning and like to keep your house at a chilly temperature, this may increase drying times.
Warmer is better for drying! I consistently have well-meaning people proudly tell me that in order to dry their carpets faster, they are going to turn their air conditioning on.
Running a dehumidifier is the most efficient way to speed the carpet drying process. Ventilation fans and dehumidifiers can keep the air surrounding your carpet dry by redirecting humid air. Many homes are equipped with ventilation fans in the bathroom, over the stove, and in other moisture-producing areas.
If the weather is too cold outside, use your ceiling fans or box fans to improve the airflow in the room. The fans will create a small breeze to dry up the moisture and help prevent bacteria growth in the carpet. Also, try to avoid going in the room while the fans dry the carpet.
Most carpets typically need 6-10 hours to dry completely. However, it could take up to 24 hours to dry depending on the time of year your carpets are cleaned, and the air circulation, humidity and temperature in your home.
To help the process along (and maybe even speed it up), you can: Set the temperature in your home for between 73° & 75° Fahrenheit. I know this is hot, but it's optimum. If it's too hot or too cold in your house, you're going to trap moisture in the carpet.
Turn on The Fans
If you've got a ceiling fan situated over the carpet, switch that on instead of opening the windows. It will make for a cooler, more concentrated funnel of air that can dry your carpet out quicker. The constantly circulating air will also leave a fresher, cleaner smell to the carpet.
Baking soda works wonders when it comes to lifting and removing trapped moisture. Simply sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda over your wet carpet and allow it to sit for at least half an hour. Then, vacuum it up and enjoy fresh dry carpets.
It's really straightforward – all you need to do is sprinkle a generous among of baking soda over your wet carpet and let it sit. The baking soda not only absorbs moisture, but it'll also absorb any nasty odours.
Ultimately, opening the windows will indeed help reduce the drying time. That's because you'll have fresh air moving through the room. Just make sure that you open one or two windows at the opposite ends of the room to get a breeze going and improve the airflow.
In warm weather turn on your air conditioning. This will lower the humidity in the room. In cold weather turn on your heating. Warm dry air certainly helps dry the carpet faster.
The majority of carpets should be dry if left for 24 hours if the temperature and air is right. If the carpet is wet for more than two days, it may develop mould, mildew, and bacteria, so it's best to do everything you can to speed up the drying process.
Baking soda is effective in drying wet carpet because it removes moisture. Sprinkling it over the carpet and allowing it to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes will deodorize and dry up your carpet. Vacuum the carpet afterward to freshen it up.
mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem.
A soaked carpet can trigger allergic reactions in some people with weakened immune systems like flu-like symptoms and respiratory problems. If you've recently experienced carpet water damage, it's important to take action immediately and get the water damage restored to avoid putting your health at risk.
This method takes the longest time, between 24 and 72 hours. Drying Fans: Industrial floor fans are a smart choice to reduce drying time in a major way. Just two specially designed floor fans can dry one large carpet per room in as little as 20 minutes.
If your carpet stays wet for more than one or two days, then the carpet will begin to smell. The carpet will develop mold if it stays wet for longer than 72 hours. The carpet will have to be treated with a microbial agent. Wicking is another problem that can occur if the carpet does not dry quickly enough.
If your carpet and padding stay wet for a long period of time, mold can begin to grow quickly. Mold loves dark, humid environments – and wet carpet provides the perfect environment for it to multiply. Mold can be a major health risk. Signs of mold irritation are similar to that of allergies or asthma.
On top of all that, a wet carpet is a tell-tale sign of an incomplete clean. If a machine fails to remove most of the moisture from your carpet, it usually means a lot of dirt and bacteria has been left behind too.
Effective drying can be accomplished in various ways: “Natural” Drying: If the outside air is warm and dry, open the windows. Moisture equalizes quite readily. Adding Heat: If the outside air is cold (below 50°F), ventilating and heating the air quickly dries the carpet.
Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners, especially in hot, humid climates, to reduce moisture in the air, but be sure that the appliances themselves don't become sources of biological pollutants. Raise the temperature of cold surfaces where moisture condenses. Use insulation or storm windows.
Regular fans don't dehumidify moving air at home. A fan can only blow fresh, cooler air into a room from outside and circulate the air inside the room. To dehumidify a space, you will need a dehumidifier, a device that effectively removes moisture in the air and blows dry air back into the room.