There’s nothing more satisfying than the look of carpet that’s just been professionally cleaned to a high standard. Of course, the trouble is that you want to keep it looking that way for as long as possible, and it’s hard to get around the house without setting foot on the carpeted areas!
If you’ve ever had to wrestle your freshly shampooed dog away from puddles of mud just minutes after their bath, you’ll be familiar with the feeling! So how long does it take for carpet to dry after a professional clean, so that you can walk on it again with full peace of mind?
Let us start by putting your mind at ease – technically you can walk on them straight away, so long as you follow a few quick tips which we’ll cover in a moment. Generally speaking, carpets need about five hours’ drying time after our powerful hot water extraction cleaning process. Heavy wool carpet might take slightly longer than, say, nylon carpet. Also impacting the drying time is any additional treatments that you may want included in the clean, such as the application of a carpet protector which is sprayed on after the clean is completed and then left to dwell without further extraction.
Only use slippers or clean shoes
In much the same way that a dry cloth tends to simply push dust and debris around, whereas a wet cloth soaks it up; any dirt that’s tracked into the house and finds its way onto your damp carpet is going to be absorbed by the moist fibres much easier than when they are dry.
Avoid walking on the carpet with any footwear that you wear outside, or that might have dirt, debris and other unwanted contaminants on the soles. This is a good rule of thumb anytime really, but especially when your carpets are still drying after a professional clean! We recommend slippers as if you go barefoot or wear socks then your feet will be uncomfortably damp. However, this recommendation leads directly to the next key concern…
Place bath mats or towels near transitions to hard flooring
Safety first! What do you think happens when you walk over damp carpet, and then step onto solid flooring (especially glossy wood flooring, tiled floors and other slippery surfaces)?
That’s right, this is as much of a slipping hazard as if those surfaces were themselves wet, because for all intents and purposes, they are wet underfoot. Especially if you have elderly people in the household, it’s crucial that you create a dry transition between the damp carpets and other areas of the home to reduce the likelihood of slips, trips and falls.
People often overlook this step (no pun intended) when considering how soon they can walk on carpet after cleaning.
Choose a professional carpet cleaning service with quality equipment for efficient drying times
By choosing your cleaning service wisely, you can ensure two things:
- Your home’s carpeting will look as good as new afterwards
- It will dry as quickly as possible, so that you can get on with your day
As an example, at Ballarat Cleaning Specialists we use powerful van-mounted steam-cleaning machines that provide the deepest possible clean with super-fast drying times for your convenience.
Our friendly cleaners are highly experienced in carrying out professional carpet cleaning services to an extremely high standard. Rest assured, with Ballarat Cleaning Specialists your carpet will be spotlessly clean and dry enough to walk on in no time at all.
