How To Clean Wet Basement Carpet

Singapore, a country with its rooftops touching the sky. A country who’s nightlife is one to live with, but that’s not the only consistent thing in Singapore. Rainfall in that region has always troubled the residents and tourists. Though the rainfall doesn’t stop throughout the year, its heaviest and most prominent in January, April, May, October, November, December. Besides all the troubles that the rain brings forth, wet basement carpets give the most of the troubles.

If the basement of your home or restaurant has been flooded, its time to act fast. These conditions are most ideal for molds and mildew to grow and they will start their action within hours and if they do, the damage could stay permanent. In these cases it is most advisable to call in specialized cleaning services to help dry your basement carpet, but if you wish to do it yourself then its crucial that you follow the given steps.

‌Turn Off The Power Supply
Its only basic science that water and electricity is a deadly combination. In the case of your flooded basement it is most important that you shut down your basements power supply to avoid any accidents. If your circuit breakers are in the basement then its best to call a professional firm to help you with this.

‌Find the source of the damage
It is important that you locate the source of all the water that has accumulated in your basement. It is understandable if it was raining as even the smallest storms could do severe damage. If it wasn’t the rain then check for leaking pipes. If the water in the basement is clean, then you can proceed with cleaning. However, if there was a sewer backup or a spill out of the washing machine then you need to disinfect the area first. In the event that the flood was caused by an overflowing river, you need to bring in the professionals.

‌Save your stuff and clear the way
Before you get on with cleaning, make sure there is nothing between you and the carpet. Move the furniture and other goods down there to avoid further damage to them as well. Make sure to get all electronics out of the way, and get them clear off from the water. Once this is done, you can begin cleaning.

‌Remove all water
Your water extraction tools at this point depend severely on how much water you’re dealing with. Start with a vacuum cleaner to suck up as much water as it can. If you don’t have one, it is best if you rent one.

If the water level is beyond the capacity of the vacuum, the. it is best you rent yourself an extractor. These devices are about 1000 times more efficient in removing moisture and water than your regular vacuum. Use the extractor slowly so it can take in as much as water as possible.

Once you have taken in all the water, its time to get drying.

‌Bring out fans and Dehumidifier
Extracting the water may not have left the basement carpet soaking wet but it still will be damp. Its crucial to get it dried to avoid the growth of mold in your home.

To get drying, turn on all the fans. Your average house fans won’t have enough power for the job so its best you rent the high powered ones. These fans will keep fresh air in circulation and that’s one thing mildews and molds hate most.
Avoid turning on your furnace, mainly because the flood could have done severe damage to it too. Even if it is still safe, hearing things up only boost the growth of the molds.

Now its time to bring the dehumidifier into the game. Even in this case you need to rent one from your general home improvement store. Even the largest home dehumidifiers can only pull 4 gallons of water a day so its best you get the one which can do the job at 30 gallons a day. Also, keep a regular check on it and empty the water as it fills up.


‌Check the carpet pad
If you have a carpet pad then its probably just as soaked through as your carpet and your regular drying methods wouldn’t have affected it. If not taken care of, the mold and mildew could grow there and eventually over the carpet.
Once you’ve removed the water from the carpet, peel it off from the back and remove the carpet pad even if it comes off in bits. Be careful of the carpet tacks as they can be sharp. Take the carpet pad out to dry in the sun or under the fans and dehumidifiers. If it has been badly damaged then might as well replace it.

‌Clean up and sanitization
Once all is done, you would want to get rid of the odors that have built up throughout the process. It is best that you deal with them as soon as possible as they are likely to get worse. After your carpet has been completely dried, steam clean it to deodorize the basement.

If the flood was caused by storm water, sewer backup or a leaky pipe then its best to sanitize the basement well. Use a chlorine and bleach solution to sanitize and disinfect the room. Make sure to clean up every area the water touched including hard floors and walls

‌Play safe for the next time
If your basement has been flooded once, it can happen again too, so its best to practice caution and be prepared.
Floods from outside require extra work to keep it from coming in, or to direct it away from your exterior walls. Keep your gutters clean so they don’t overflow and in case you don’t have gutters, then get them installed before it’s too late.

If water came in through cracks then its time you seal it up. Driveway cracks need asphalt patching compound or cement. If you have a leaky or broken pipe, then replace the pipe before drywall or plaster. Though all these steps can be done at home, its best advice that you get the experts to do it for you for thorough satisfaction.