On average, your carpet will take around 6-12 hours to dry after professional steam cleaning. Humidity levels can extend that period, but you can use air conditioning to help control the moisture in the air.
But any homeowner around Lisle or Wheaton knows that there’s more to it than that. Read on for details.
How Does Humidity Affect Carpet Cleaning?
During the summer months, temperatures rise and the air becomes more humid. Nice for your vacation, but not so great for your carpet.
Steam cleaners use water — it’s how they work. That moisture then needs to evaporate from your carpet, and this only happens when the surrounding air is dryer than the carpet. When conditions are humid, the air can’t absorb much moisture — it’s fully booked already, so your carpet is going to take significantly longer to dry, and drying is crucial.
How Can You Prevent Humidity From Affecting Your Carpet Cleaning?
Run the air conditioning for around 4 hours before we arrive to steam clean your carpet — this will lower the room’s relative humidity. Keep it running as we work and for a minimum of eight hours after we leave. This works particularly well on cooler or wetter days when opening the windows isn’t an option.
That’s the best thing you can do, but it’s far from the only thing. Other tried-and-true tactics include:
- If you lack an air conditioner, open the windows to get air flowing through your home if weather permits. Open as many as possible to keep the air moving — you’ll replace humid air with dryer air.
- Don’t wait too long between professional hot water extraction cleanings. More water needs to be used when your carpets are heavily soiled. The more water that gets used, the longer it takes for carpet to dry.
- Turn on your ceiling fans if you have them. Ceiling fans can be a great way to keep the air circulating.
Follow those tips and you should find your carpet drying as quickly as possible. Just remember to wait until it’s dry as a bone before walking on it normally.
Russell Martin Carpet and Rugs Can Help With Every Part of the Cleaning Process
We’re rug and carpet cleaning experts, so we naturally know how to combat humidity problems through correct use of the air conditioning. For more advice, simply contact us today or visit us at 633 N. Washington St. in Naperville, IL.