How do you dry a carpet after pipe breaks?

[Deleted]

My best friend had one of her water pipes break and even if it lasted little, it went in the entire house. She stopped water and called a plumber but... she has a huge carpet in the entire room under every piece of furniture and stuff which she can't remove and it's soaked with water now.

I understood that if a carpet is not dried, it encourages mold to form so I ask for advice, how can she dry the carpet?

She has a hair dryer but it won't reach the room.

[Cyberowl]

Then find a way to remove it.

Either you do it now and fast and dry it in the sun, which probably should be enough if it was fresh water, or you do it anyway when the mold starts and your whole apartment smells like shit.

[Aggrophobic]

The best idea is to actually remove the carpet no matter how much work it takes. She's going to regret it if she doesn't.

[Deleted]

Then find a way to remove it.

Either you do it now and fast and dry it in the sun, which probably should be enough if it was fresh water, or you do it anyway when the mold starts and your whole apartment smells like shit.

Yeah, except that it's those 1-room giant type carpet on which the bed, a giant bookcase, a desk and a wardrobe sit, she lives in a 1-room condo and has no place to dry it even if she could remove it from under all those things. So still looking for alternative sollutions

[Deleted]

Use the vacuum cleaner to suck up some of the water, then get a distributor or an extension cable for that hair dryer and dry it. Don't forget to open a window so the moist air can get out.

Or squeeze it. A lot.

[Nynax]

Yeah, except that it's those 1-room giant type carpet on which the bed, a giant bookcase, a desk and a wardrobe sit, she lives in a 1-room appartment and has no place to dry it even if she could remove it from under all those things. So still looking for alternative sollutions

If it really is an apartment...she should be able to notify the landlord what happened, and it's his responsibility to replace the carpet.

at least that's how it's worked everywhere I've lived, only reason for a tenet to do repairs personally is only because its usually faster.

[Kivana]

In your situation you have two options, remove the carpet now OR remove it later when you suffer damp/mould totally up to you.

If the furniture in the room is really large and/or heavy you can always cut the carpet around their bases and remove 99% of it, not ideal, messy and fucks up the carpet but as a last resort you may have no choice.

[Xandrigity]

Wet shop vac with a carpet nozzle. Then air out the room by opening a window or large fans.

[Daerio]

If it really is an apartment...she should be able to notify the landlord what happened, and it's his responsibility to replace the carpet.

at least that's how it's worked everywhere I've lived, only reason for a tenet to do repairs personally is only because its usually faster.

This is correct, she has to notify the landlord either way and unless she did something incredibly stupid to cause it the landlord has to pay for everything.

It's his/her carpet and floor anyway, and chances are if they're not retarded they'd rather fix the problem early.

[Celista]

If it really is an apartment...she should be able to notify the landlord what happened, and it's his responsibility to replace the carpet.

at least that's how it's worked everywhere I've lived, only reason for a tenet to do repairs personally is only because its usually faster.

Yes. Do this. Ideally in writing she has evidence of properly notifying the landlord so she can get her deposit back upon move-out.

She should not do anything to the carpet on her own, tell the landlord that you are concerned about mold/floorboard damage because you can't adequately dry the carpet and ask what he or she thinks you should do.

Although I'm confused as to why a hair dryer isn't long enough for a one bedroom apartment...get an extension cord?

[Ebalina]

You don't you flat our remove the carpet fix the problem make sure it is not leaking and put over a new one.

[Deleted]

Thanks all for advice. It's her apartment, basically here you can buy apartments from a block of apartments, but the apartment belongs to you and the stairway between apartments belongs to everyone who has one so everyone has to pay for block maintenance for stairway, elevator etc, but the apartment belongs to the person alone so... the carpet and any damages apartment can't be payed/dealt with by someone else.

[Ripster42]

Thanks all for advice. It's her apartment, basically here you can buy apartments from a block of apartments, but the apartment belongs to you and the stairway between apartments belongs to everyone who has one so everyone has to pay for block maintenance for stairway, elevator etc, but the apartment belongs to the person alone so... the carpet and any damages apartment can't be payed/dealt with by someone else.

That's usually called a condo not an apartment.

OT: don't carpet cleaners usually do a good job of getting rid of most of the moisture?

[Celista]

In the US we refer to those as condominiums.

Okay well an extension cord for a hair dryer would cost maybe $5-15 US, will solve your issue if you adequately dry the carpet (which may take a long time).

[Deleted]

That's usually called a condo not an apartment.

OT: don't carpet cleaners usually do a good job of getting rid of most of the moisture?

In the US we refer to those as condominiums.

Okay well an extension cord for a hair dryer would cost maybe $5-15 US, will solve your issue if you adequately dry the carpet (which may take a long time).

Ah, didn't know that, we call both apartments. Anyway, I'll see about carpet cleaners or the extension cord.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Powell]

Wether it is to clean the carpet or remove the carpet, you will have to move the furniture regardless.

Removing the carpet will require less effort than cleaning it.
Personally, I would also just get rid of the carpet to remove any chance of mold. You do not want mold... really.

[Ripster42]

Carpet cleaner is the much better option. Actually remove the water then clean the carpet with it to help prevent mildew and mold.

I was talking about professional carpet cleaners, you know, the guys that come around and shampoo your carpet.

[Deleted]

Basically I see two options. Either remove it entirely (safest bet if you are afraid of mold), or get some huge heaters indoors and keep them running non-stop for a few days, or a week, or more, as long as needed -- until the whole carpet and the house are definitely dry. That's how renovation workers dried up our bathroom when they accidentally broke a pipe while remaking the floor.

Most likely you will need to use heaters anyway even if you remove the carpet in order to properly dry up the house. It's likely that the water has seeped inside the walls and floors as well from the corners.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah, except that it's those 1-room giant type carpet on which the bed, a giant bookcase, a desk and a wardrobe sit, she lives in a 1-room appartment and has no place to dry it even if she could remove it from under all those things. So still looking for alternative sollutions

Whatever you do, do it quick. The longer the soaked carpet remains in place, the more trouble you will have and the more likely you will get mold. Get some help to move the furniture if needed. Surely there's some place in the house where the carpet could be brought to dry?

Or get rid of the giant carpet entirely and start using smaller ones that are easier to handle individually. That's what I would do anyway.

[Vellus]

Use a rug doctor. You can rent one at a Home Depot or a grocery store for a day/few hours for relatively cheap. They're intended to clean and sanitize carpets, but also are built to vacuum up a water solution out of carpets and get really deep down. Run this over the carpet a bunch times, emptying the collected water chamber in the sink and let the carpet dry for about 4-6 hours.

[Afrospinach]

Grab a dehumidifier if you are dead set on keeping the carpet down. Sooner rather than later.