Post-Cleaning Drying Tips

Help Your Freshly Cleaned Carpet, Flooring, Rugs, & Furniture Dry Faster

  • In the summer, set your air conditioning to 72 degrees.  In the winter, set your heat to 72 degrees.  If the outside temperature is 60-70 degrees, opening your windows for ventilation could be an option.
  • Turn your thermostat fan control setting to “on”
  • Turn on all ceiling fans (make sure air is blowing down) and portable floor fans.
  • Turn on a dehumidifier.
  • Turn off furnace humidifiers.
  • Do not remove the plastic tabs or blocks placed under legs of furniture for at least 24 hours or until your freshly cleaned carpet is completely dry.  This will prevent rust or permanent furniture stain.
  • Do not replace furniture, area rugs or chair mats in cleaned areas for at least 24 hours or until dry.

Carpet Drying Tips

  • Carpet should be dry within 1 – 24 hours.  Drying time can vary based on the type of carpet fiber, the soil level, humidity, and airflow.  We take extra vacuum passes with our cleaning tool to extract as much cleaning solution, and dirt as possible and so your carpet is not wet for days.  Following the tips above can help speed up the drying process.
  • Keep children and pets off of freshly cleaned, damp carpet until 100% dry.
  • Avoid walking on freshly cleaned, damp carpet.  If that is not possible, wear clean, white socks, inside shoes, or ask us for a free pair of shoe covers.
  • If you must walk across your freshly cleaned, damp carpet after coming inside, wipe your shoes with a wet cloth each time before walking on the carpet.  Dirt will stick to damp carpet very easily.
  • Be extra careful walking from damp carpet onto a hard surface – it may be very slippery!
  • Do not put towels on top of your freshly cleaned, damp carpet because this will slow the drying process.

More Helpful Post-Cleaning Tips

  • Loose Carpet:  If carpet is loose, after cleaning it may ripple, wave, bloat or expand from high moisture (like a sponge when it gets wet).  This will disappear when it is completely dry and it may take several days for the ripples to disappear.  To prevent this, consider having your carpet re-stretched by your favorite carpet installer from your favorite flooring store.
  • Permanent Stains or Reappearing Spots:  If we came across any stains that could not be removed using our professional stain removal solutions, we will let you know during your appointment.  If a spot reappears after drying, please notify us within 30 days of your cleaning appointment.  We will return and re-clean or re-treat the necessary areas.  Contact us here.
  • Pet Urine Odor:  If pet urine odor is not treated using our deodorizing process, it may become more noticeable after your cleaning because of the higher moisture content.  The odor should return to the same pre-cleaning condition after everything has completely dried.  We cannot be held responsible for these odors unless we are able to identify, treat and neutralize them, which is a process that goes beyond our normal cleaning services.  Learn more about our Pet Stain & Odor Removal process here.
  • Areas Treated For Pet Urine Odor:  Pet urine deodorizing requires affected areas to be saturated and extracted, so these areas will take longer to dry than areas that we have cleaned with our normal service.  Drying time could possibly take a few days.  Follow the drying tips above to help speed up the drying process.
  • Pet Urine Stains:  For pet stains that cannot be removed with our normal cleaning, we will apply a professional removal solution and cover with plastic.  Please do not speed dry, walk on these areas, or remove the plastic wrap for 24 hours.
  • Upholstery:  Prop up loose cushions and pillows to help them dry quickly.  Use fans to speed up the drying process.  Allow up to 24 hours for the upholstery to dry before replacing loose cushions or resuming normal use.
  • Vehicle Interiors:  If the outside temperature is above 60 degrees, leave the windows down to dry the interior after cleaning. If the outside temperature is below 60 degrees, park your vehicle inside a garage with windows down or run the heat on high inside the vehicle until it is dry.
  • Mattresses:  Allow up to 24 hours for a mattress to completely dry.  If both sides have been freshly cleaned, prop up the mattress on an end so air can get to both sides.  When it has completely dried, sheets, blankets and pillows can be replaced and normal use can resume.

Expert Care Tips & DIY Spot Removal Guide

Since 2000, we have compiled an extensive list of care and maintenance tips that will help extend the life of your carpet, hard surface flooring, rugs, and furniture.  Find our valuable, expert guide here.

We also want to give you our DIY Spot Removal Guide for the inevitable accidents that happen in everyone’s home.  Find our valuable DIY Spot Removal Guide here.

Thank You For Choosing Distinctive Cleaning & Restoration!

– Alan, Audrey, & Wrigley Falls

Share This
Scroll to Top