A carpet that was wet from clean water for less than 48 hours can usually be restored, but a carpet soaked with sewage or river water usually has to be thrown away. Send a photo and describe what happened: a specialist tells you whether cleaning makes sense.
What kind of water was in the carpet
| Water | Example | Carpet | Underlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean | A burst water pipe | Can be restored if wet for less than 48 hours | Can be restored if wet for less than 48 hours |
| Grey | A washing machine leak | Depends on the condition | Must be thrown away |
| Black | Sewage; flooding from the sea, a river or a stream | If soaked, must be thrown away | Must be thrown away |
The extension service of North Carolina State University (NC State Extension) divides flood water into three types. Untreated grey water can become black after 48 hours. An underlay that has soaked up grey or black water must be thrown away, with no exceptions.
Source: NC State Extension, Water-damaged carpets and rugs (2014, revised 27.03.2024). Checked 10.11.2026.
The first 24–48 hours and mould on a carpet
NC State Extension writes that a carpet must be dried within 24 hours to prevent mould. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writes that wet materials dried within 24–48 hours mostly do not grow mould. This is the threshold of mould risk, not a cleaning time.
The EPA also writes that fans and a dehumidifier speed up drying. Evaporation is slower in damp air. How long a carpet takes to dry depends on the fibre, the thickness of the pile, the backing, the room temperature, the air humidity and the ventilation. More: how long a carpet takes to dry.
If mould is already visible on the carpet, the EPA warns that in porous materials it cannot always be cleaned completely and they may have to be thrown away. The Health Inspectorate (Veselības inspekcija) advises putting mouldy textiles in a sealed bag, and leaving mould larger than about 9 m² or in building structures to professionals.
Sources: NC State Extension (10.11.2026); US EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home and Mold Course, chapter 4; Health Inspectorate. Checked 07.11.2026 and 10.11.2026.
What to do when the water is gone
- Photograph Before you move anything, photograph the damage, the carpet and the water level on the walls.
- Find out about the water Write down where the water came from: a water pipe, a washing machine, sewage, rain or a river.
- Lift the carpet Lift a carpet that lies on the floor off the wet floor so that it does not stand in water.
- Ventilate Open the windows if the air outside is drier, and switch on a fan or a dehumidifier if you have one.
- Do not heat Do not put a wool rug on a radiator and do not use hot water: conservators write that heat strips wool of its natural oils and weakens the threads.
What a flood means for different fibres
- Wool: conservators write that high humidity damages the fibres and the dyes can bleed.
- Viscose (also “bamboo silk”): wet viscose becomes much weaker and can change shape, and the pile can turn brown and flatten.
- Jute and sisal: they can turn brown from water; makers advise cleaning them dry.
- Tufted rug: heavy wetting can weaken the latex glue, and the backing can crumble.
- Fitted carpet: makers warn that excess moisture can cause wrinkles and, in extreme cases, delamination of the backing.
We clean wool, viscose and hand-made rugs with pick-up in a workshop. We clean a fitted carpet on site, if it is still worth restoring. More about fibres: professional rug cleaning.
The room and the carpet are different jobs
Carpet cleaning does not clean the walls, the floor structures or the cellar. If rooms have flooded and the whole room needs disinfecting, see room disinfection after a flood. When the room has been put in order and is dry, the carpet can be dealt with separately.
What carpet cleaning after a flood costs
- Fitted carpet (soft floor covering) up to 100 m²: from €4/m².
- Fitted carpet over 100 m² (offices, hotels): from €2.50/m² for the whole area.
- Synthetic short-pile rug, cleaning at home: from €6/m².
- Wool or cotton rug (with pick-up): from €10/m².
- Jute, sisal and coir rugs: the price is given from a photo (size in m², fibre and backing, stains and water marks, pick-up or work on site).
- Urine or odour treatment, extra: from €3/m².
The minimum order is €45: if the total is lower, you pay €45. Travel is included in Riga and up to about 15 km outside the Riga boundary; further out it is from €10. Pick-up and return in Riga costs €10 (both ways together); in the Riga region up to about 15 km from the Riga boundary it is also €10, and further out another €10 is added. All prices: prices.
What usually comes out and what may stay
Usually comes out
- a carpet that was wet from clean water for a short time;
- mud and sand marks in a synthetic rug;
- a surface smell, if the carpet dried in time.
May stay
- brown patches on jute, sisal and viscose;
- dye that has bled on a wool or hand-made rug;
- mould in a porous backing;
- a carpet and underlay from sewage or river water: these usually have to be thrown away.
Sources
- Three types of water. Black water: the carpet must be thrown away. An underlay with grey or black water must be thrown away. A carpet wet with clean water for less than 48 h can be restored. Grey becomes black after 48 h. Dry within 24 h against mould. checked 10 November 2026
- Porous materials with mould may have to be thrown away; dried within 24–48 h they mostly do not grow mould checked 7 November 2026
- Fans and a dehumidifier speed up drying checked 7 November 2026
- Evaporation is slower in damp air checked 7 November 2026
- Mould over 9 m² or in structures is for professionals; mouldy textiles in a sealed bag checked 7 November 2026
- High humidity damages wool fibres, the dyes can bleed checked 10 November 2026
- Viscose pile in damp can turn brown and flatten checked 10 November 2026
- Jute and sisal turn brown from water, clean dry checked 10 November 2026
- Latex backing checked 10 November 2026
- Excess moisture in a fitted carpet: wrinkles, delamination checked 10 November 2026
