If you have just cleaned your rug, you are likely playing the waiting game waiting for everything to dry. On average, it will take a rug between two to three hours to dry. But that time frame can shift if you did not use a professional rug cleaning service or hand a stain that required more extensive cleaning.
1. Natural Airflow
You can do a lot for the speed of your carpet drying by just opening a few windows and doors. If there is a door that opens to the outside of your home, open it. The more you get out of the way of natural airflow in your home, the better. A cross breeze that takes the old air all the way out, and cycles in fresh air is ideal.
Just make sure to be aware of what is happening outside. For example, don’t open a door up to someone running a leaf blower. There is no reason to get your carpet dirty right after having it cleaned. You will need further rug cleaning later on, but at least let it dry before opening it up to an excess of dust and debris.
2. Fan It Out
Whether you are assisting the natural airflow or want to create an artificial breeze, a fan is a great tool to help your carpet dry faster. A fan is also great if the air outside is moist. Humid days can extend drying times, so if it is a bit muggy outside, natural airflow should be avoided.
A ceiling fan is ideal, but the rug needs to be moved as directly underneath it as possible. Any fans that are ground level will also work, but be aware of where the air is being directed. If you have not used a reputable Koreatown carpet cleaning service, chemical fumes could be a concern.
3. Towel It Off
If you are really in a rush to speed up your carpet drying, grab a few towels. Place the towels on the damp parts of the rug. Walk on the towels to press them down and pull out the excess moisture. The only reason to hold off on the towels is if the area of the carpet you are drying has been spot treated with harsher chemicals.
If you have hired an experienced carpet cleaning technician, they will be able to advise you on whether this is a good idea. Some spot treatments need to be left to air dry, as pressing down on them could spread the chemicals (which could also affect the towel’s fabric).
4. Hang Out To Dry
After carpet cleaning, you will not have the option to pull the carpet up and move it outside, but a rug is a movable floor covering. This allows you to take it outside. There is no better natural airflow than the unobstructed outdoors.
Just be aware of the weather, and be cautious of placing the rug out in direct sunlight. Some fabrics are hardy enough to be used outdoors, but sunlight has the ability to bleach certain dyes rather quickly. And weather to avoid includes any conditions with moisture (rain, humidity, snow), which will not help with drying.