My carpet had high traffic so I bought a large bottle of carpet spray from the grocery store. I sprayed and worked the solution in with a sponge, I cleaned a 5X7 area = 35sq ftSome parts of the carpet are still kind of damp when walking on them, it has been 20 hours.I have my windows open and I live in Colorado, very dry...humidity meter in my house says 26 right now. Even with my windows open for the past 20 hours the carpet still isn't completely dry.I am concerned about mold because I lived in a house once where we had mold problems and I don;t want them again! I read Mold can grow very fast...Since I used carpet cleaner and didn't just pour water on my carpets will the carpet cleaner cause mold the same way water will?Thanks!
All carpets are magnets for dust, dirt, mold and mildew, especially the carpet backing and pad. Humidity (moisture) is not the only culprit for carpet mold. Temperature and cleanliness are equally important, too. Maintaining low temperatures where carpets reside is key. Four years ago, I removed all carpeting in my home, and replaced with tile and wood flooring. And that has made all the difference! Less dust allergies! My family sleeps better at night. For those who insist on carpeting, I recommend vacuuming weekly, and hiring a professional carpet cleaner with truck-mounted unit, once a year. And not the portable type that can be rented at grocery stores. Two important benefits of the truck-mount: One, the water is heated to 190+ degrees Farhenheit. Secondly, a powerful suction (powered by the engine). Much more powerful than any household vacuum.
Using some fans to give some ventilation will help the carpet dry.
The carpet will have to be damp for a lot longer than 20 hours for mold to grow.
Mold takes 3 days and warm temperatures to get started, they also require a food source. You should know that what you did was create a dirt/soil magnet with the soapy spray. All professionals will rinse the soap, called pre-spray, from the carpet fibers, using treated hot water and powerful vacuum extraction. Consider this a part of your education and do not repeat the attempted cleaning process that will end in dismal failure. A professional carpet using van mounted equipment and a rotary head cleaning machine, such as an RX20 or a Roto Vac 360, for best results and do this at least once a year.
