It is a disaster if your carpet gets contaminated in the toilet by overflow or a broken sewer system. The carpet should be cleaned immediately to prevent a risk for family’s safety. If left neglected, this carpet can cause skin irritation, gastrointestinal issues and more diseases. The sewage problem can be completely removed by following these cleaning steps.
Take immediate measures
Start cleaning the carpet as soon as you notice it is contaminated, as the sewage will soak deeply into it, if it stays longer. If more than 24 hours have passed since contamination, the best option is to discard the carpet and replace it with a new one.
Evaluation
See whether that is a major or minor sewer leak to determine the affected zone. Unfortunately, major sewer leaks may cause damages that cannot be restored. However, if the case is a smaller problem such as overflow of the toilet water, it can be successfully treated and restored. Also, take a look at the carpet’s label to see whether this is a machine-washable rug or not. Take a note of any special instructions about washing or laundering left by the manufacturer.
Take your rug outdoors
If that is possible, take the contaminated rug outdoors and shake it for some time to remove as much water from it as possible.
Machine washing
If you find out that your rugs are machine-washable, you can add two toilet rugs at a time to keep the balance of the washing machine. If you do not have two rugs to wash, add some towels to restore balance.
Protect yourself during the cleaning
Use safety glasses and thick rubber gloves to not allow the harmful bacteria get into your body. For a bigger leak wear protective footwear, too.
Removing the water
Use a wet vacuum machine to remove the water from the affected area and absorb the moisture with old towels. To dry accurately the padding and both carpet’s sides, you may need to lift its edges.
Using a disinfectant
Next, use a disinfectant carpet cleaner to spray the entire area. The detergent should penetrate deep into the padding and the carpet’s sides. You can use a scrub brush or a broom to thoroughly work the solution into the carpet. If needed, apply it several times to ensure better results.
Drying the area
Use dehumidifier or a fan to dry the area right after spraying. You can try to accelerate the process by opening windows and doors to let the air flow around.
Removing the affected rugs
All affected rugs should be wrapped in plastic and discarded. Before replacing them with new ones, do not forget to disinfect the area with a carpet cleaner and to let it dry. In case, you do not want to discard your old contaminated carpet, you can roll it, wrap in plastic and take it to a local carpet cleaning company for professional cleaning. They will replace the carpet padding to ensure your safety.
Complete disinfection
The final step would be washing all the clothes you were wearing during the cleaning and disinfecting all the surfaces.