How to Protect Furniture When Cleaning Carpets

Carpet cleaning is essential, but protecting your furniture during the service is equally paramount. If you have a scheduled carpet cleaning service, you may be unsure how to protect furniture when cleaning carpets.

If you live in a spacious home, you can move small furniture, but it isn't always necessary as you can protect them. Slip plastic baggies over the furniture legs to protect them from damage caused by wet carpets.

You can also place foams, pieces of wood, foils, pads, or blocks underneath the furniture to protect it and the just-cleaned carpet from damage.

Herein, I'll tell you how to protect your furniture when cleaning carpets. Read to the end because I'll also explain when to return furniture after carpet cleaning.

How to Protect Furniture When Cleaning Carpets

Experts recommend deep cleaning carpets every 12-18 months to maintain a healthy home. How do you protect your furniture during deep cleaning?

Move Lighter and Smaller Furniture

If you're cleaning only one room, move the lighter and smaller furniture to other rooms to make way for the cleaning service. This shortens the cleaning time and makes it stress-free to have the job done.

If you've hired a professional carpet cleaning service provider, inquire if they normally move any furniture, especially heavy ones requiring more than one person. They should protect the furniture from water/steam damage if they don't.

Cover the Furniture

If the carpet is wet, put waterproof protectors under furniture when putting it on the wet carpet. Most established cleaning companies have them.

If it's a DIY task, buy water-resistant protectors for furniture. You're better off hiring an expert; DIY carpet cleaning is hard on your body and time-intensive.

Protect the Furniture Legs

Use foam blocks to elevate heavy furniture off the ground during carpet cleaning to prevent steam or water damage.

You could also place plastic baggies, wax papers, sliders, pads, or foam underneath the legs before moving furniture on wet carpets to protect it from rust and wooden leg stains.

Allow the Carpet to Dry Completely

To protect your furniture and carpet from damage, do not move the furniture back until at least 24 hours after cleaning.

The carpet cleaning method, humidity levels in your home, and airflow into the house could extend the drying time. Always check your carpet to ensure it's completely dry (even after 24 hours) before replacing the furniture.

Can I Put Furniture Back After Carpet Cleaning?

You can put furniture back after carpet cleaning, but ensure that the furniture is protected from water damage.

Depending on its material, furniture placed on a wet carpet could rust or warp. Heavy furniture could compress carpet fibers, making them not dry properly. This could cause mold and mildew to grow, resulting in a musty odor after carpet cleaning. Damp carpet also exposes you to health hazards.

The subfloor and carpet padding may get damaged when heavy furniture is placed on wet carpet.

These are enough reasons not to place furniture on the carpet without a protectant until it dries completely. Do a touch test. The carpet is dry if there's no moisture or musty smell.

To ensure your carpet dries evenly and quickly, use dehumidifiers or fans and properly ventilate your house. Cleaning the carpet during favorable weather conditions also helps quicken drying.

Can You Put Furniture on Wet Carpet?

No, don't put furniture on a wet carpet without protecting it from water. A good way of protecting the carpet from furniture indentations, staining, and grooves after cleaning is to ensure it's completely dry before returning the furniture.

Waiting until the carpet dries completely also protects your furniture from damage. If you use the dry cleaning method, wait at least 2 to 6 hours before walking on the carpet after cleaning or removing the blocks, pieces of wood, or plastic underneath your furniture legs.

If you use hot water extraction to clean your carpets, wait at least 6 to 24 hours to return the furniture.

We use the hot water extraction method because it also helps to remove furniture dents out of carpets.

Our proprietary Zr™ Wand shortens the drying time, preventing the growth of mold and mildew on the carpet a few days after cleaning. This enclosed-system extraction wand provides a high-powered rinse and faster carpet drying time. Our powerful truck-mount suction extracts excessive water, resulting in a fast drying time of 4 to 8 hours.

What to Put Under Furniture on Wet Carpet

If the furniture doesn't have legs, place styrofoam blocks or a small piece of wood underneath to elevate and protect it from damage. Protect your furniture by placing protective pads, plastic baggies, foil, foam, or sliders under the legs.

• Foam Blocks: Foam blocks minimize the risk of carpet damage by evenly distributing weight. Use them underneath circular or square furniture legs to protect carpets from furniture marks, dents, and stains.

• Aluminum foil and plastic Baggies: You can put aluminum foil or plastic bags under furniture after carpet cleaning to protect it from water damage or the carpet from rusty metal or wooden leg stains. Aluminum foil and plastic baggies are also waterproof protectors for under furniture.

• High Resilience and Xcel Value Pack Rubber Foam: These foams protect tables, couches, beds, chairs, and other furniture from water damage when sitting on a wet carpet. Foam furniture protectors also offer balance to the furniture.

• Super Sliders XL Reusable for Furniture: These sliders are versatile; you can use them to move heavy furniture with ease (even when alone), prevent the accumulation of dirt particles and dust under the furniture, or guard the furniture against water damage after carpet cleaning.

• Foam, rubber, cotton, or foil Pads: Furniture protective pads prevent wood stains and rust marks on carpets while protecting your furniture from damage before the carpet dries completely. Waterproof pads are good because they don't absorb water. Rubber and cotton (which you can make at home) are cheap, hence the best choice if you're on a budget.

• Wax paper under furniture when it's wet: Place wax paper under the furniture legs to protect them from wood or rust stains before the carpet dries. We have a spotting guide that helps you fix rust stains on the carpet. Check it out.

The above protective materials act as barriers between your carpet and furniture, minimizing or eliminating the risk of furniture and carpet damage.

FAQs

Is Cardboard Safe to Put Under Furniture on Wet Carpet

When placed on a wet carpet, cardboard is safe to put under furniture to protect it from water damage. It's great for large furniture such as sofas and office desks. You can put cardboard under furniture after covering its legs with aluminum foil or plastic.

Hire Professional Carpet Cleaners

Hiring experts to clean the carpets is also a great thing because they have the necessary tools and skills to ensure that your carpets and furniture are safe from damage during and after carpet cleaning.

At Zerorez®, we offer affordable carpet cleaning services. Here are some of the advantages of working with us:

• We use the hot water extraction method, and our carpets dry within hours

• No soapy residue, and our carpets remain clean longer

• Our team is friendly and professional

Hire us for Insanely Clean Carpets®. You can schedule a service online, by text or phone, right from the comfort of your home or office.