A flash flood or an unexpected plumbing leak can result in staking water sitting inside your home. This exposure to water can cause many of the items within your home to sustain serious damage.

Area rugs are among the home decor items that most homeowners spend a lot of time and effort finding. The perfect area rug for your home might be a costly investment, so you want to protect the rug against mold after water damage has occurred.

1. Dry the area rug out quickly.

The first step in stopping mold growth is to eliminate any excess water from your area rug as quickly as possible. Remove your area rug from the home and hang it up outside. This allows air to circulate around all surfaces of the rug to dry out excess moisture. You can also use an industrial fan to blow air directly into your area rug. These fans will help speed the drying process to eliminate the potential for mold growth.

2. Use a dehumidifier to help eliminate moisture.

If you are unable to take your area rug outdoors for drying due to inclement weather, you can still dry the rug out quickly and help ward off mold growth. In addition to the industrial fan that will help circulate air around your moist area rug, you should consider using a dehumidifier to speed the drying process.

A dehumidifier helps to suck moisture out of the air surrounding your area rug. Moisture that evaporates off the rug fibers as they dry can be eliminated by the dehumidifier so that the moisture doesn't condense onto other surfaces within your home. A dehumidifier also helps limit mold growth by keeping the temperature in the area where your rug is located cool. Dry air usually feels cooler than moist air, so the drying effects of a dehumidifier can be extremely beneficial in creating a hostile environment where mold and mildew will not thrive.

3. Steam clean your area rug.

Once you are certain that your expensive area rug is completely dry, you need to deep clean the rug with a steam cleaner. Use a cleaning solution designed specifically to target mold.

The heat of the steam cleaner will help to kill off any mold spores that have taken up residence in your area rug. The specialized cleaning solution applied by a steam cleaner will also protect your area rug against mold growth in the future. For more information, contact your local water damage restoration service.