Carpet care guide
Make it safe, stop the water, photograph everything, then dry the carpet fast, because SafeWork NSW's guidance for workplaces says to discard carpet that has been wet for more than 48 hours or has visible mould growth.
SafeWork NSW
“clean up wet areas and water damage promptly, within 24 to 48 hours”
“have been wet for more than 48 hours”
48 hours (SafeWork NSW)
Why speed matters
NSW Government flood clean-up
“If items are not completely dry, mould or mildew may develop.”
https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/floods/recover/clean-up-advice
When to throw out
ABC Emergency
“If you can't remove the mould they should be thrown out.”
https://www.abc.net.au/emergency/what-to-do-after-a-flood/102502894
Wet carpet gives you about two days. Three public guides, read side by side, point the same way.
NSW's workplace regulator advises cleaning up wet areas and water damage promptly, within 24 to 48 hours. The same page says porous materials, carpet among them, that “have been wet for more than 48 hours” should be discarded. Its guidance is written for workplaces, but it is the only one of the three that names a number of hours. The NSW Government's flood advice adds the reason: “If items are not completely dry, mould or mildew may develop.” ABC Emergency files absorbent items under “If in doubt, throw it out”, but its advice under that heading is to clean them, dry them in the sun and clean off the mould, and to throw them out “If you can't remove the mould”.
Put together, our reading is this: the window for saving wet carpet and the point where the guidance turns to throwing it out are the same 48 hours. Nothing inside that window guarantees a carpet comes back. But everything that helps it happens there.
Storm season has already arrived on the coast. On 3 October a tornado tore through Ulladulla's CBD, and NSW SES volunteers responded to more than 35 incidents, with roofs blown off and windows shattered. A burst pipe does the same thing to a single room. This is the order to work through in a Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or Hunter home.
Before you touch wet carpet
The house comes before the carpet. ABC Emergency says not to turn on gas, electricity or appliances until a professional has checked them. The NSW Government says licensed trades should do electrical, plumbing and gas work.
That covers your drying gear too. Fans, wet vacuums and dehumidifiers all plug in, and they would be standing on a wet floor. Have a qualified electrician confirm the power is safe before you run any of them.
Then think about the water itself. Floodwater and mud can contain sewage, chemicals and germs such as bacteria, fungi and viruses, so the NSW Government says to wear protective clothing when you handle flood-damaged items. ABC Emergency goes further: anything exposed to floodwater is probably contaminated, so keep bare hands off it.
Water found24 hours48 hours
Clean up within 24 to 48 hours (SafeWork NSW)
Wet more than 48 hours: discard porous materials (SafeWork NSW)
1. Make it safe. Leave the power, gas and appliances off until they have been checked, as above.
2. Stop the water. NSW's workplace regulator says to fix the underlying water or moisture problem, “otherwise the mould problem will return”. A burst pipe or a leaking roof is a job for a licensed tradesperson. If you rent, tell your landlord or agent straight away; the renters' section below explains how.
3. Photograph everything. ABC Emergency says to document damage with photos before moving or cleaning anything, for insurance claims. Take wide shots of each room, close-ups of the waterline and the source, and the furniture where it stood. Then talk to your insurer before you throw anything out.
4. Get the water out and the air moving. The regulator says to dry out as soon as possible after a leak or flood. Fans, wet vacuums, dehumidifiers, heaters or air conditioners on dry mode can speed drying, once the power has been checked. The NSW Government says to open doors and windows to let in sunlight and fresh air.
5. Decide by the 48-hour mark. The decision is laid out under "when to stop" below.
| Rule | What it applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Clean up within 24 to 48 hours | wet areas and water damage | SafeWork NSWhttps://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mould |
| Discard if wet more than 48 hours, can't be readily cleaned or has visible mould | porous materials including carpet | SafeWork NSWhttps://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mould |
| Can contain sewage, chemicals and germs | floodwater and mud | NSW Governmenthttps://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/floods/recover/clean-up-advice |
| Probably contaminated, don't touch with bare hands | anything exposed to floodwater | ABC Emergencyhttps://www.abc.net.au/emergency/what-to-do-after-a-flood/102502894 |
| May need to be professionally cleaned or replaced if contaminated | absorbent materials such as carpet and mattresses | NSW Governmenthttps://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/floods/recover/clean-up-advice |
| May have to be thrown out unless a professional can clean and restore them | wet mattresses and upholstered furniture | ABC Emergencyhttps://www.abc.net.au/emergency/what-to-do-after-a-flood/102502894 |
Yes, because of what the water carries. Water that came over the ground in a storm or flood is the kind the NSW Government warns can contain sewage, chemicals and germs. Its advice is that absorbent materials such as carpet may need to be professionally cleaned or replaced if contaminated.
ABC Emergency says the same about soft furnishings: wet mattresses and upholstered furniture may have to be thrown out unless a professional can clean and restore them.
So once sewage or floodwater is involved, the question is whether a professional can clean the carpet or it has to be replaced. Water from a burst pipe is a different job, but it runs on the same 48-hour clock.
“Wall and floor cavities should be checked”
NSW Government flood clean-up: https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/floods/recover/clean-up-advice
“If items are not completely dry, mould or mildew may develop.”
NSW Government flood clean-up: https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/floods/recover/clean-up-advice
A carpet is a stack of layers: the pile you walk on, the backing, the underlay, then the floor. Water that soaks through collects where you can't see it or feel it with your hand. The NSW Government's advice is that wall and floor cavities should be checked, because “If items are not completely dry, mould or mildew may develop.”
A dry-feeling surface does not reset the 48-hour clock.
Rugs can come out of the room. ABC Emergency suggests drying absorbent items such as mattresses, furniture, rugs in the sun. Fibre matters here. Jute reacts badly to water, which our wool and jute rug guide explains.
Wet carpet
Was it floodwater or sewage?
Yes
No
Wet more than 48 hours?
Yes
No
Visible mould growth?
Yes
No
Can it be readily cleaned?
No
Valuable or irreplaceable? Seek a qualified professional. SafeWork NSW: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mould
NSW's workplace regulator gives three conditions. Porous materials that “can't be readily cleaned, have been wet for more than 48 hours or have visible mould growth” should be discarded. Any one of them is enough. For valuable or irreplaceable pieces, it says to seek a qualified professional.
Dry these in the sun and then clean off the mould. If you can't remove the mould they should be thrown out.
If mould has already appeared, the way you handle it matters. The regulator says to avoid dry sweeping, household vacuums and compressed air because they raise large amounts of dust, and that misting with water first helps. Wear a fitted P2 respirator, gloves and safety glasses. It adds that investigating mould is, in some circumstances, best left to an experienced professional. Our earlier guide to mould on carpet goes through this step by step.
For routine mould on hard surfaces nearby, the NSW Government suggests detergent or 4 parts vinegar to 1 part water. It also says never mix vinegar and bleach and to dry surfaces completely afterwards. That is advice for wiping surfaces, not a way to treat carpet.
If the carpet has to go, the NSW Government says to put carpets in a separate hard bulk waste pile and check your local landfill's hours and any special requirements for flood-damaged waste. Take your photos and speak to your insurer before it leaves the house.
Wet carpet in a rental: your paper trail
Under NSW tenancy law, flooding or serious flood damage, serious storm damage, a burst water service and a serious roof leak are all urgent repairs. You must tell the landlord or agent straight away.
Do it in writing if you can, and keep copies of all correspondence and receipts. If the landlord or agent can't be reached, you can arrange a repair person and be reimbursed up to a set limit. To be repaid, you need to show the problem was not your fault, that you made a reasonable attempt to contact the landlord or agent and gave them a reasonable chance to do the repairs, and that a licensed tradesperson did the work. The landlord or agent must then repay you within 14 days of the notice.
Whatever happens, tenants should not stop paying rent if urgent repairs aren't done. Your photos and emails will matter again at the end of the lease. Our guide to carpet wear and tear when moving out covers that side.
Window to clean up wet areas:
24 to 48 hours
SafeWork NSW: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mould
Porous materials (including carpet) wet longer than this should be discarded:
more than 48 hours
SafeWork NSW: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/mould
Routine mould cleaning solution, for hard surfaces:
4 parts vinegar to 1 part water
NSW Government: https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/floods/recover/clean-up-advice
Urgent repairs, if you can't reach the landlord or agent:
repaid within 14 days of your notice
NSW Government: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/renting-a-place-to-live/getting-repairs-done
Four figures carry most of this article. Each is shown with the source that sets it, so you can check it for yourself.
If you are still inside the first two days, work through the steps in order: make the house safe, stop the water, take the photos, then get air moving.
Once the power has been checked and you know what kind of water you are dealing with, tell Harbourfresh Carpet Cleaning what happened through our free quote form. Say whether it was a leak or storm water, roughly when the carpet got wet, and whether you can see any mould. Those three details help us tell you honestly what to expect. We clean carpets, rugs and upholstery across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.
Ready when you are
Tell us the rooms, the fibres and what you are up against. We will come back with a clear, no-obligation quote for your Newcastle home or workplace.