When cleaning carpeted floors in an office, retail space, or other business, deep cleaning them frequently is important. The large amount of foot traffic in your business often means that any debris (dry or wet) is often getting backed deep into the carpet. This has many adverse effects from lingering odors to increased friction in the carpet that can lead to frays and rips. That is why it is important to have the right cleaning tools for carpets like an extractor that can remove stains and deep clean. But you might notice after cleaning your carpet that it is beginning to buckle or have ripples. In this article, we will cover what causes carpet buckling or rippling, and how to handle it.
What Causes a Carpet to Buckle or Ripple
Carpet buckling is frequently caused by moisture. When a carpet is wet after being cleaned or after something spills on it, the carpet fibers will expand as they soak up water. They will then shrink as the moisture is released back into the air. This expansion followed by contraction can lead to ripples or buckling. But this can also happen even when you don’t clean or spill things on your carpet. Humidity in the air can lead to carpets buckling. Also, it should be mentioned that another common cause of carpet rippling is moving furniture across the carpet. When a heavy object is pushed or pulled on a carpet it can pull the carpet up with it.
How Do You Fix Carpet Buckling/Rippling
After a carpet is cleaned, you should let it fully dry out. If your carpet is damp after cleaning, you can use a fan or other commercial drying equipment to help it dry out. In some cases, the carpet will naturally settle and flatten when it dries. A dehumidifier can also help your carpet flatten on its own by removing air moisture. If your carpet is still buckled after it dries, you can use a carpet stretcher. Commercial carpet cleaners use power stretchers to help flatten out their carpets. These tools are often recommended for wall-to-wall carpeting in large rooms. For example, a ballroom at a hotel that has a large carpeted section will often require a power stretcher to handle any ripples that do not go away on their own.
Commercial Carpet Cleaning Tools
If you need carpet cleaning tools like extractors that can help remove stains and deep clean your carpet, we can help. We can recommend the perfect tools from vacuums to extractors that can help you keep your company’s carpets clean.