Drying out the carpets

[clag]

Over the weekend i got around to replacing my inner door seals.

The carpet is soaking wet under the surface. Is it just a case of driving everywhere with the heat at full blast or are there any decent ways to get rid of the water?

Thanks in advance.

 

[chriswales6]

If you have or can borrow a large dehumidifier it would dry it out in a few hours. But don’t bother with the small ones, I’ve used them before and they’re a waste of time.

Otherwise you can try cat litter, I’ve been using it to stop my car misting up since my aircon stopped working.

You’d need the new cat litter crystals, I got a some from Wilko for a couple of pounds.

If the carpets are soaking wet you could put it straight on the carpet. Otherwise put it inside some old socks and stick them under the front seats, that’s where my cat litter is hiding. At a guess it’ll take a week or so to dry out but better than driving around with the windows open in this weather.

 

[DrewCole]

Having driven an old car through a flooded road and it leaking a fair amount, I can confirm a Dehumidifier is the way to go.

They can be rented for a good price.

 

[frijj]

When I was in your situation I used a water vacuum cleaner to get the worst of the water out. I hadn't considered a de-humidifier, but as the worst of the wet weather had passed I let it dry naturally. Then when I was happy with it I cleaned the carpets to take away the damp smell.

 

[Homer Simpson]

As above suck out as much as you can with a wet vacuum cleaner. A heater will help dry the carpet fairly quickly but it's the insulation underneath that soaks up the water like a sponge