How To Repair Stretched Carpet After Steam Cleaning?

Carpet steaming is one of the best methods to keep your carpet clean. However, it takes an expert to get the desired result without ruining the texture and shape. And it happens because carpets can be of various types, such as synthetic, cotton, mixed materials, etc. Each carpet material requires special washing and cleaning techniques. And carpet steaming is not different either.

Therefore, if your carpet looks odd after steam cleaning, it is probably due to an inappropriate steaming method. So, before you go into carpet repairing, it is better to learn why it happens.

Repair Stretched Carpet After Steam Cleaning

How Does Carpet Steaming Damage Your Carpet?

In steam cleaning, carpet cleaners use hot water vapor to steam the carpet. The heat dissolves the dirt and dust build-ups from the fibres. But, there are some limitations when it comes to steaming. Based on the different types of carpet material, each variant has specific heat tolerance. Therefore, if you use more heat than required, it can change the fibre texture. It may shrink and cause friction in the carpet layer. That is why professional carpet cleaners advise not to rely too much on steam cleaning at home. Always seek guidance from professional carpet cleaners and follow the manufacturing instructions while carpet cleaning to maintain the shape and texture of the carpet.

Now that you know why your carpet looks so worn out after a steam cleaning, it’s time to take you into the repairing process.

Repair Stretched Carpets After Steam Cleaning

Everyone makes mistakes while learning new things. Therefore, if you are upset due to a damaged carpet, make sure to learn from your mistakes. Often people end up using too much water in steam carpet cleaning, resulting in soaking more water than the carpet can accumulate. The excess water expands after drying so that it cannot go back to its original shape.

However, you can fix the problem with some simple steps and tools. For that, you will need a carpet power stretcher and a knee kicker. So, start with the preparatory phase and gradually restore the original shape of the carpet.

  • To begin with, take a putty knife and pull off the tack strip of one corner of the carpet. After that, keep tugging the tack strip back and forth unless you are satisfied. Follow the same step for each corner of the carpet. You have to make sure to fix the puckered area of the carpet thoroughly.
  • Now, you have to get to the carpet padding and check whether it is in the correct form or not. If the carpet padding is on the tack strip, cut it off from the tack strip.
  • Once you are done checking the carpet pad, inspect the tack strips. If the strips are not fastened properly to the floor, replace the tack strips.
  • Now bring your rented carpet power stretcher and install as many poles it takes to expand the power stretcher across the room. It will be better if you can stretch it across the room lengths. Once stretched the entire length, fix the flat end of the power stretcher against the wall you are stretching. It can damage the baseboard. So, make sure to give some support by inserting some papers or tiny logs between the baseboard and the power stretcher.
  • Now stretch the head a few inches away from the wall so that the claws go into the carpet. Once set, pull the arms towards the base of the wall. At this stage, you can see your carpet stretching. So, gently push the carpet down towards the tack strips to hold the carpet and release the pressure.
  • Once you are done with one corner, follow the same for each corner of the carpet. If needed, you can repeat the same to any of the puckered areas of the carpet.
  • Now take out the knee kicker and set it a few inches away from the wall your carpet is stretched. Start kicking the kneepad to dig the claws to the carpet. The knee kicker creates additional tension within the carpet fibres. After that, gently push back to the tack strip. Follow the same across the entire carpet.
  • As you proceed with the knee kicker, start releasing the pressure from the power stretcher. Remove the piece of paper or logs under the power stretcher and fasten the carpet tightly to the tack strips. Follow the same for the rest of the carpet and fix it securely to the floor.
  • Once secured the carpet to the wall, take a trimmer and fix the edges out from the carpet. Lastly, use the putty knife to tuck away the remaining sides of the carpet into the gap of the tack strip and the wall.

Repairing a stretched carpet takes patience and expertise. Therefore, if you are not confident to do it at home, you can contact a professional from Capital Cleaning Canberra. The experts can clean and fix the carpet that looks like a new one. So, take a wise step and contact your local carpet cleaner in Canberra and repair the stretched carpet.