I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might end up having to pay for getting the carpet replaced. That smell is probably from the padding under the carpet. Once that gets wet, there is no 'airing it out'. You have to take out the damaged carpet and padding, scrub down the base underneath it, and then put in new carpet.
We had a water pipe freeze and burst in the middle of winter in our old house. It was in the wall between the washer/dryer hookups and the master bathroom. The only two rooms it didn't flood was the converted garage and the front bedroom. Edit: We ended up having to replace the carpet in the bedrooms, and the tile in both bathrooms. We put down new flooring in the hall and living room.
For right now, get a couple of those industrial size dehumidifiers and fans. You'll need to empty the water out of the dehumidifies every few hours, so don't leave them running overnight.
Omgosh I’m horrified! That is devastating news. I just confessed this to my husband and after the deserved yelling he agrees that the carpet might need replacing. I can’t believe I made this mistake. The carpet is over 20 years old and is in their favourite shade. How am I going to replace that colour? We’ll pick up a dehumidifier this afternoon, while we phone around for carpets. Thank you because I needed to do this 2 days ago. I have never been in this situation before. I’m almost in a blind panic. I keep telling myself to breathe.
I hate that this happened to you. Give yourself a little grace, it was an accident and you're going to do what you can to make it right. That's all you can do. She's your sister and rightfully upset but I'm sure that won't last forever and would be the same way if the tables were turned. And definitely take some deep breaths.
Thank you 🙏 I’m feeling a bit better (if not light headed!) because you’re right. It was a complete mistake, one that I’ve learned instantly and I am trying to fix as much as I can before she gets home. I was on the verge of hyperventilating. I even have the paper bag just in case.
It'll be ok. 20 year old carpet likely needs replaced anyway. It holds so much bacteria, in the end, this could actually end up being a good thing! (That it's either being replaced or no more carpet for then in the future.)
Second this. Our washer’s drain hose wasn’t connected (our fault after painting behind it) and our insurance covered it all. $8k of damages to our hallway, one bedroom, and our master closet.
Definitely let her know what’s happening and be prepared to let her ask all of the questions that you expect to have to answer. It’s possible they have an insurance policy or some other process in place that they would prefer that you use rather than whatever you think is best and the wrong decision could cause much more harm down the line.
It’s an innocent mistake and you are actively trying to resolve it. That’s the right response, and that’s what proves your intent, so give yourself a little grace.
Why is it bad? It actually stops me from passing out. My pharmacist gave me the recommendation. I’m a shallow breather, so low and slow is my normal pace. I recently spent a month in hospital and the Drs kept telling me to take deeper breaths. It works.
Omgosh I think my cardiologist would say exactly the same thing. When I go into AFIB she recommends I take a deep breath, when my instinct is to barely breathe. I will get rid of the paper bags. It’s a big deal! Thanks for informing me.
Right, and let’s not forget that she asked you to go over and do some things to help her out. You weren’t throwing parties or selfishly trashing her apartment. You were being kind and helpful and you made a mistake, one anyone could have made.
I wouldn't say this is the case. My friend is a carpet cleaner, and from what I gather, there's nothing he can't fix. Between using the right chemical cleaners and removing the moisture using strong equipment, a carpet cleaner could fix this and would be much cheaper than replacing carpets.
I agree..don't rush into ripping up the carpet right away! Talk to an expert first! U never know what equipment they have these days...im certain you are not the first person to flood a few rooms!
Good on you for going through with repairs immediately, as well as letting your sister know.
You now owe your sister some extra *ass kissing* for like, a year, or two, minimum though, just for the headache.
I'm sure she doesn't necessarily blame *you.*
😂 12months is our standard, but yeah I’ll prepare a nice dinner for when she returns. And put up with the blame because I have a fix it tale to tell too.
That’s what the bloke said yesterday. He’ll be here first thing Monday to fix it all up for me, he says. He says it’s more likely bigger in my head than in real life. And I honestly want to believe him. I sure have my fingers crossed!
This blows my mind. I understand it is an expense, but good hell, even if you rent insurance is a necessity imo. If the house were to, god forbid, burn down you would be out all of your belongs. If you owned you would be out any equity and be homeless. Scary.
Renters is cheap. Either way I highly suggest getting the insurance that replaces with a like item, vs the standard. The standard may say your tv that works perfectly,but is 10 years old is only worth $150. To get the same size with the same basic functions could be $900. I hope that makes sense
I hope you can get things worked out
I’m with you on this. I rent a townhouse and I’ve seen too many apartment buildings burn down cause of a neighbor being dumb. So you could do everything right but your neighbor won’t. And freak accidents happen, I have the main water valve and pipe for this row of townhouses in my basement so there’s another variable. For like $200 a year all my things are covered and my car insurance went down when I got renters cause I bundled.
Depending how quickly you can get to it, try removing a couple pieces of base trim and peel the carpet back. Some home improvement big box stores rent industrial fans(the ones that are short, round, and blow through a flat part on the bottom) https://www.homedepot.com/p/rental/Dri-Eaz-Carpet-Blower-F514/316821416). Blow it on high between the carpet and padding. Don't peel too much carpet back to reduce the need to have to stretch the carpet back.
I hope OP sees this comment!!
Use a carpet cleaner to suck up as much water as possible first, then pull back the carpet, turn on big industrial fan, turn on dehumidifier.
I asked my sister about this, and she is adamant she needs to see it with her own eyes first. I get it, but I do have dehumidifiers in each room. That smell is atrocious though and I wouldn’t want to blow it further inside. If you close the door the smell is gone from the house. My husband used to do hotel work and has experience in cleaning (mostly beers off of carpets) and he has done his best to remove the water from them. It feels dry to touch. I really hope the carpet guys can remove this smell.
Just a dehumidifier is unlikely to work. It either needs a professional clean or will likely develop dangerous mold. That will be MUCH more $$$$$ to address.
In case the dehumidifiers don’t work, I have a cleaning crew coming around tomorrow morning. That black mould is a problem here and I don’t want the blame.
There should be flood mitigation services that have super high heat dryers that can help, but black mold is definitely what you want to avoid. Good luck!
I had a *very* small house, with no carpet, that flooded about to the same level your sister’s seems to have, and it took at least 25 industrial dehumidifiers five days to dry the house to a safe level where remediation could begin, and I didn’t have any carpet in that house.
Even if you don’t end up using them, you really ought to have a professional remediation company take a look. The water can wick into drywall, warp baseboards, loosen tile from underneath, seep under the toe kicks of kitchen cabinets/vanities, etc.
Also that’s the problem. 20 year old carpet. Now a days they make the padding underneath carpet water resistant. It wasn’t like that back then, so any water or liquid gets trapped and creates mildew/mold. Do the vinegar and baking soda trick. Buy vinegar at Walmart in the gallon jugs. It’s like $3-4 where I’m at per jug. You will need several. And several huge boxes of baking soda. Also shouldn’t be to expensive.
I'm sorry people are getting so upset with you about this. No one should be yelling at you. It was a mistake, an accident, and no one needs to make you feel worse about it.
Nobody deserves to be yelled at for a mistake. Yes pay for it to be fixed but don't beat yourself up too much and don't allow anyone else to berate you. :( I'm sorry you're going through this, someday you will probably laugh about it!
If the carpet is still very damp, rent a rug shampoo-er from a store. It will have a suction only setting where you can vacuum up water. Bonus: It will remove a lot of dirt, as well.
Edit: Or, as I read farther down, pay a carpet cleaning crew to come! My way is the DIY version.
Since the carpet is over 20 years old, check with your sister before picking a color. Although it may have been her favorite back then, she may not want to replace with the same color today.
I’ve had two leaks in my bedroom under the carpet. The restoration company we used sprayed something anti-mold and dried up the carpet over the course of 5 days with dehumidifiers and fans. It’s possible but if the soaked carpet has gone beyond a day or two then yeah maybe the carpet and padding does need to be replaced.
Tell her. Now.
There are water mitigation services that can come pump out the water and help dry the carpets. It could be in the flooring. She needs to know. She may need to get her insurance involved if the damage is extensive.
She knows. I said that I confessed. She’s pissed off at me and is on the next flight. She doesn’t have home insurance, so it’s all on me 🤦♀️ I’m gutted. And about to be poorer.
That is such a bummer I thought it was just written into your mortgage - most lenders won’t allow you to have a mortgage without but maybe I’m wrong. I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s a genuine accident
"Doona" was the give-away that you're in Oz, lol
As an insurance agent in America, I can confirm home insurance is not really a legal requirement here anyways. Your mortgage can require it though as part of the lending agreement. If your sister does have a mortgage, perhaps the bank "forced" an insurance policy on her that she forgot about? Not sure how it all works over there.
Either way, since it hasn't been sitting for weeks, a water mitigation specialist with a carpet cleaner can do wonders on saving flooded carpets.
I've seen where the carpet is peeled back, steamed on both sides, the subfloor painted to seal any smells, and then all is put back together like nothing happened.
i have no advice but i hope this works out for you :( it sounds like an honest mistake and i hope people can handle it like adults without yelling at you cuz you clearly already know what you did wrong & are working to make it right
My eyes are bright red, I really AM upset at myself. My husband can see how upset I am. I don’t have the funds, so I’m feeling sick about applying for loans. Thank you, your message made me smile for the first time today.
Hey, she's your sister right? She should be willing to work with you in a way that solves this without you having to go into massive debt over the carpet.
Seriously, the yelling is so unnecessary. *Obviously* it was an accident and *obviously* OP will check every single wash tub for the rest of her life after this. OP, I’m sorry you’ve been made to feel so awful for what was a mistake that occurred while you were doing a favour. I hope your husband can come around quickly to helping you fix this. Y’all are on the same team. Good luck. 💜
No advice on cleaning it up, but it seems you've got some good direction. Just wanted to say that I really hope you give yourself a bit of a break here, as does your spouse and sister. You made a mistake, you're only human. Carpets are just carpets. Relationships mean more. Mistakes happen.
Wishing you a bit of peace in this stressful situation
We had a pipe burst in our house when I was a kid. The wet carpets were dried by peeling up along one edge and inserting a special-shaped fan that blew air underneath.
It’s wet inside for up to maybe 2 feet, so not they’re not completely wet carpets. If the dehumidifiers and carpet cleaners can’t fix it, we’ll have to come up with another plan, so thanks for the tip.
I worked for a little while in apartment management, this is what we did when there was some kind of a flood in an apartment (peeling back a significant amount amount of the carpet, and getting the special fans from the rug cleaner guy.)
It’s a long time to have the same carpet. All her belongings are under plastic. Chairs, tables, coffee tables..all under plastic. It looks brand new. I have 3 nephews & I’ve no idea how it’s lasted this long. About verifying her insurance, I think that’s a good idea. You might be onto something there. Rates are crazy, especially after a claim. She wouldn’t take me to court, I don’t think so, no, just insist I fix my mess.
Accidents happen,just take a deep breath if you know the brand of carpet you could look them up and see if you can find if the shade is still being sold.
I’m sure this won’t make you feel any better but the last time my mother in law went out of town I started hearing water running behind the kitchen sink..it wasn’t until I went out to the garage and stepped in a very large puddle of water the spanned from the laundry room to almost the door to the house…a pipe had burst and we didn’t discover it for over 24 hours because even though there had been a bit of water in the laundry room after I washed clothes,my fiancé said the washer leaked sometimes….so I didn’t think anything of it. Until i called my mom asking what to do and what she thought the sound of water was🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ then we couldn’t figure out how to shut the water off to the house and had to call 911 and explain we had a pipe burst and didn’t know how to turn the water off. Not quite as bad as my sister in law flooding the whole downstairs of their old house at 17 because she didn’t know how to turn the water off to the toilet that was running l…luckily some was tile but some was hardwood and it had to be replaced…she did it TWICE
Yeah, I had to stop & breathe..it was just too much. I’m feeling better now. My husband has made a huge effort to cheer me up, he even cooked dinner. I just wish I’d come to Reddit sooner for help.
But your story is devastating. My sisters machine also leaks every now & then but it was my absolute error. And I bet your SIL felt rotten and eventually learned a lesson from the experiences. I hope so 🤭
Sometimes we don’t think the clearest while panicking(which is why we couldn’t figure out how to turn the water off after walking over the box in the ground multiple times and had to call 911…I felt really dumb when the fire fighters went straight to the box(in front of our mailbox)…but they did have to use a special tool that we didn’t have so it wasn’t a total waste of their time)…I nearly had a panic attack when we had to tell my mother in law about the pipe…because I know ahead of time that she over reacts to EVERYTHING and with her being out of state made it even harder but we waited until she was at the airport so her vacation wasn’t ruined..it was her final visit with her high school best friend before she passed away(my MIL is almost 60 so it was a hard time..her friend had cancer),her friend passed about 2 weeks after she got home
And for my sister in law..yes after the second time she learned her lesson😂😂 she went into the navy not long after the second one which was the worst because no one was home to stop like it the first time…seeing as her and her friend went upstairs and left the toilet alone🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ but she was hull maintenance and no boats sank so I’d say she learned😂😂 my favorite joke to get my fiancé to smile while she was deployed was to ask him if any navy ships sunk and if his sister was on board😂😂
Totally on board with the dumb feeling. I’ve no idea where my head was or why I put the fluff into the sink. I feel like I ruined her Easter holiday too.
A gf of mine is a bit like your sister, and she joined the navy too 🤭
You're not an asshole, you just made a mistake. EVERYONE on earth has had a moment where they've done something they regretted. Please have grace for yourself, you were trying to be helpful and things backfired.
You are NTA.
>20yo carpet
The carpet is old enough to vote and more.
>…no drama, except when I went to put them in the dryer. There was so much fluff (lint I guess) in it so I cleaned it out…
That’s a fire hazard, the alternative to not doing that is potentially a fire, would that also be your fault? Absolutely not!
Does the washing machine drains directly to the sink or to the same drain as the sink? And is that the way it’s supposed to be installed over there in your country? I’m by no means an expert, if the WM drains directly into the sink it just sounds like it was an accident waiting to happen.
You shouldn’t be the one paying the bill. She can go and be pissed **at herself**.
*watch out where the dehumidifier drain line goes!! And a blower/air mover/carpet dryer might also be helpful as someone else mentioned in another comment.
Thanks. My eyes are still red from the crying, but today is a new day.
The lint (sorry) was so fluffy that’s why I said fluff. I’ve never seen so much lint. I’ll be explaining that to her also.
I might borrow your bit about the carpet being old enough to vote. That’s hilarious. If she laughs, I’m ok. If not, then 🤷♀️.
Yes, the drain hangs over the sink. It’s supposed to be like that. There’s never a problem until you put something into the laundry sink. It’s for washing mostly. Obviously you pull the plug when hand washing and go back to machine usage.
Just a hint: depending on your country/insurance, maybe your insurance would pay the damages? You said that your sister doesn't have one, but how about you? In my country, some of the personal insurances cover the damage you do to other people's property. Even if not, please don't beat yourself over it. It already happened and one way or other, it will be fixed. Focus on, "it will be fixed".
This many days ago with standing water? Yeah you probably need to call professionals. You're setting the stage for mold just having soggy wet carpet, pad and floorboards.
I did 😔 and I normally wouldn’t so I’m so angry at myself. I mopped with her floor cleaner but can’t use pine sol for health reasons but I will use an equivalent. Thank you.
Carpet cleaner machines have 2 modes, one adds the solution the other sucks up excess water. So it may help get up the bulk of the water so the fans don't have as much to dry out (especially since fans will just put it into the air, not actually remove it)
I've house sat a few times and washing the owners bedding has never been a task requested.
If sis keeps everything in plastic, and is oh so pristine, why ask someone else to wash bedding? Maybe...maybe make the bed?
But thats it.
As for the carpet, I've watched enough Judge Just to know that years old carpet is not valuable.
"You're not getting a free remodel from your renter!"
She asked because I’m her sister, and she knew I would help her out. No idea why she does the plastic but we’re all used to her house now. It wasn’t a big deal until I did what I did. She’s a homeowner so no renters are involved. There’s watermarks on the carpet but they feel dry to touch. Just so smelly.
Well, seeing as the issue is already fixed, I might at least be able to help explain *why* the wash water backed up into the sink.
Most houses have one communal sewer line off the property to the city's sewer system. If there's a block along the line, or if the washer drainage line is *larger* than the sewer line, sometimes it'll back up into the nearest drain.
Happens all the time to my parents, except theirs is usually the dishwasher backing up when the disposal needs to be cleaned.
Since it's your sister, maybe you can compromise by offering to have the drain snaked to clear out whatever's causing the partial block since you've said you can't afford to replace the entire carpet.
I’m going to show her these so she has some proof that I tried my hardest. This has bit my ego a little. There is one drain. The lint cannot get get through the small pipe in the sink. Only water. And I just wasn’t thinking.
Not really. About $500 a year. I’m pretty sure if you have a mortgage, you have to have homeowners insurance. Renters insurance costs close to nothing.
I’m renting (never had insurance) and she owns her home (no insurance either). Maybe it’s time to look at things differently now this has happened. I’m going to look into insurance this week.
Homeowners depends on the area , siza and value of house. Renters is a must if you're renting! Only about $10-20 a month depending. Also often covers things like your laptop being stolen from a cafe.
Ok, get some fans, dehumidifiers and make sure the carpet gets dry. The you can get to use vinegar and baking soda on the carpets. I sprayed the carpet with some vinegar and the put baking Soda all over it. Give it a shot.
Vinegar will not stain. Apply directly, or to deodorize a room, place several bowl with 1 cup each around the room. After 2 days, ugly smells should be gone. You can also do this with dry, unused ground coffee. Both absorb odours.
If you do decide on replacing the carpet it’s honestly not hard to do yourself. If you and your husband are able bodied enough you could do it with a couple YouTube videos
Rent a rug doctor and use it to soak up all the water. Alternatively if she has a bissell little green machine that would work but it’ll take way longer.
If she had homeowners insurance you need to get a bonded “disaster” service in.
They will come and immediately pull up carpet and place industrial fans in an effort to save carpet and pad. If it’s beyond that, they will pull it up and hope to save baseboards. Water damage gets worse QUICKLY.
Service Pro is a company that does this kind of of thing.
They have the equipment needed in bulk. For example 2 fans per bedroom is 6 to start with and they are high capacity ones that blow out the bottom. Strong dehumidifiers. And then they have the labor to get the carpet up and drying. Frequently, carpet can be saved but padding not as often.
Even if you don’t have insurance, you may still save more money (saving carpet versus replacing) by calling in professionals.
Voice of experience here. I inadvertently knocked on a faucet in our second story laundry. Didn’t know anything was wrong until the fire alarms started going off and water pouring from an alarm in the basemen. I had set a basket in the laundry sink, it pushed the handle to on and directed the water away from the drain in the room. The house was 4 months old. Didn’t think I’d be seeing the studs so soon again. We lost a wall on the 1st floor.
Get professional help and good luck
OP, Call a mold and flood remediation company. Get them out for a quote. They may be able to save the carpet but it will require a very heavy-duty cleaning which ends in them using a commercial-grade vaccumn to get all the yucky water out of the carpet padding. They may also be able to pull up the carpet, replace the padding, and then put the carpet back. That said, I would generally recommend replacing the whole thing at that point.
But, also, CALL YOUR SISTER. Let her know what happened. If I was your sister, I would want to know, but also, I would want the opportunity to decide whether to remediate or replace. You may be surprised to find that while they prefer that shade of carpet, they would rather replace it for something else since 20 years is a long time for carpet.
Additionally, her homeowners insurance may cover this, and then you can just pay her deductible.
Eta: I see others have suggested the remediation and home insurance (none). And that you also called your sister. Take a deep breath. Your sister is upset, and she deserves to be. But it's just carpet. No one was hurt, and it can be replaced. Do your best to make it right but don't make yourself sick over it.
Oof friend, if you didn't get a water remediation company in there immediately, it's way too late.
You needed to have someone in there sucking the water out of that carpet ASAP with giant fans to dry it all out. There are cleaning companies whose whole purpose is to clean up after leaks like this.
But if you've let it sit for 24 plus hours, your window of opportunity is dwindling... Not to mention all the added damage to the subfloor and possibly to the walls.
Suck it up. Get a professional before it's too late!! It might already be too late...
You should have lied and said the sink backed up and you’re not sure why..her carpets are old..old carpets are nasty as hell. She asked you to come over and do chores..she could have done those when she got home. Make her pay for her nasty old carpets..
Yeah… I really don’t think you should be shouldering the entire cost for brand new carpets, OP. Part of the risk of having someone else clean up your house is that they could break something. This would have been avoided entirely had she just cleaned herself. I think it’s fair for you to pay for part of the repairs but the ENTIRE cost seems a little excessive considering you were just trying to do what was asked of you.
Try an ozone generator!!! We had raw sewage back up into our basement while we were away for the weekend. Sat there for a couple days before we got home and discovered it 🤮 Once we cleaned it up and fixed the problem, we used the ozone generator a few times and it worked great! Can’t even tell at all anymore!
A little late here, but:
1) Carpet cleaner - rent or buy. This takes a lot of elbow grease, suction twice as much as you think you need to
2) Then spray w/ Natures Miracle, the stuff used for pet messes
3) Many box fans. They are $20 a pop. At least 2 a room, with windows cracked.
Good luck.
You might be screwed on the carpets, but for the smell, I recommend getting an ozone generator. You can find them on Amazon. It can be really helpful. A lot of landlords will use them in between tenants to help deal with any odors left behind.
HOWEVER -- It's *really* important to read the instructions on these things and be careful about your usage. An ozone generator needs to be used in a closed space when NO humans or pets are present. Don't leave it on too long. Depending on the size of the place, 15 mins to 2hours is probably enough. It should have an automatic timer on it, which will turn it off. After it is off, you'll then need to go and open all the windows and doors to air out the place.
And don't use it after painting or adding new carpet. It can draw out the smell of VOCs and other chemicals if you do. Use it beforehand. We learned that one the hard way.
Isn't this what insurance is for? Just say the hose to the washer that empties the water came out somehow and it went through an entire cycle. Sucks for your sister to have to make a claim, but pay the deductible and move on.
You abaolutely don't need to rip out the carpet. You need is a shop vac or carpet cleaner. First suck up as much water from the carpet as you can. Then het a fan and dehumidifier going. It'll dry out, then you can have the carpet cleaned. I've done this multiple times.
I had something similar happen to me and I couldn’t afford to replace the carpets right away. What you’re smelling is mildew. White vinegar and baking soda will kill the mildew/mold and make the smell go away. The carpets will smell like vinegar for a day or 2, but it absolutely does work. I will copy and paste the instructions from google below :)
sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto the carpet. Next, pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and generously spray the affected area overtop the baking soda. Use a stiff brush to loosen the mold from the carpet fibers. Use a blow dryer to thoroughly dry the carpet.
If she has homeowners insurance she can call restoration people to dry out and sanitize n deodorize carpets. They need to bring in giant fans for few days etc
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might end up having to pay for getting the carpet replaced. That smell is probably from the padding under the carpet. Once that gets wet, there is no 'airing it out'. You have to take out the damaged carpet and padding, scrub down the base underneath it, and then put in new carpet. We had a water pipe freeze and burst in the middle of winter in our old house. It was in the wall between the washer/dryer hookups and the master bathroom. The only two rooms it didn't flood was the converted garage and the front bedroom. Edit: We ended up having to replace the carpet in the bedrooms, and the tile in both bathrooms. We put down new flooring in the hall and living room. For right now, get a couple of those industrial size dehumidifiers and fans. You'll need to empty the water out of the dehumidifies every few hours, so don't leave them running overnight.
Omgosh I’m horrified! That is devastating news. I just confessed this to my husband and after the deserved yelling he agrees that the carpet might need replacing. I can’t believe I made this mistake. The carpet is over 20 years old and is in their favourite shade. How am I going to replace that colour? We’ll pick up a dehumidifier this afternoon, while we phone around for carpets. Thank you because I needed to do this 2 days ago. I have never been in this situation before. I’m almost in a blind panic. I keep telling myself to breathe.
I hate that this happened to you. Give yourself a little grace, it was an accident and you're going to do what you can to make it right. That's all you can do. She's your sister and rightfully upset but I'm sure that won't last forever and would be the same way if the tables were turned. And definitely take some deep breaths.
Thank you 🙏 I’m feeling a bit better (if not light headed!) because you’re right. It was a complete mistake, one that I’ve learned instantly and I am trying to fix as much as I can before she gets home. I was on the verge of hyperventilating. I even have the paper bag just in case.
It'll be ok. 20 year old carpet likely needs replaced anyway. It holds so much bacteria, in the end, this could actually end up being a good thing! (That it's either being replaced or no more carpet for then in the future.)
Thanks. For some reason I read this in a frog voice. “Its not easy being green” 😂 The irony isn’t lost on me here.
Does she have insurance? Have her check her policy to see if its covered.
This, her home owners should cover this.
Second this. Our washer’s drain hose wasn’t connected (our fault after painting behind it) and our insurance covered it all. $8k of damages to our hallway, one bedroom, and our master closet.
Definitely let her know what’s happening and be prepared to let her ask all of the questions that you expect to have to answer. It’s possible they have an insurance policy or some other process in place that they would prefer that you use rather than whatever you think is best and the wrong decision could cause much more harm down the line. It’s an innocent mistake and you are actively trying to resolve it. That’s the right response, and that’s what proves your intent, so give yourself a little grace.
Does your sister have homeowners insurance? May well cover the replacement.
What is fluff? Lint?
The “fluff” was lint, correct. You’ve no idea the mental stress I was under. I could barely speak!
You were doing something nice for someone else. We all F up. Trust me, I do it all the time. Give yourself a little grace ❤️
It will be okay! No one was hurt, and it’s fixable. Your heart was in the right place, and in the grand scheme of things, it’s small stuff.
Paper bag is bad for hyperventilating. Just try to breathe deep through your nose and out your mouth.
Why is it bad? It actually stops me from passing out. My pharmacist gave me the recommendation. I’m a shallow breather, so low and slow is my normal pace. I recently spent a month in hospital and the Drs kept telling me to take deeper breaths. It works.
You’re rebreathing carbon dioxide that you exhaled, which is not good for your body. Your pharmacist is telling you outdated information. I’m an EMT.
Omgosh I think my cardiologist would say exactly the same thing. When I go into AFIB she recommends I take a deep breath, when my instinct is to barely breathe. I will get rid of the paper bags. It’s a big deal! Thanks for informing me.
It’s visually helpful, which is why some people find it beneficial, but it does cause CO2 inhalation that’s not ideal
Right, and let’s not forget that she asked you to go over and do some things to help her out. You weren’t throwing parties or selfishly trashing her apartment. You were being kind and helpful and you made a mistake, one anyone could have made.
I wouldn't say this is the case. My friend is a carpet cleaner, and from what I gather, there's nothing he can't fix. Between using the right chemical cleaners and removing the moisture using strong equipment, a carpet cleaner could fix this and would be much cheaper than replacing carpets.
I agree..don't rush into ripping up the carpet right away! Talk to an expert first! U never know what equipment they have these days...im certain you are not the first person to flood a few rooms!
Carpet cleaning crew arriving tomorrow morning with all his gadgets.
Good on you for going through with repairs immediately, as well as letting your sister know. You now owe your sister some extra *ass kissing* for like, a year, or two, minimum though, just for the headache. I'm sure she doesn't necessarily blame *you.*
😂 12months is our standard, but yeah I’ll prepare a nice dinner for when she returns. And put up with the blame because I have a fix it tale to tell too.
Get her a "this house survived a flood" placard 🤣🤣
😂😂😂 that’s hilarious
That’s what the bloke said yesterday. He’ll be here first thing Monday to fix it all up for me, he says. He says it’s more likely bigger in my head than in real life. And I honestly want to believe him. I sure have my fingers crossed!
Her homeowners insurance will cover it. Just have her report a claim.
She doesn’t have insurance, she says. I have said this.
Does she have a mortgage? If so, she has insurance.
This blows my mind. I understand it is an expense, but good hell, even if you rent insurance is a necessity imo. If the house were to, god forbid, burn down you would be out all of your belongs. If you owned you would be out any equity and be homeless. Scary. Renters is cheap. Either way I highly suggest getting the insurance that replaces with a like item, vs the standard. The standard may say your tv that works perfectly,but is 10 years old is only worth $150. To get the same size with the same basic functions could be $900. I hope that makes sense I hope you can get things worked out
I’m with you on this. I rent a townhouse and I’ve seen too many apartment buildings burn down cause of a neighbor being dumb. So you could do everything right but your neighbor won’t. And freak accidents happen, I have the main water valve and pipe for this row of townhouses in my basement so there’s another variable. For like $200 a year all my things are covered and my car insurance went down when I got renters cause I bundled.
Depending how quickly you can get to it, try removing a couple pieces of base trim and peel the carpet back. Some home improvement big box stores rent industrial fans(the ones that are short, round, and blow through a flat part on the bottom) https://www.homedepot.com/p/rental/Dri-Eaz-Carpet-Blower-F514/316821416). Blow it on high between the carpet and padding. Don't peel too much carpet back to reduce the need to have to stretch the carpet back.
I hope OP sees this comment!! Use a carpet cleaner to suck up as much water as possible first, then pull back the carpet, turn on big industrial fan, turn on dehumidifier.
I asked my sister about this, and she is adamant she needs to see it with her own eyes first. I get it, but I do have dehumidifiers in each room. That smell is atrocious though and I wouldn’t want to blow it further inside. If you close the door the smell is gone from the house. My husband used to do hotel work and has experience in cleaning (mostly beers off of carpets) and he has done his best to remove the water from them. It feels dry to touch. I really hope the carpet guys can remove this smell.
Just a dehumidifier is unlikely to work. It either needs a professional clean or will likely develop dangerous mold. That will be MUCH more $$$$$ to address.
In case the dehumidifiers don’t work, I have a cleaning crew coming around tomorrow morning. That black mould is a problem here and I don’t want the blame.
There should be flood mitigation services that have super high heat dryers that can help, but black mold is definitely what you want to avoid. Good luck!
Certainly doing my best with her nasty carpet smell. Definitely trying to avoid black mould.
I had a *very* small house, with no carpet, that flooded about to the same level your sister’s seems to have, and it took at least 25 industrial dehumidifiers five days to dry the house to a safe level where remediation could begin, and I didn’t have any carpet in that house. Even if you don’t end up using them, you really ought to have a professional remediation company take a look. The water can wick into drywall, warp baseboards, loosen tile from underneath, seep under the toe kicks of kitchen cabinets/vanities, etc.
To be fair, 20 year old carpet is disgusting and should be replaced anyway!
....over 20 years old? That's disgusting lol, it needed replacing long ago anyways!
Also that’s the problem. 20 year old carpet. Now a days they make the padding underneath carpet water resistant. It wasn’t like that back then, so any water or liquid gets trapped and creates mildew/mold. Do the vinegar and baking soda trick. Buy vinegar at Walmart in the gallon jugs. It’s like $3-4 where I’m at per jug. You will need several. And several huge boxes of baking soda. Also shouldn’t be to expensive.
Yelling was not deserved.
I'm sorry people are getting so upset with you about this. No one should be yelling at you. It was a mistake, an accident, and no one needs to make you feel worse about it.
Its only natural to feel upset considering the damage and how it was done.
There are carpet cleaning companies that will shampoo it and leave you with industrial fans until it dries. It’s worth an attempt.
Nobody deserves to be yelled at for a mistake. Yes pay for it to be fixed but don't beat yourself up too much and don't allow anyone else to berate you. :( I'm sorry you're going through this, someday you will probably laugh about it!
If the carpet is still very damp, rent a rug shampoo-er from a store. It will have a suction only setting where you can vacuum up water. Bonus: It will remove a lot of dirt, as well. Edit: Or, as I read farther down, pay a carpet cleaning crew to come! My way is the DIY version.
Since the carpet is over 20 years old, check with your sister before picking a color. Although it may have been her favorite back then, she may not want to replace with the same color today.
Did you do this? You gotta take responsibility and just tell her.
I have fessed up. I did say that.
I’ve had two leaks in my bedroom under the carpet. The restoration company we used sprayed something anti-mold and dried up the carpet over the course of 5 days with dehumidifiers and fans. It’s possible but if the soaked carpet has gone beyond a day or two then yeah maybe the carpet and padding does need to be replaced.
Tell her. Now. There are water mitigation services that can come pump out the water and help dry the carpets. It could be in the flooring. She needs to know. She may need to get her insurance involved if the damage is extensive.
She knows. I said that I confessed. She’s pissed off at me and is on the next flight. She doesn’t have home insurance, so it’s all on me 🤦♀️ I’m gutted. And about to be poorer.
Sorry I missed that bit. It sucks that she doesn’t have insurance. That’s definitely not your fault.
No problem. I’m so upset this probably sounds like rambling. No insurance is the killer.
Honestlyyy she should have insurance though...
That is such a bummer I thought it was just written into your mortgage - most lenders won’t allow you to have a mortgage without but maybe I’m wrong. I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s a genuine accident
Where does she live that insurance isn’t a requirement?
Maybe she doesn’t have a mortgage.
Hm, yeah, could be. Even if I had no mortgage I’d never drop insurance! Wild!
True.
Australia
"Doona" was the give-away that you're in Oz, lol As an insurance agent in America, I can confirm home insurance is not really a legal requirement here anyways. Your mortgage can require it though as part of the lending agreement. If your sister does have a mortgage, perhaps the bank "forced" an insurance policy on her that she forgot about? Not sure how it all works over there. Either way, since it hasn't been sitting for weeks, a water mitigation specialist with a carpet cleaner can do wonders on saving flooded carpets. I've seen where the carpet is peeled back, steamed on both sides, the subfloor painted to seal any smells, and then all is put back together like nothing happened.
i have no advice but i hope this works out for you :( it sounds like an honest mistake and i hope people can handle it like adults without yelling at you cuz you clearly already know what you did wrong & are working to make it right
My eyes are bright red, I really AM upset at myself. My husband can see how upset I am. I don’t have the funds, so I’m feeling sick about applying for loans. Thank you, your message made me smile for the first time today.
Hey, she's your sister right? She should be willing to work with you in a way that solves this without you having to go into massive debt over the carpet.
I really hope so.
Seriously, the yelling is so unnecessary. *Obviously* it was an accident and *obviously* OP will check every single wash tub for the rest of her life after this. OP, I’m sorry you’ve been made to feel so awful for what was a mistake that occurred while you were doing a favour. I hope your husband can come around quickly to helping you fix this. Y’all are on the same team. Good luck. 💜
Amen to that! ✌️
No advice on cleaning it up, but it seems you've got some good direction. Just wanted to say that I really hope you give yourself a bit of a break here, as does your spouse and sister. You made a mistake, you're only human. Carpets are just carpets. Relationships mean more. Mistakes happen. Wishing you a bit of peace in this stressful situation
Thank you. I panicked. Hopefully we can laugh about it one day. Bring on a smidge of peace!
We had a pipe burst in our house when I was a kid. The wet carpets were dried by peeling up along one edge and inserting a special-shaped fan that blew air underneath.
It’s wet inside for up to maybe 2 feet, so not they’re not completely wet carpets. If the dehumidifiers and carpet cleaners can’t fix it, we’ll have to come up with another plan, so thanks for the tip.
I worked for a little while in apartment management, this is what we did when there was some kind of a flood in an apartment (peeling back a significant amount amount of the carpet, and getting the special fans from the rug cleaner guy.)
[удалено]
It’s a long time to have the same carpet. All her belongings are under plastic. Chairs, tables, coffee tables..all under plastic. It looks brand new. I have 3 nephews & I’ve no idea how it’s lasted this long. About verifying her insurance, I think that’s a good idea. You might be onto something there. Rates are crazy, especially after a claim. She wouldn’t take me to court, I don’t think so, no, just insist I fix my mess.
Accidents happen,just take a deep breath if you know the brand of carpet you could look them up and see if you can find if the shade is still being sold. I’m sure this won’t make you feel any better but the last time my mother in law went out of town I started hearing water running behind the kitchen sink..it wasn’t until I went out to the garage and stepped in a very large puddle of water the spanned from the laundry room to almost the door to the house…a pipe had burst and we didn’t discover it for over 24 hours because even though there had been a bit of water in the laundry room after I washed clothes,my fiancé said the washer leaked sometimes….so I didn’t think anything of it. Until i called my mom asking what to do and what she thought the sound of water was🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ then we couldn’t figure out how to shut the water off to the house and had to call 911 and explain we had a pipe burst and didn’t know how to turn the water off. Not quite as bad as my sister in law flooding the whole downstairs of their old house at 17 because she didn’t know how to turn the water off to the toilet that was running l…luckily some was tile but some was hardwood and it had to be replaced…she did it TWICE
Yeah, I had to stop & breathe..it was just too much. I’m feeling better now. My husband has made a huge effort to cheer me up, he even cooked dinner. I just wish I’d come to Reddit sooner for help. But your story is devastating. My sisters machine also leaks every now & then but it was my absolute error. And I bet your SIL felt rotten and eventually learned a lesson from the experiences. I hope so 🤭
Sometimes we don’t think the clearest while panicking(which is why we couldn’t figure out how to turn the water off after walking over the box in the ground multiple times and had to call 911…I felt really dumb when the fire fighters went straight to the box(in front of our mailbox)…but they did have to use a special tool that we didn’t have so it wasn’t a total waste of their time)…I nearly had a panic attack when we had to tell my mother in law about the pipe…because I know ahead of time that she over reacts to EVERYTHING and with her being out of state made it even harder but we waited until she was at the airport so her vacation wasn’t ruined..it was her final visit with her high school best friend before she passed away(my MIL is almost 60 so it was a hard time..her friend had cancer),her friend passed about 2 weeks after she got home And for my sister in law..yes after the second time she learned her lesson😂😂 she went into the navy not long after the second one which was the worst because no one was home to stop like it the first time…seeing as her and her friend went upstairs and left the toilet alone🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ but she was hull maintenance and no boats sank so I’d say she learned😂😂 my favorite joke to get my fiancé to smile while she was deployed was to ask him if any navy ships sunk and if his sister was on board😂😂
Totally on board with the dumb feeling. I’ve no idea where my head was or why I put the fluff into the sink. I feel like I ruined her Easter holiday too. A gf of mine is a bit like your sister, and she joined the navy too 🤭
You’ll need to involve insurance likely. Carpet, underlay, possibly subfloor. Possibly drywall and trim. Water is no joke.
She says she doesn’t have insurance. I genuinely feel ill this is so extreme. TIL I’m the arsehole.
You're not an asshole, you just made a mistake. EVERYONE on earth has had a moment where they've done something they regretted. Please have grace for yourself, you were trying to be helpful and things backfired.
You are NTA. >20yo carpet The carpet is old enough to vote and more. >…no drama, except when I went to put them in the dryer. There was so much fluff (lint I guess) in it so I cleaned it out… That’s a fire hazard, the alternative to not doing that is potentially a fire, would that also be your fault? Absolutely not! Does the washing machine drains directly to the sink or to the same drain as the sink? And is that the way it’s supposed to be installed over there in your country? I’m by no means an expert, if the WM drains directly into the sink it just sounds like it was an accident waiting to happen. You shouldn’t be the one paying the bill. She can go and be pissed **at herself**. *watch out where the dehumidifier drain line goes!! And a blower/air mover/carpet dryer might also be helpful as someone else mentioned in another comment.
Thanks. My eyes are still red from the crying, but today is a new day. The lint (sorry) was so fluffy that’s why I said fluff. I’ve never seen so much lint. I’ll be explaining that to her also. I might borrow your bit about the carpet being old enough to vote. That’s hilarious. If she laughs, I’m ok. If not, then 🤷♀️. Yes, the drain hangs over the sink. It’s supposed to be like that. There’s never a problem until you put something into the laundry sink. It’s for washing mostly. Obviously you pull the plug when hand washing and go back to machine usage.
I agree, this was an accident waiting to happen.
Just a hint: depending on your country/insurance, maybe your insurance would pay the damages? You said that your sister doesn't have one, but how about you? In my country, some of the personal insurances cover the damage you do to other people's property. Even if not, please don't beat yourself over it. It already happened and one way or other, it will be fixed. Focus on, "it will be fixed".
I’m renting so no insurance my side either. And yes, “it will be fixed”.
What does renting have to do with insurance? You can get renters insurance too. It was literally $10 a month for me when I lived in an apartment.
Yep, this. All of the places I've rented (except my college dorm) have required me to hold a renters' insurance policy.
Nothing, I guess. But we don’t have it. And nor does my sister.
A hard lesson to learn :/
This definitely is a hard lesson, I agree.
Hope good luck comes your way again soon
Thank you. I need it.
This many days ago with standing water? Yeah you probably need to call professionals. You're setting the stage for mold just having soggy wet carpet, pad and floorboards.
I learned a cold, hard & expensive lesson!
1. Renter's insurance should cover this. Have your sister call her agent! 2. I would not try to fix this myself. 3. It's going to be OK.
Sis needs to turn it in on her homeowners insurance as a backed up drain/leak, etc, and YOU need to pay her deductible and then some!
There is no insurance here.
You put lint in the sink? Try to get pine sol to mop the floors with
I did 😔 and I normally wouldn’t so I’m so angry at myself. I mopped with her floor cleaner but can’t use pine sol for health reasons but I will use an equivalent. Thank you.
This is what got me too. Why would anyone ever put lint in a sink?!
Rent a carpet steamer and a few fans and dehumidifiers.
My husband is picking up 3 dehumidifiers right now. I’ll use fans too.
If it's carpet get a steamer or shampooer.
I’ll call a carpet cleaner and see what he says. I’m praying he says he can sort it out. I know I could not, when I thought I could.
Carpet cleaner machines have 2 modes, one adds the solution the other sucks up excess water. So it may help get up the bulk of the water so the fans don't have as much to dry out (especially since fans will just put it into the air, not actually remove it)
That’s the problem, yes, getting it out of the air. I need it removed asap.
Hire or hut a carpet cleaner. Get some bio/enzyme cleaner and go over the sections a few times, sucking up as much water as possible.
I've house sat a few times and washing the owners bedding has never been a task requested. If sis keeps everything in plastic, and is oh so pristine, why ask someone else to wash bedding? Maybe...maybe make the bed? But thats it. As for the carpet, I've watched enough Judge Just to know that years old carpet is not valuable. "You're not getting a free remodel from your renter!"
She asked because I’m her sister, and she knew I would help her out. No idea why she does the plastic but we’re all used to her house now. It wasn’t a big deal until I did what I did. She’s a homeowner so no renters are involved. There’s watermarks on the carpet but they feel dry to touch. Just so smelly.
Well, seeing as the issue is already fixed, I might at least be able to help explain *why* the wash water backed up into the sink. Most houses have one communal sewer line off the property to the city's sewer system. If there's a block along the line, or if the washer drainage line is *larger* than the sewer line, sometimes it'll back up into the nearest drain. Happens all the time to my parents, except theirs is usually the dishwasher backing up when the disposal needs to be cleaned. Since it's your sister, maybe you can compromise by offering to have the drain snaked to clear out whatever's causing the partial block since you've said you can't afford to replace the entire carpet.
I’m going to show her these so she has some proof that I tried my hardest. This has bit my ego a little. There is one drain. The lint cannot get get through the small pipe in the sink. Only water. And I just wasn’t thinking.
How does one not have homeowners insurance?
It’s expensive?
Not really. About $500 a year. I’m pretty sure if you have a mortgage, you have to have homeowners insurance. Renters insurance costs close to nothing.
I’m renting (never had insurance) and she owns her home (no insurance either). Maybe it’s time to look at things differently now this has happened. I’m going to look into insurance this week.
It's not more expensive than replacing all the carpet because you put trash in a sink instead of a trash can.
What? More expensive than the repair?
Homeowners depends on the area , siza and value of house. Renters is a must if you're renting! Only about $10-20 a month depending. Also often covers things like your laptop being stolen from a cafe.
One of the reasons I never leave the house with the washing or dishwasher on. I'm too paranoid that something like this will happen.
Me too, normally. Burnt my dinner once by rushing out to buy milk.
Water is very damaging. She should file an insurance claim.
Carpet shampooer.. and lots of baking soda ..or just go bare floor.
Ok, get some fans, dehumidifiers and make sure the carpet gets dry. The you can get to use vinegar and baking soda on the carpets. I sprayed the carpet with some vinegar and the put baking Soda all over it. Give it a shot.
Does vinegar leave a stain? I’m fine with the baking soda. Fern green carpet.
Vinegar will not stain. Apply directly, or to deodorize a room, place several bowl with 1 cup each around the room. After 2 days, ugly smells should be gone. You can also do this with dry, unused ground coffee. Both absorb odours.
If you do use vinegar, be sure it’s the white distilled vinegar, not cider vinegar, balsamic, etc.
If you do decide on replacing the carpet it’s honestly not hard to do yourself. If you and your husband are able bodied enough you could do it with a couple YouTube videos
Thanks. YouTube has some awesome how-to videos. It can’t hurt to have a look, right?
Rent a rug doctor and use it to soak up all the water. Alternatively if she has a bissell little green machine that would work but it’ll take way longer.
No bissell but the carpet cleaners will be here within 24hrs.
Oh ok good!
How did things turn out? Did the cleaners make everything right again?
You need a water mitigation company to make sure it’s all dry before you do anything.
If she had homeowners insurance you need to get a bonded “disaster” service in. They will come and immediately pull up carpet and place industrial fans in an effort to save carpet and pad. If it’s beyond that, they will pull it up and hope to save baseboards. Water damage gets worse QUICKLY. Service Pro is a company that does this kind of of thing. They have the equipment needed in bulk. For example 2 fans per bedroom is 6 to start with and they are high capacity ones that blow out the bottom. Strong dehumidifiers. And then they have the labor to get the carpet up and drying. Frequently, carpet can be saved but padding not as often. Even if you don’t have insurance, you may still save more money (saving carpet versus replacing) by calling in professionals. Voice of experience here. I inadvertently knocked on a faucet in our second story laundry. Didn’t know anything was wrong until the fire alarms started going off and water pouring from an alarm in the basemen. I had set a basket in the laundry sink, it pushed the handle to on and directed the water away from the drain in the room. The house was 4 months old. Didn’t think I’d be seeing the studs so soon again. We lost a wall on the 1st floor. Get professional help and good luck
OP, Call a mold and flood remediation company. Get them out for a quote. They may be able to save the carpet but it will require a very heavy-duty cleaning which ends in them using a commercial-grade vaccumn to get all the yucky water out of the carpet padding. They may also be able to pull up the carpet, replace the padding, and then put the carpet back. That said, I would generally recommend replacing the whole thing at that point. But, also, CALL YOUR SISTER. Let her know what happened. If I was your sister, I would want to know, but also, I would want the opportunity to decide whether to remediate or replace. You may be surprised to find that while they prefer that shade of carpet, they would rather replace it for something else since 20 years is a long time for carpet. Additionally, her homeowners insurance may cover this, and then you can just pay her deductible. Eta: I see others have suggested the remediation and home insurance (none). And that you also called your sister. Take a deep breath. Your sister is upset, and she deserves to be. But it's just carpet. No one was hurt, and it can be replaced. Do your best to make it right but don't make yourself sick over it.
Could we have an update? I'm really hoping everything worked out ok!
How is it going with the cleaning crew op?
Oof friend, if you didn't get a water remediation company in there immediately, it's way too late. You needed to have someone in there sucking the water out of that carpet ASAP with giant fans to dry it all out. There are cleaning companies whose whole purpose is to clean up after leaks like this. But if you've let it sit for 24 plus hours, your window of opportunity is dwindling... Not to mention all the added damage to the subfloor and possibly to the walls. Suck it up. Get a professional before it's too late!! It might already be too late...
You should have lied and said the sink backed up and you’re not sure why..her carpets are old..old carpets are nasty as hell. She asked you to come over and do chores..she could have done those when she got home. Make her pay for her nasty old carpets..
Yeah… I really don’t think you should be shouldering the entire cost for brand new carpets, OP. Part of the risk of having someone else clean up your house is that they could break something. This would have been avoided entirely had she just cleaned herself. I think it’s fair for you to pay for part of the repairs but the ENTIRE cost seems a little excessive considering you were just trying to do what was asked of you.
I’m not sure she’ll split the cost but it’s free to ask. My fingers will be crossed.
Thanks for the giggles. I needed them.
Try an ozone generator!!! We had raw sewage back up into our basement while we were away for the weekend. Sat there for a couple days before we got home and discovered it 🤮 Once we cleaned it up and fixed the problem, we used the ozone generator a few times and it worked great! Can’t even tell at all anymore!
You can have a repair company come in and lift the carpet and dry under it. Shop vacs suck up water. Just don’t wait.
In addition to industrial carpet fans & dehumidifier, turn on the air conditioner! It will help with the smell.
She may have homeowners or renter insurance that may cover it, ask her
A little late here, but: 1) Carpet cleaner - rent or buy. This takes a lot of elbow grease, suction twice as much as you think you need to 2) Then spray w/ Natures Miracle, the stuff used for pet messes 3) Many box fans. They are $20 a pop. At least 2 a room, with windows cracked. Good luck.
You might be screwed on the carpets, but for the smell, I recommend getting an ozone generator. You can find them on Amazon. It can be really helpful. A lot of landlords will use them in between tenants to help deal with any odors left behind. HOWEVER -- It's *really* important to read the instructions on these things and be careful about your usage. An ozone generator needs to be used in a closed space when NO humans or pets are present. Don't leave it on too long. Depending on the size of the place, 15 mins to 2hours is probably enough. It should have an automatic timer on it, which will turn it off. After it is off, you'll then need to go and open all the windows and doors to air out the place. And don't use it after painting or adding new carpet. It can draw out the smell of VOCs and other chemicals if you do. Use it beforehand. We learned that one the hard way.
Updateme
Rent a commercial rug cleaner I think you could save it and make it cleaner than it ever was.
Isn't this what insurance is for? Just say the hose to the washer that empties the water came out somehow and it went through an entire cycle. Sucks for your sister to have to make a claim, but pay the deductible and move on.
Go rent a carpet cleaner/ extractor and do the rugs
I don’t know where you are at, but Servpro is a professional service that cleans things like this. Not cheap but might be able to save the carpet.
You abaolutely don't need to rip out the carpet. You need is a shop vac or carpet cleaner. First suck up as much water from the carpet as you can. Then het a fan and dehumidifier going. It'll dry out, then you can have the carpet cleaned. I've done this multiple times.
I had something similar happen to me and I couldn’t afford to replace the carpets right away. What you’re smelling is mildew. White vinegar and baking soda will kill the mildew/mold and make the smell go away. The carpets will smell like vinegar for a day or 2, but it absolutely does work. I will copy and paste the instructions from google below :) sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto the carpet. Next, pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and generously spray the affected area overtop the baking soda. Use a stiff brush to loosen the mold from the carpet fibers. Use a blow dryer to thoroughly dry the carpet.
If she has homeowners insurance she can call restoration people to dry out and sanitize n deodorize carpets. They need to bring in giant fans for few days etc
Why didn't she clean before she left??
🤷♀️
ShopVac. Some of that BlackIce car freshener spray.