How to Raise Flattened Pile Carpet

Removing Dents with an Iron

Place a damp cloth over the flattened area. You can use an old cloth or towel, though a towel might be better because it is usually thicker than a cloth. Wet the cloth and wring it out so that it is damp. Then, place the cloth directly over the dent.

Turn the iron to medium heat. You can turn the iron to medium heat or a steam setting. The iron won’t remove the dent if it is too cool, but it could damage the towel and carpet if it is turned to the highest setting.

Move the iron over the cloth for 30 to 60 seconds. Move the iron over the cloth for thirty seconds to one minute. Make sure to keep the iron moving and do not let it directly touch the carpet. Keeping the iron in one spot for too long or letting it touch the carpet could leave a burn mark.

Fluff the carpet fibers with your hands. At this point, you can remove the cloth and turn off the iron. Then, fluff up the carpet with your hands to make it uniform with the rest of the carpet. The dent may be gone when you remove the cloth, but still lightly fluff the carpet so it will be fluffy as it dries. You can also gently comb or brush the carpet if it's a high pile.

Using Ice

Place an ice cube on the flattened carpet. Take an ice cube or cubes out of the refrigerator. You can use one large ice cube or several small cubes. Then, immediately place the ice cube over the dent in the carpet. Place it directly on the carpet without anything coming between the ice and the carpet.

Wait for the ice to melt. Let the ice melt on its own. Wait for a few hours or 12 hours for a very deep dent. If you’re pressed for time, you can use a blow dryer to speed up the process.

Fluff the carpet with a toothbrush. If the carpet is quite damp, you can sponge up the excess water. Then, use a toothbrush to fluff up the carpet fibers. You can also use stiff brush to scrub the pile into place.

Pat the area with a cloth. After fluffing up the carpet, use a cloth to gently rub the area. This should make the newly raised carpet appear uniform with the rest of the carpet. The carpet should be good as new again at this point.

Using a Blow Dryer

Spritz the dent with water. Fill a spray bottle with water. The water shouldn’t be very cold or very warm. Then, saturate the flattened area with water.

Blow-dry the carpet on a high setting. After you’ve sprayed the dent with water, hold a blow dryer over it. Turn the blow dryer to a high setting. You may need an extension cord if the area is not close to a socket. Blow dry the area until it begins to dry.

Fluff up the carpet with your fingers. As you are blow drying, you can begin to fluff up the carpet. Continue to fluff the up the carpet even after you turn the blow dryer off. At this point, you should be finished. If the carpet is not as raised you’d like, you can repeat the process or call in a professional.