Carpets cleaned using the extraction method should dry in four to six hours. However, drying time can depend on a variety of issues from how soiled the carpet is to how much chemical is used in cleaning.

"Many problems can result if carpets take too long to dry," says Doug Berjer, Product Manager for CFR. "Not only are there environmental risks, but wet carpets can lead to rapid resoiling. Plus, they are disruptive, because entire areas must be blocked off for several hours."
 
However, there are ways to speed up the drying process:
1. Vacuum carpets before extraction; this can result in less water and solution needed to clean them.
2. If prespraying carpets, prespray in moderation, concentrating on problem and high-traffic areas; some carpet cleaning chemicals contain alcohol or petroleum that can cause carpets to stay wet longer.
3. In the winter, turn up the heat; in summer, turn up the air-conditioning; look for ways to keep air circulating.
4. If the room has a lot of movable contents, extract the center first and then move contents to the center of the room and extract the perimeter, placing blocks under furniture legs. Leave contents in the center of the room as long as possible to allow perimeter areas to dry.
5. The extraction hose should be the largest diameter approved for the tool and the extractor; use the shortest length possible as air flow decreases with hose length.
6. Avoid loops or bends in the hose.
7. Select wands that atomize the extraction process; this minimizes the amount of water left in the carpet.
8. Place air movers (blowers) at 45-degree angles to the floor to ensure the air blows over the carpet, not down onto the carpet.
9. Install one air mover for every 15 feet of carpet cleaned.
10. Select "low-amp" air movers to avoid power blowouts.