When you have a family and pets, your carpet is constantly taking a beating. Not only do kids and animals track in dirt and mud, but they can also create spills and accidents that can leave your flooring vulnerable to mold and mildew. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to help prevent these unsightly growths from occurring.
Keep moisture under control
A humidity level of 65 percent or lower tends to be the perfect level for maintaining a mold-free carpet.
You can lower humidity in a contained area by running a portable dehumidifier or providing airflow by leaving windows and doors open as needed. Don’t open the windows if outdoor humidity is high.
Other conditions that deliver greater amounts of moisture to the basement must be check in check, as well:
- Look outside, at the ground around the basement. The earth should be sloped away from the house to prevent groundwater and run-off from moving back toward the house.
- Gutters and downspouts need to deliver rainwater well away from the house, usually 4 or more feet.
- The gutters need to be kept clean in order to prevent overflow.
- Garden ponds or any other yard feature that collects water should be situated well away from the house. Source: TheSpruce
Maintain a regular carpet cleaning schedule
Make a habit of cleaning your carpet regularly, especially if you have pets and kids. Carpets tend to trap dust, dirt, allergens, germs while pets have spills and accidents on the carpet from time to time. Hence, it’s essential to clean the mess as soon as possible to avoid mold and other potentially serious health risks.
Studies also show that a clean carpet is highly resistant to mold growths. Dirt contains mold spores and moisture. And when mixed with your home’s humidity levels, it creates conditions conducive to mold growth.
Here how you can properly clean and maintain your carpet:
- Vacuum regularly. You should vacuum at least several times a week, but if you have pets, its best to do it every day. Vacuum slowly and make two slow passes over high-traffic areas. Also, invest in a good quality vacuum cleaner that will seek out dirt hidden within your carpet pile.
- Clean spills immediately to avoid carpet damage.
- Deep clean every six months. Vacuuming doesn’t always cut it. Deep cleaning not only improves your carpet’s look and feel but also extend its life while reducing risks of health problems. You can opt to hire professionals or do it yourself. Always pretreat stained and high-traffic areas before the deep cleaning. Source: ReadyToDIY
Invest in quality carpet padding
Padding or cushions not only add softness to your carpet and protect your flooring but also helps increase your carpet’s longevity. In fact, a test revealed that carpets without cushions tend to lose more pile height than carpets that have them. High-grade carpet padding also features moisture barriers that can deter liquid from spreading and shield subfloors from mold and mildew. However, be aware that leaks and floods can still damage carpet padding, which means damaged carpets will eventually need replacing.
Carpet padding is a pricey investment, but the protection that carpet padding can provide against mold growth is worth it in the long run. Source: HomeStratosphere
Don’t know what to do with moldy carpet? Call us! We’ll be more than happy to help.
