Winter Carpet Care

The winter months can introduce a lot of wear to carpeting — especially for those in northern and mountain states that get a lot of snow and inclement weather. Maintenance needs to include preventing damage and staining as well as regular deep cleaning to remove dirt and debris.

The first thing a facility can implement to reduce damage to carpeting is to provide proper matting in entryways. That will help to stop much of the snow, ice, salt and sand occupants trudge into a building at the door.

But protecting carpet doesn’t end there. In addition to daily sweeping and vacuuming of entryways and common areas to remove dirt, sand and salt, carpets may need extra attention because of the combination of melting snow and chemical compounds that combine and dry on carpets. An extra deep cleaning — using hot water extraction or steam cleaning, shampooing or encapsulation — of heavily trafficked areas during winter months can help restore fibers that are discolored by salt compounds and by dirty snow tracked inside. Also, ensuring carpets are dry helps prevent mold from forming — another potential problem during wet months.

Using a spot cleaner on stubborn stains on an as-needed basis should also help keep carpets looking good.