How dirty are my carpets?

If spills, spots, and stains were the only things we had to worry about in our carpets, we’d be set.

Truth is, it’s what you can’t see that you should be worried about. Dirty carpets are a hotbed for a variety of tiny, creepy creatures and other seriously gross specimen. Let’s examine the gross truth about what’s really creeping in your carpets.

So, why are my carpets dirty?

BUGS:

• Bed bugs can live in wooden floorboards and carpet fibers.
• Carpet made from knotted wool can house carpet beetles or “wooly bears.” They feed on woolen fabrics, clothes, and even wool/synthetic mixtures. Their stomachs convert the wool fibers into sugar turning your carpet into their delicious sugary snack.
• Bugs are often found where large, heavy furniture is located because this creates the perfect environment for larvae – dark and undisturbed.
• Warm carpet, like what you would find near a fireplace, creates the perfect place for an odd little creature called a firebrat. They are similar to silverfish – which has a long, flexible body and is able to eat almost anything giving you dirty carpets!
• Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments. They eat dead skin cells and nest in dust-collecting carpet.

ALLERGENS:

• Carcinogens from cigarettes may be ingested by household pets, children, and infants who spend a lot of time on the floor.
• Dust mites leave behind a reside that mixes with dust and becomes airborne which often results in allergies for many of us.
• Properly cleaning and maintaining carpets can greatly improve indoor air quality and as a result lower the amount of allergens in your home.

BACTERIA:

• Bacteria can live up to 4 weeks in dirty carpet.
• Several pounds of soil can accumulate in and under a carpet every year.
• A person sheds about 1.5 million skin flakes an hour as a result…finding it’s home in our carpet
• Wall-to-wall carpeting is less healthy than smaller area rugs because of their hard-to-clean endpoints for moisture, chemicals, liquids, crumbs, and other spills that provide mold, mildew, yeast, and bacteria such as e-coli.
• Stachybotrys chartarum, or house mold, grows on wet carpeting if not properly cleaned by highly trainer professionals
• Carpets can also hold about 200,000 bacteria per square inch.* (That’s a lot of dirty carpet!)

Industry experts recommend that you should have your carpets cleaned at least every 12 to 18 months. This will make sure your carpets are clean and sanitary for your family and friends to enjoy. We use our industry-preferred hot water extraction method to remove soil, bugs, and bacteria from the bottom-most layer of carpets. Our hot water extraction ensures that residue is eliminated from the surface, as well as the roots of the fibers.

About Woodard Cleaning & Restoration

Woodard Cleaning & Restoration was founded in 1946 by Earl and Nancy Woodard. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Woodard services the greater metro area (Illinois, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, St. Louis County, and many more). Woodard is proud to serve as the preferred provider for cleaning & restoration services. Our cleaning services include carpet, hard surface, furniture, and rug cleaning for both residential and commercial properties. We also provide water, fire, board-up, storm and smoke restoration services for residential and commercial clients. For information or questions submit a form online or call us at (314) 227-3932.

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*Tierno Jr., Phillip M., Ph.D. The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons of a Microbe Hunter, 2001