What Is Filtration Soiling?

Black lines that appear around the baseboards and under doorways is called filtration soiling.

If you have light colored carpet, you may have experienced dark areas around the baseboards, under doors, and especially near the HVAC return. This soiling comes from air passing through the carpet as it is attempting to go through the edge of the carpet pile. Microscopic particles of soil are deposited there (hence the term filtration soiling). This occurs over a significant period of time and is not noticed until a significant build up has occurred.

This type of soiling is difficult to remove because the soil particles are so fine that they penetrate deep into the carpet pile, sometimes into the backing of the carpet. Can it be removed? Sometimes. With special products, time and effort, reasonable results can be achieved, although not in all cases.

To help prevent filtration soiling in the future, vacuum the edges of the carpeting on a regular basis. Then wipe the edges of the carpet with a white terry towel. Be careful around the tack-strip under the edge of the carpeting, you could nick your fingers!

You can trust that when it comes to your home that Buddy will apply all of his expertise to your job. Click here to read more about our 12 step restorative cleaning process.

How to Disinfect Your Home Yourself

Need to disinfect your home but can’t afford a professional? Here are our trusted tips for cleaning your home!

When trying to disinfect your house, the goal is to break the soil load.  First you must clean to remove the soil and then apply disinfectant, to bacteria and viruses like Covid-19.  

First step: Remove the soil load by cleaning!

  1. Engage in spring cleaning, clear clutter – Home clutter can harbor pollutants, lead to infection and result in an unhygienic space.

  2. Use soap and water on hard surfaces.

  3. Start at the top of the room and work your way down.

  4. Emphasize cleaning touch points. People are not precise when touching objects. Touch point cleaning should extend past the touch point 3-12 inches.

  5. A trigger sprayer and wipe cloth can be used for cleaning most touch points. A foam applicator allows you to see what is covered and allows the product to stay on the surface longer without drying. Always read directions for instructions on application and dwell time.

  6. Spray the cloth rather than the object. 

  7. Fold your towels into 8 squares(instead of wadding them up)  Wipe one direction at a time, left to right. Refold to a clean square and repeat.

Second step: Apply disinfectants!

  1. Look for an antimicrobial or disinfectant approved by the EPA or FDA for the purpose of surface sanitization or listed in the EPA’s “Emerging Pathogen/listN”  or that meet the requirements of the emerging pathogens procedures for enveloped viruses (the class of organism of the SARS-cov-2) applied in accordance with label directions. 

  2. Apply it in accordance with the label directions.

Where Does All that Dust and Soil Come From?

When was the last time you pulled out your favorite chair or couch? Have you looked under your bed or pulled out the dresser? Now that can be an eye opener. 

How does all that dirt get there anyway?

About 60% of dust comes from outside.  Soil, Pollen and other outdoor containments can come inside on your shoes, clothes, even your hair. The other 40% come from dust mites (the more dust you have the more dust mites you have), pet dander, dead skin, food debris, insects and insect droppings, lead, arsenic and DDT.

Hidden places dust collects in your home. A quick walk through can reveal obvious places dust collects. Dust also collects in blinds, ceiling fans, light fixtures, tops of doors, windows and cabinets, upholstery, baseboards and carpeting.

Things often look clean until you peek behind the scenes. It’s a good thing that Buddy’s Carpet Care cleans behind the scenes! Our technicians go above and beyond while cleaning your home to give you the most outstanding service experience possible.  We carefully move furniture out of the way before cleaning and return it safely when we’re done.

Click here to schedule an estimate today!

Is Carpet Making My Allergies Worse?

Did you know?

FACT: The average 6 room home collects 40 pounds of dust each year. – (Discover Magazine)

FACT: 50% of all illnesses are either caused or aggravated by polluted indoor air. (American College of Allergists)

FACT: Most people spend 60-70% of their time indoors. (American Lung Association).

In the past Doctors and Allergists have suggested that the presence of carpet has a negative effect on the allergy or asthma sufferer. However, recent studies have shown that the weight of evidence no longer supports a link between carpet, asthma and allergy symptoms.

In fact, clean, dry, well-maintained carpet actually improves indoor air quality. Researcher and toxicology expert Mitchell Sauerhoff, Ph.D., DABT, reviewed 23 U.S. and international scientific studies and concluded in “Carpet, Asthma and Allergies – Myth or Reality“, that carpet’s alleged negative characteristics are not consistent with current research. In fact, he concludes that the literature on carpet and asthma or allergies confirms that children and adults living with carpet do not have an increased incidence of asthma or allergy.

“Based on the available science, carpet does not cause asthma or allergies and does not increase the incidence or severity of asthma or allergy symptoms. In fact multiple studies have reported fewer allergy and asthma symptoms associated with carpet.”

So weather you choose carpet, tile, or hardwood floors, the important part is to have a consistent and effective cleaning plan in place. Let Buddy’s Carpet Care help you maintain your clean home by scheduling an estimate today!

Carpet Usage vs. Allergic Reactions