9 Tips to Get a Cleaner Carpet This Winter Season

Although a professional carpet cleaning appointment is typically the best way to go, the average homeowner needs more than a few ways to keep their floors clean during the frosty winter months. Family members track in wet slush, leaves blow in the front door, and everything is just a little bit harder to keep tidy when autumn ends.

To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of nine ways you can approach carpet cleaning in your home this winter. These tips will keep your floors more sanitary and stain-free, even when you’re overwhelmed by holiday to-dos and guests.

Make Use of Outdoor Mats and Rugs

Rugs and mats don’t just serve aesthetic purposes – they protect your floors from dirt and damage. Keeping an entryway mat in place prevents water and other substances from working their way into your carpet fibers.

Try to keep maps for feet wiping near each entrance and exit of your house. You’ll find that this is a simple way to cut down on the need for carpet cleaning services and continual vacuuming.

Have Everyone Remove Their Shoes at the Door

An easy solution to always dirty floors: ask people not to wear their outdoor shoes inside. A study conducted in 2019 found that people who wore outside shoes inside brought in far more bacteria – and the fecal matter appeared in 96 percent of the outdoor shoes studied!

Consider placing a sign at your entrances requesting that visitors take off their shoes. You can even provide a little rack where shoes can dry and stay away from your clean floors. A large chunk of people walk on the carpet with dirty shoes, so it may take some gentle reminders to get your visitors in the habit of going barefoot.

Wipe off Your Pets

Having a family pet instantly ups your cleaning requirements. From upholstery cleaning to daily sweeping and vacuuming, it takes a lot to tidy up after your pet.

To minimize the carpet damage caused by cats and dogs, we recommend wiping and drying their feet after they’ve been outside – especially in muddy/dirty conditions. The CDC states that dogs can bring in various germs that result in severe human illnesses, so cleaning your pets regularly is an integral part of any sanitation process.

Address Spills and Spots Quickly

At some point this winter, someone will spill a glass of red wine or something equally terrible on your beautiful carpets. Know that the longer a stain sits on the carpet, the more it will settle and potentially become permanent. Make a habit of immediately cleaning any discolorations, spills, spots, or other problems you see.

Consider Protective Covers for Some Areas

Do you have some high-traffic areas in your home, such as carpeted entryways or halls? You may want to protect them from stains with a plastic carpet cover – especially during the winter months when we track in more wet mud and sludge. This is also a good idea if you’re going to have many people coming and going from the area during the holidays.

Keep Porches and Patios Clean

A clean outside helps maintain a clean inside. Sweep your porches and patios, clear your steps, and keep your deck free of debris. When it snows, rains, or ices, make sure to tackle some of the dirt that builds up outside – otherwise, it will end up tracked into your house and onto your carpets.

Add Extra Mats Inside

Rugs and other floor coverings aren’t just important outside. We highly recommend keeping some mats in your carpeted indoor rooms. Sure, these will get dirty just like your carpet, but it’s often easier to deal with stains on an unattached rug rather than the carpet itself.

Runners in hallways can catch a lot of filth before it enters living rooms, family areas, or bedrooms. When they eventually get dirty, spot clean and vacuum or throw them in the washer (if appropriate).

Vacuum Frequently

According to Home Cleaning for You, we should all be vacuuming our floors at least once a week, if not twice or more. Vacuuming regularly doesn’t just help you keep a clean home. It also lowers allergy levels, removes nasty bacteria, eradicates dust mites, and prevents mold from growing. The more often you can vacuum your carpet, the better.

Remember: just because you can’t see the dirt doesn’t mean it’s not there. Vacuuming does more than suck up the prominent pollutants and debris.

Schedule a Professional Cleaning at Least Once

Lastly, we want to remind you that there are times when deep-cleaning protocols are necessary. We strongly recommend getting a professional carpet cleaning service at least once each winter. Why? Well…

• Professionals can help extend the life of your carpet by removing debris ingrained in the fibers.
• Real carpet cleaning services can tackle those “impossible” to remove stains.
• Proper cleaning helps remove potentially harmful debris and pollutants.

We’re not saying you have to work with professional carpet cleaners every month. However, it is a smart idea to schedule an appointment at least once per season – especially in the wet, dirty days of winter.

Also Read: Why Do People Have Their Carpets Professionally Cleaned?

In Conclusion

These tips are great, but sometimes, there’s no better option than a full carpet cleaning service from people who specialize in floors. When your floors seem beyond essential treatment, it’s time to research local experts who can help.

At Floors by the Shore, we offer full-home professional carpet cleaning services for as low as $249.99. We employ environmentally conscious methods that render exceptional, beautiful results. We care about the aesthetic value of your home, as well as your family’s safety and cleanliness.

Call 732-280-1984 to learn more or schedule an appointment online. We look forward to working with you and taking your home to that next level of “clean.”