Drinks get spilled on it. Kids and their wet shoes run across it. Humidity inside your home. All of these things add up to one thing; the possibility of the dreaded mold problem with your carpets. If you're not careful the situation could escalate very quickly, which is not only bad for the appearance and condition of your carpets, but also for your health.
Sometimes you might not even know the mold is there before it’s too late, as it may grow well below the surface layer or even on the backing or padding of the carpet. But there are some tell-tale signs that indicate a mold problem in your carpets. We’ve done plenty of professional carpet cleaning in Arvada to know what they are, so we’re going to talk you through them below.
If you notice any of the following, you need to organize professional carpet cleaning right away. If you wait too long, carpet replacement may be the only option.
A Musty Smell
Areas that contain mold have a very particular smell that permeates from them. “Musty” is what most people use to describe it. I just think it smells disgusting! Have you noticed that the carpet in your home has started to smell in a particular area? This is the #1 indicator that you have a mold issue in your carpet. Visitors to your home will maybe pick up on it before you, because with spending so much time at home, you might have gradually become accustomed to the smell and it won’t stick out so much.
Suffering from Allergies
Has anyone in the house been having flare-ups with allergy problems? Mold is known to cause a whole host of health issues, often respiratory-related such as asthma and bronchitis. If someone's health has been suffering and there's no obvious cause, damp carpets should be investigated further, as you may have a mold issue.
Carpet is Discolored
Things will have to get pretty bad before this happens, and you’ll likely notice a mold problem through smell first. But it is possible that a mold issue that is not addressed for a period of time could end up discoloring or staining the carpet. Typically, if this happens, you'll see either green or black spots. This is more visible on lighter-colored carpets with short pile. If there is no visible discoloration, it doesn't mean there's no mold, as it could have developed on the padding or backing underneath the surface. If you suspect mold, it might be worth pulling them up to check.
Preventing Mold in Carpets
All of this may sound a bit worrying. “But I have my professional carpet cleaning done once a year. Isn’t that enough?” you might be thinking. That’s definitely one thing that you can do in the fight against carpet mold. But there are other simple steps you can take too. Here are a few ideas:
Clean Up Spills Quickly
If you knock over a drink, don’t wait for it to fully soak through your carpet before you react. Acting quickly is important, so you can get the carpet dry. A damp carpet is a haven for mold spores, so you don’t want to provide these ideal conditions.
Keep Humidity Levels Under Control
You want to keep humidity levels inside your home below 65% if at all possible. Anything higher provides those ideal conditions for mold that we just mentioned. There are a few ways in which you can do this. One of the easiest and most convenient is to use a dehumidifier. These are not particularly expensive and do a great job of extracting the moisture out of the air. If outdoor humidity is relatively low in your area (in Arvada it is fairly low), you could also leave windows open to let fresh airflow into your home and lower the humidity level.
Be Consistent With Cleaning It
Vacuuming should be done every week and a commercial carpet cleaning should be booked once or twice per year. This is just good practice, can help extend the lifespan of your carpet, but also does reduce the likelihood of carpet mold. A clean carpet is a healthy carpet, after all.
Avoid High Temperatures Inside
Just as high humidity levels can lead to mold growth, so too can high temperatures. In particular, you want to avoid temperatures in your home's interior exceeding 80 F, as conditions are likely to be more favorable for mold growth. If you do struggle with excessive heat in the summer months, an air conditioning unit can help. And a lot of air conditioners also help to control humidity levels too.
Use Rugs Strategically
If there’s an area of your home that is particularly prone to accidents, maybe because you have young children or pets, you might want to think about buying an area rug to protect that particular spot of carpeting. That way, if frequent spillages and accidents do happen, it’s not the carpet that is getting wet.
Problems with Mold? Call the Leading Arvada Carpet Cleaning Company
We have been operating for over 40 years and have seen some mold-infested carpets in our time. If you're struggling with this particular problem, leverage our experience, knowledge and commercial carpet cleaning equipment to your advantage by calling Steve's Carpet Care at (303) 530-4900. We restore dirty carpets to “nearly new”.