Carpet: Dirt Trap or A Good Choice?

Perhaps the biggest debate with the rising popularity of LVP is cleanliness. The most prominent argument claims that LVP and other hard surfaces are cleaner and more easily maintained compared to carpet that just collects all of the dust in a home.

While some of you might be traumatized by the carpets of the 70's and 80's, the truth is that it's not nearly as bad as you might imagine. With regular maintenance carpet can and does stay clean. Let’s break it down.

Vacuuming:

There's a misconception that carpet is one giant dirt trap. But what most people are seeing as dirt clogging their vacuums, is not actually coming from the fibers but from the floor underneath the pad.

That's right! Dirt trapped underneath the pad comes from not being cleaned well enough during prep, wearing down of the backing, or, more commonly, dust from house settlement.

The same thing happens with LVPs too, but it's more noticeable with carpet because vacuums are strong enough to pull the dirt up. (Also, be weary of some LVP installers, they don't clean as well because they think you won't ever notice the dirt).

Unfortunately, with the exception of improper prep work, the rest of the dirt and dust collected is unavoidable just as it would be with LVP.

One way you can avoid pulling up the subfloor dirt in addition to the dirt in the fibers is by making your vacuum level with your carpet and then raising the notches 2 levels. This is also important to do because vacuums that are too close are constantly pulling at the carpet and causing stretching over time. Setting it at the right level prevents that damage and helps your carpet last in the long run.

Spills:

Nowadays most carpets have some sort of Stain Master in the fibers. This means that any spill (besides nail polish) will come up with cold water when caught right away. For spills that need a little more help, mild dish soap and water works wonders.

If you're wondering about steam cleaning and shampooing, both are ok and can be helpful as part of a regular maintenance routine. For steam cleans, we recommend once a year max. For shampooers, they can be used more frequently as long as there isn't excessive water used.

Remember, too much water is damaging to the carpet and will cause it to break down. Poly blends are prone to expansion under water, which leads to bubbles in the carpet. Other types are prone to shrinking under water, which will cause them to pull off the tack strip.

Final Note:

The reality is that carpet isn't a dirt trap. In fact, compared to a floating floor they're collecting similar amounts of dirt underneath. With proper care it'll stay clean and safe for several years to come.