Prevent mould on your carpet in a few easy steps

Mould growth on the carpet is not an uncommon occurrence. In any case, it is always bad to see it on carpets, because it is challenging to clean. To make matters worse, you would mostly find mould growth on carpet backing, where it remains concealed before you have had the chance to take actions against it.

According to carpet cleaning experts, the culprit for mould growth is moisture. However, ridding your carpet of excess moisture will only partially remedy the problem.

To prevent mould from showing in the first place, you need to follow a few proven strategies:

• Reduce the humidity indoors – humidity varies from one home to another and fluctuates thanks to a variety of different factors. What you need to know is that there is a healthy range of humidity in your home that you need to keep. For comfortable levels, you are looking at 30%, while the upper range is usually around 60%. Sometimes you will find your home doesn’t have low natural humidity levels. In this case, you will do well to use a portable dehumidifier.
• Maintain temperature – keeping the temperature low is another way to reduce mould growth in the carpet. Since high temperature is a risk factor that contributes to mould growth, you should keep home temperature no higher than 30 degrees Celsius. By installing an effective air conditioning system, you can easily remedy this problem. Besides, you will also keep humidity under control, which tackles another factor for mould in the carpet.
• Consider where you install your carpet – obviously, if you install a carpet in your basement or some other area of your home that experiences high moisture, you are going to have a problem. Another example would be the bathroom, where high humidity and water usage will quickly bring mould growth to the carpet.
• Pick your carpet padding well – solid carpet padding, for instance, rubber-slab goes a long way towards protecting the carpet from the mould. While it may cost you a bit extra, you will find the expense more than worthy. Not only does it come with anti-bacterial properties, but will save you a lot of mould troubles, especially if you live in an area with periods of high humidity.  
• Remove standing water immediately – if your carpet is ever exposed to standing water, it is going to be in trouble. If there is a leak or some spill, you should immediately clean and dry the area. You have to dry every part of the carpet – bottom and top surfaces, padding and the area underneath the carpet. You need to dry the area as fast as possible because if water stands for an extended period of time, your carpet will probably be in need of replacement.
• Be smart about cleaning – whenever you do steam carpet cleaning, make sure the carpet dries off entirely afterwards. Open all of the doors and windows to increase ventilation, or use a fan.

There is no doubt that by taking these steps, you will reduce the risk of a mould for your carpet. That will surely prolong its lifespan.

© PCCL Ltd