With all the information in the news about viruses and their risk to your health, doing all you can to your own home is essential to keep it a safe haven from the threats around the world. In addition to taking steps to prevent viruses from entering your home, be sure to focus on cleaning your home's floors, which can collect and contain a great deal of toxins and dirt. Here are some recommended techniques to help you pull up odors, molds, and other harmful substances from your home's flooring to keep your home interior cleaned and safe.
Thoroughly Clean Mold and Mildew From Carpets
A moisture leak may occur occasionally inside your home, and when it falls upon carpeting it becomes trapped within the layers and does not dry out easily on its own. This allows mold and mildew to grow within, under, and on top of the carpeting. Whether the carpeting is a rug or wall-to-wall, it is essential you remove the mold growth as soon as possible to prevent health issues in your home.
First, dry out the area with fans to circulate the air, then vacuum up any visible mold growth with a bag-style vacuum or shop vacuum. Dispose of the spore-filled bag in the outside trash. Next, you should treat the mold area with an antimicrobial cleaner, such as vinegar and water. Spray the solution onto the carpeting and let it sit for a couple hours before you blot it dry.
You can also use a carpet cleaner to apply and remove the vinegar solution, or talk to a professional carpet cleaner about treating the area to remove all mold spores. A carpet cleaning professional will also be able to steam clean your carpets to further help remedy the mold issues.
Remove Tough Carpet Odors
Odors within your carpet can also be a problem, which are usually due to bacteria and microbes in the carpeting. This can be caused by previous mold or mildew growth, urine, vomit, or feces in the carpets. A carpeting cleaner that contains enzymes will break down the odor-causing proteins in the stain to reduce the smell.
Treat the carpeting with an enzymatic cleaner through a carpet cleaning method, or apply a combination of odor-trapping ingredients, such as vinegar and water or baking soda powder sprinkled onto the carpeting. Be sure you let the baking soda sit overnight or at least 24 hours, then vacuum it from the carpeting.
If you are having a difficult time removing odors completely, contact your local carpet cleaning professional. They will have heavy-duty cleaners and solutions, which can clean and sanitize your carpeting and pull out odors and stains that sit deep within your carpeting fibers.