March 25th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

As house proud as we all like to think we are, we can pretty much guarantee that your home will be dirtier than you think it is. One of the prime hot spots for hidden grime and dirt is your carpet – even if you vacuum regularly.

It’s not surprising that your floor takes the biggest hit in terms of accumulating dirt, after all, it’s what we walk on and gravity means that anything we drop, spill, or shed ends up there. Not only that, but they’ll also make their way right down to the bottom of the pile, making it tough to pick up with a simple vacuum. Even worse, we’d wager there are things lurking in your shag pile that you’re unaware of and may make your skin crawl.

These are the things that you commonly find in carpets:

Dirt

Yes, an obvious one perhaps. Dirt gets brought in on shoes and that can end up in our carpets. 25% of people admit to not removing their shoes in the house and even those who are quite disciplined can be guilty of popping to the bin in our ‘indoor’ slippers and bringing dirt and debris back in. Visitors, kids, pets, and tradesmen coming in can all make this impossible to control completely.

Dirt ends up deep within the pile of the carpet and sand deposits within it will grind against the fibres when you walk on it and gradually degrade it.

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Pests

This one is really not pleasant to think about but small pests, such as fleas and mites, can live in your carpets. Not only do you have to worry about the bugs themselves; they will shed their husks and droppings which will all accumulate in the fibres.

Remember, pests like these can not only bite; they are an allergen meaning anyone with conditions such as asthma and eczema can be seriously affected.

Skin

We all shed skin all the time, in fact, we shed an average of 1.5 million skin flakes a day! It’s part of our biological process and nothing to do with how hygienic we are. Dust is primarily made of skin cells and while you may regularly dust it away from your furniture and décor, there will still be plenty of it lurking in the carpet, even after vacuuming.

It may also be exacerbating any pest issue you have as mites love to feast on skin flakes.

Food and drink

People spill, it’s only human. Crumbs, grease, drinks etc can not only look unsightly but will start to break down creating the perfect environment for mould and bacteria to develop. Obviously, these are also contaminants that make you poorly and cause damage to your home. They could even attract even bigger pests than mites and fleas, such as mice, which you really don’t want. Did you know that up to 70% of people admit to covering stains with furniture or rugs rather than dealing with them?

Poop

Sorry, but it’s true. Micro-organisms such as faeces, urine, and vomit can be found in many carpets. Predominantly, these come from pets but can also be brought in on shoes. Anyone who has ever potty trained a toddler will know how common accidents are and you may not always be aware of them happening straight away.

Hair

Pet hair and human hair, like skin, sheds all the time and they can get wrapped around the fibres of the carpet, making them quite difficult to pick up, even with the vacuum. Natural oils in hair can also make the carpet dirty.

How to clean your carpet

Now that you are aware of all the less-than-palatable things that lurk under your feet, you no doubt want to know how to get rid of them. Vacuuming regularly will help, but it’s not enough. The only way to keep these unwanted house guests at bay is to clean your carpet. You can have them cleaned professionally but this can work out quite expensive and it’s really quite easy to do yourself.

You can clean it by hand, though we’d recommend using a carpet cleaning machine. You can hire them for a weekend so there’s no need to go out and buy one (unless you want to clean your carpets every few weeks). Always use a specially formulated carpet shampoo. You can even get ones that are designed for homes with pets that will break down the enzymes in faeces and urine. Given that these substances can be brought in on shoes, it’s not a bad idea for people who don’t have pets either.

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It's also a good idea to be more disciplined with things like wiping feet at the door and removing shoes on entry, as well as dealing with spills and accidents as quickly as possible.