Disinfect Carpet: Process, Frequency, and Types

Keeping your carpets clean from harmful germs and bacteria is paramount to the health and safety of all that walk on them. Whether it is your home or business, cleaning and disinfecting procedures ensure carpets are free from these agents of illness. Not only does regular cleaning give your carpet a fresh and new look, but it also provides peace of mind that you are protecting those closest to you.

In any business or home, surfaces divide into two terms; soft surfaces or hard surfaces.

Disinfectants approved by the EPA state their best use is for non-porous, hard surfaces. However, it is often softer surfaces that require disinfecting. Some chemicals claim to disinfect soft surfaces, but they sanitize instead of disinfecting.

What is the Difference between Disinfecting and Sanitizing?

Sanitizing a surface refers to removing 99.9% of the germs and bacteria that each product identifies on its labels. While this seems ideal in removing these pesky dwellers, the 0.1% that remain breed quickly, which results in an ongoing problem. Disinfecting surfaces results in 100% removal and spread of harmful germs and bacteria.

It Is Impossible to Disinfect Soft Surfaces

Surfaces such as carpets, couches, chairs, mattresses, curtains, drapes, and linens are considered soft surfaces. The porous nature of these surfaces makes it impossible to eliminate 100% of the harmful germs and bacteria that exist on them. This occurs due to the dwell time for each type of surface. Without proper dwell time, these disinfecting agents do not achieve their maximum potential.

While you may not be able to reach 100% effectiveness with disinfecting soft surfaces, soft surfaces are capable of being cleaned to safe and sanitary conditions.

Disinfecting Carpet

There are many steps on how to disinfect a carpet. Achieving the cleanliness goal for this item is necessary for a clean and healthy work or home environment. For this task, steam cleaners are an excellent choice.

Step 1:

Remove all items and furniture from the area that needs cleaning.

Step 2:

Vacuum the area extensively. Use vacuum attachments to clean baseboards and dust trim.

Step 3:

Take a spray bottle and fill it with equal parts water and vinegar.

Step 4:

Treat any carpet stains with this mixture, and let rest for 10-15 minutes

Step 5:

Use the steam cleaner on your carpet. Be sure to read all instructions for the device and follow them precisely.

Step 6:

Be sure to go slow when you use the steamer to clean the carpet. It is essential to cover the entire area.

Step 7:

Give the area ample time to dry, and be sure it is completely dry before returning furniture to the surface.