What’s Hiding In My Carpet

12/01/2020

What is Hiding in a Car’s Carpet or Upholstery?

The average adult spends 293 hours per year in their automobile.  Whether it’s back and forth to work, driving the kids around or taking a road trip we all rely on our cars for transportation on a daily basis.  We make sure the oil is changed, tires rotated and brakes are checked but what about the interior cleanliness and hygene?

What is the Problem With Dirty Carpets?

This question relates to the healthy environmental condition for you and your family.  During our daily activities our skin, clothes and shoes will retain and release soils and contaminants.  These can be anything from dust, dirt and hair to skin cells and viruses.  Did you know we shed around 1.6 pounds of hair and skin each year?

What Contaminants Live in Carpets?

Carpets make for a great repository for these soils and contaminants.  The problem with all carpeting is that most of the entire surface is in high traffic and this applies to vehicle carpeting, not just residential rugs.  So when you move around in the seat, shuffle your feet and get in and out of your vehicle the contaminants are released into the air to be circulated around the cabin in your heat/AC system and deposited in your carpeting.

Is Vacuuming Sufficient to Clean Carpets?

Periodic vacuuming is an effective way to minimize dirt, dust and large particles, but not the microscopic contaminants and minute dirt particles. Beside dry extraction only removes about 70% of soiling from a carpet’s pile.  Pre-treating and steam cleaning or hot water extraction will disinfect and remove remaining soluble and insoluble soiling.  If auto carpet is vacuumed regularly, disinfecting needs to only be performed 1-2 times per year.

Whats is the Issue with Stains?

Stains and spots in a vehicle’s carpet and upholstery can be another problem area. While some spots may only be an aesthetic issue, organic stains such as milk, sweat, greasy finger prints or bodily fluids cannot only create an unhealthy odor, but can become a health hazard by creating unhealthy fumes. Such spots can only be lifted using a beneficial enzyme or oxidizing agent applied properly or better accomplished by a professional.  When a “spot” turns into a stain is where it gets tricky.  A stain results from a color that permanently attaches to a fiber or material, commonly caused by a chemical change such as oxidation.  If professional cleaning leaves the discoloration still in the material this means it will need to be dyed or painted.

Why Have a Professional Clean Your Carpet?

Once your automobile carpet and upholstery is professionally cleaned and sanitized, how can you prevent it from becoming quickly soiled again in the future?  There are a variety of carpet and upholstery protectants available. Just ask an auto detailing expert, like Dangerous Curves Auto Detailing to recommend the best product to protect your car’s carpet and upholstery for the future to minimize the need for auto carpet and upholstery treatments.  In order to prevent odor causing bacterial growth just use  TiO2 or Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles known for their ability to inhibit bacterial growth and prevent future odors.  This nanoparticle is available in cleaning solutions used by professionals.

Click HERE or call 910-769-0503 to schedule your carpet cleaning today!