Carpet Cleaning and COVID 19

Carpet Cleaning With Regards to COVID-19

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new urgency to cleaning and disinfecting that simply wasn’t there before. Customers are studying CDC reports about many cleaning protocols to ensure homes and businesses are as safe and healthy as possible.

Different surfaces have different cleaning requirements. Carpet can be particularly challenging to clean even in non-pandemic times: Muddy feet trample all over it, coffee gets spilled on it, and food crumbs settle into it. Worst of all, pathogens like bacteria and viruses get trapped. While area rugs and upholstered chairs can be removed, it is simply too impractical—and expensive—for most to remove all the carpet and replace it with an easier-to-clean flooring type or have area rugs and chairs removed, cleaned, and replaced frequently.

Carpet can be part of a healthy environment with proper cleaning but keep in mind that…

The carpet cannot be disinfected but only sanitized.

Carpet Cleaning for High-Traffic Areas

Carpet Cleaning is not the same as sanitizing, and sanitizing is not the same as disinfecting. These terms are often used interchangeably, but there are some clear distinctions between them. In fact, carpets cannot be disinfected, only sanitized. The EPA only registers disinfectants for hard, non-porous surfaces. As a porous surface, carpets contain small pores or holes, that can collect dirt and germs. The good news is porous surfaces are less hospitable to viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Because viruses are trapped in the holes of the surface, they are less likely to transfer to other surfaces and therefore don’t survive for very long.

Whether sanitizing or disinfecting any surface, the first step is always to clean it. This prevents pathogens from hiding under layers of dirt and dust. When it comes to carpets, this involves removing soil and other substances, like tar or paint, before deep cleaning and sanitizing.

Schedule an appointment for carpet cleaning today by contacting Bowden Carpet Cleaners.