What you need to know about FILTRATION SOILING
(those awful black lines around your baseboards)
What is filtration soiling?
This phenomenon can occur in any climate, but especially in colder climates, when warm air, typically from your furnace, begins to cool and settles onto a cold surface, such as your carpet along an outside wall.
The settling air captures tiny oily particles that hang in the air, leaving them to settle on the surface of your carpet once the air has filtered through it. These particles are actually attracted to cold and hold a charge that bonds them to the fibers of your carpet, leaving behind the familiar black lines which are incredibly difficult to remove, even by a professional.
What can be done to remove the filtration discolorations?
Having a professional carpet cleaner in every 12 months or so is your best shot at improving the black stains in these areas. They will have the knowledge, tools, and proper chemistry to achieve the best result.
To help slow the process, you can vacuum and dry-wipe the baseboards along the carpet edges on a regular basis yourself. Just be careful around the tackstrip – it’s sharp!
How can I prevent filtration soiling from happening in the future?
To minimize the chance of future air filtration marks, seal any cracks in the subfloor and along the baseboards. Keep your indoor air quality clean with HEPA filters, and make your home a No Smoking zone. Also, the lighter the carpet color, the darker the filtration soiling will appear, to try to avoid choosing light carpet colors.
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