Keep Dirt Outside

Throughout the year we track various soils into our homes from outside. Pollutants from car exhaust, pollen, pet and human dander, and just plain old dirt can damage surfaces in the home. Carpet, tile, wood, upholstery and fabrics are just some of the surfaces that can be impacted. Soil control is an important part of keeping your home clean and healthy. You can control soil by limiting the entrance and buildup of contaminants inside your home. The best way to control soil inside your home is to prevent its from entering the home. Experts say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; it takes 12 times more effort, time and money to remove soil as it does to prevent it from ever entering inside a structure. It is important to keep the dirt outside.

Remember that whatever is outside tends to come in, so consider the following!

A Few Simple Tricks

Keep walkways, steps and porches clean and free of dirt, mold, moss and algae.
Maintain garage floors in order to prevent oil, road grime and other contaminants from being tracked indoors.
Place doormats both outside and inside all of the entrances to your home.
Outdoor mats should be a water resistant, synthetic, non-absorbent fiber such as olefin or polypropylene and be textured to scrape heavy soils off your shoes. Avoid natural fibers which tend to mold and rot creating a new soil source for your home.
Inside doormats should be absorbent like nylon, cotton or wool. Vacuum and wash it periodically to remove built-up soils.
Remove shoes when you come indoors, but don’t make the mistake of going barefoot all the time. The skin of our feet contains oils that attach to carpet and attract soil. Instead of going barefoot, wear clean house shoes, socks or slippers indoors.
Normal daily activities generate a variety of dust and residues that settle on just about every surface inside your home.
Vacuuming is the most effective way to maintain your carpets. 7479% of soil in carpet is dry, particulate soil that can be removed by vacuuming. You should also vacuum your upholstered furniture, drapery and blinds for the same reasons.
When you dust your furniture, do so gently, preferably with a duster attachment on your vacuum cleaner. If you use a duster, go slow and allow dust to settle for an hour or so and vacuum the floor last. Your carpet can last a long time if properly cared for.
Annual professional cleaning is recommended in most homes. Busy homes with children and pets require cleaning twice a year or more.
Don’t wait until your carpets, rugs and upholstery look dirty to have them cleaned by a professional; by the time fibers have reached a visibly soiled state they are already damaged.