Author: Greg Hartman

If you’ve been shopping for new carpet lately you’ll notice a wide variety of terms on the back of the samples. The carpet samples list everything from stain resistance, to texture retention, to soil resistance and more. What’s the difference between them all? Many people assume that soil protection is the same as stain protection. It’s not.

A stain is the result of a liquid or substance that has been spilled onto your carpet. A stain protection warranty protects you in the event that these substances permanently take hold. Using the carpet cleaning methods recommended by the manufacturer, these types of stains should come up with little effort.

Typical items not covered by stain protection warranties are mustard, cool-aide, coffee, red wine, bleach, and body fluids. If you spill something onto your carpet that’s covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, it should come up. If not, while the carpet is under warranty the manufacturer should take care of the stain for you.

Soil protection is something entirely different. Carpet cleans your shoes. Did you just return from the local pool hall? Did you visit the urinal? Then you just brought back some of the pool hall with you in the form of soil on the bottom of your shoes. Walk across your carpet while wearing your shoes and it’s now embedded in the floor.

Soil is anything that accumulates on the bottom of your shoes. It can be sand, grime, dirt, just about anything that can stick to your shoe. When you walk across carpet with your shoes on, this soil is brushed off into the carpet. Remember that carpet is really good at cleaning shoes.

This conglomerate of grossness known as soil tends to sink to the roots of your carpet. At the roots, soil is abrasive and destructive. If soil is allowed to accumulate for long periods of time, it acts almost like sandpaper breaking down the fibers of your carpet.

The abrasive nature of soil is why we recommend that you have your carpet steam cleaned once a year. Steam cleaning sucks the soil right out of carpet restoring its natural beauty and resiliency. It also removes oily grime that can accumulate due to everything from air pollution, to cooking fumes and grease. Failing to have your carpet professionally cleaned according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule can actually void the carpet’s warranty.

To combat the problem of soil becoming layered deep within our carpet, we place walk off mats throughout the house at every doorway leading outside. We also remove our shoes upon entering the home, placing them on the mat. If you must wear some form of foot protection, you can always wear a slipper meant to be worn in the home only.

You can read more on how to clean carpet at our website.

The Importance Of Dry Soil Removal In Carpet Cleaning
The Importance Of Dry Soil Removal In Carpet CleaningBy James C Carpet cleaning has a number of important steps that should be followed. You ne...

Should I Have Carpeting Protector Reapplied?
Should I Have Carpeting Protector Reapplied?By James C You have ordered a carpet cleaning from a local carpet cleaner and they are now in your ...

The Host Dry Carpet Cleaning Process
The Host Dry Carpet Cleaning ProcessBy James C If you are looking into carpet cleaning you might have run across the Host Dry Carpet Cleaning p...

Scotchgard Can Provide Protection for Carpets and Furniture
Scotchgard Can Provide Protection for Carpets and FurnitureBy: Jim Thornton Other than your home one of the largest investments you will make are on t...

Can Carpet Spotters Damage Your Carpet?
Can Carpet Spotters Damage Your Carpet? By James C Carpet spot cleaners are very popular. You will find a great variety to choose from at a grocer...

About the Author:

Greg is a carpet cleaning guru at how-to-clean-carpet.com

Share This