It's not about dirt: Dealing with non-soiling issues in carpet care

There are a number of issues that can impact the appearance of carpets and they aren't all about dirt. Two of these issues — apparent soiling and denting — have little to do with soil, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.

Apparent soiling means that the carpet only appears soiled.  But just because this is not real soiling does not mean that it is not a problem, the article said. Carpet can be abraded, faded or worn.

Frequent vacuuming is still the best action to take for apparent soiling. By removing the threats to the carpet fibers, regular vacuuming can slow down the apparent soiling process.

Denting, which typically occur when furniture or a heavy object has been sitting on a carpet for a considerable amount of time, is another issue.

In many cases, carpet dents will disappear on their own over time. Regular vacuuming helps bring up the fibers, and the dents even out. It;'s also possible to use a coin to pull up the affected carpet fibers. Follow this step with vacuuming and the dent may soon disappear. the article said.

As with apparent soiling, the best way to deal with carpet dents is to prevent them in the first place. Place coasters under furniture legs or encourage the cleaning crew to occasionally move furniture and vacuum the area underneath. 

Read the article.