Home Maintenance and Repair

What Causes Mildew In Carpets ?

    I spent 15 years in the carpet and upholstery cleaning and repair business. During that time I have seen mildew on more than one occasion. Many of the homes I had the pleasure to be in were simply designed to attract mold  unsealed concrete slabs, a lack of proper ventilation and warm temperatures simply created the right atmosphere for mold growth.

    Mildew requires food from natural materials to grow such as protein or cellulosic. In carpet the protein is wool and the cellulosic is the jute backing that most carpet fiber is woven into. the mildew will grow both on the backing and  the face and as the mold grows it weakens the strength of the natural fiber very quickly sometimes as fast as 2 weeks. The fibers dry out becoming brittle and will actually crackle when walked or the carpet is rolled. I have seen carpet so weakened by mildew that pieces tear away when attempting to remove.

    Mildew will also leave a discoloration as it feeds that is impossible to remove the fibers become so dry and pores that even dye will not hold. The color will vary from white, black, red, brown, and green or a mixture of all or some.

    Once the mildew takes hold in the carpet it is impossible to clean it out and then the only way to repair the carpet is cut out and patch the affected area or replace the entire room of carpet.

    You can help to avoid mildew in your carpeting by doing a couple of things. You can seal the concrete slab and buy carpeting made from man-made fibers. You can also use a dehumidifier in the areas where the problem is most prevalent.

    There are many professionals who can help you with the repair or replacement of you carpet.

 

 

Troy Dobson             Fair Oaks, California getaliving@comcast.net