How To Care For Indoor-Outdoor Carpeting
Indoor-outdoor carpeting is a great choice for decks, mud rooms, and other areas where you know the carpeting will be exposed to moisture and the elements. But while this carpeting is very durable and resistant to damage, it does still need to be cared for and kept clean! Here are some helpful tips for caring for your indoor-outdoor carpeting.
Vacuum it often.
Use a shop vacuum to vacuum off your indoor-outdoor carpeting at least every couple of weeks. This keeps dirt particles from working their way too deep into the carpet fibers, where they can cause friction between the fibers and result in premature wear. Since indoor-outdoor carpeting is pretty tough, you can use the brushes on your vacuum without concern that they will cause damage.
Clean it with bleach.
Even indoor-outdoor carpeting can get moldy if it's constantly exposed to moisture. Thankfully, you can stop the mold in its tracks if you clean the carpet with bleach. If you use a standard carpet shampooer to clean your carpet, do not add bleach to the water or shampoo compartment. This could be dangerous, since the water is released as steam and could get into your eyes. Instead, clean the carpet by following the instructions for your carpet shampooer, and then make a mixture of bleach and water in a spray bottle. Give your carpet a final spritz with the bleach water after the initial shampooing session.
You don't typically have to worry about bleach removing color from an indoor-outdoor carpet since the plasticized fibers are usually color-fast.
Use club soda to remove stains.
This tip actually works on any carpet, but it's even more effective on indoor-outdoor carpeting since you can apply more soda without worry that it will soak into vulnerable padding. Pour the soda over a stain, saturating the area completely. Then, use a towel to blot (not rub) the club soda. The staining material should soak up along with it. Repeat the process if needed; the stain should fade extensively, if not disappear completely. Keep windows open so the spot dries quickly once you're done cleaning up the stain.
With the tips above, you should be able to keep your indoor-outdoor carpeting looking its best for many years. Every once in awhile, you may want to have a professional carpet cleaner from a company like Spotless Carpet Cleaners & Janitorial Services Inc come clean the carpet. They have high-powered equipment to reach deep down and remove debris and stains that home shampooers and vacuums often miss.