Filtration soiling is not a defect in your carpet and has nothing to do with the quality of carpet you have and will look worse on lighter colored carpet. It’s caused by dust and other airborne pollutants that accumulate on the surface of the carpet that have a concentrated airflow over the carpet or through tiny cracks or other open areas under the carpet. Filtration soil appears as dark or grayish lines on carpet along walls, stairways and under doors. It can happen quickly or over time depending on the quality of air flow and the level of pollutants in the air of the home.

What Causes Filtration Soiling

When the air gets warm with a furnace running the air that is full of pollutants, goes up and then locates cooler surfaces like an outside wall or a different room. The concentrated air will usually be from an upper level to a lower level of a house. It will happen under closed doors when the heat or AC is running. When the warm air moves toward the cooler area, it will push its way through the surfaces that are carpeted and “clean itself’. This allows a buildup of oily soils that get left behind in the carpet that are very difficult to remove. The oily suds are so small, forming an electrical bond. They can become embedded onto the fibers that are designed to hold the color of the carpet known as “dye sites” making filtration soil so hard to remove using carpet cleaning solutions alone.

Filtration Soiling Carpet Cleaning

You can attempt to clean filtration soiling with a brush and a mild carpet cleaning solution. Gently rub the stain back and forth with the brush after the cleaning solution has been applied. When the stains start to become loose, you can blot the debris with a towel. Using clean water, repeat until the towel is no longer picking up any residue. If this works you’ve just figured out how to clean the stains yourself. But this is usually not the case. These stains go very deep into the carpet making it a good idea to call a professional.

How to Prevent Filtration Soiling Lines

When you have healthy, filtrated air circulating through your home whether heating or cooling, you reduce the chances of having these stains develop. Improper air flow happens when the ventilation system isn’t running properly and exceeds the system’s ability to remove the air from the room resulting in the air finding its way out in gaps along walls and stairways. Try to keep interior doors open and seal off air spaces around doors or along baseboards with caulk. After you have your routine professional carpet cleaning, consider having fabric protector applied.

Professional Carpet Cleaning in Orange, Santa Ana, Rancho Cucamonga, Anaheim, Whittier, Riverside, Chino & Fullerton, California

Having dark filtration lines in your home can become an eyesore. The only way to clean them is to get deep down into the carpet. The total removal of the stains can be complicated and will depend on the contaminants that are causing the stains. Quality hot-water extraction combined with the experienced technicians at Leading Carpet Cleaning will get your carpets looking like new again. Contact us for all your floor and furniture cleaning.