Winterizing Minneapolis Carpets & Upholstery

The first snow in Minneapolis happened on Halloween this year, and while the cold isn’t always welcome, there are ways to make your home and office cozy and comfortable. Coziness starts with your feet on the soft carpets and sinking into your favorite couch, so maintaining them is important this time of year. As the weather gets cold, there are a couple of things you can do to make sure the warmth and cozy feeling lasts all winter long.

Seal windows

Putting seals on windows not only helps lower energy costs, it can also help your carpets and upholstery. The cold air from outside dries the fibers of your carpets and upholstery, making them more susceptible to absorbing stains or becoming brittle. If you need to seal your windows, there are a couple of options, including tape, plastic insulators, caulk, and other adhesives. The bonus effect of this is that it will help you save on your energy bills by keeping more of the warm air inside your home when you have the heat on.

Watch humidity levels

Along with sealing your windows, you should make sure your home humidifier is set to a proper level to make sure your carpets and upholstery don’t get too dry. The recommended amount of humidity at any given time in your home is between 30% and 50%. In the winter, it is recommended to have lower levels, between 30% and 40%, so that condensation doesn’t build up on the windows and ruin the sills and other parts of your home. If you start to notice condensation on your windows, be sure to adjust the humidity so that it is healthy for your carpets, upholstery, and the rest of your home or office.

Additional rugs and mats

In the winter, most stains, dirt, and grime comes from what we track indoors. Some reports even say that up to 80% of the moisture and dirt in carpets are tracked in from the outdoors. Adding extra mats and rugs by the door limits the amount of slush dragged further into your house or office. Depending on the structure of your home, you may be able to put a mat outside and inside. There are also ways to train dogs to wipe their feet on the mats after going outside. This is a great investment for dog owners.

Boots tray

If you have kids, you know how messy it can get when multiple people are tracking in slush on their boots. The moisture can easily get into carpets and upholstery if their boots aren’t taken away quickly in something that can hold moisture and be easily cleaned. Having a place to store outdoor gear is a great way to keep the outdoors in a specific area and away from your carpets and upholstery.

Shovel

As you walk on a snowy sidewalk, more snow and slush gathers on your boots. Regularly shoveling after a snowfall is the best way to avoid any extra snow on your boots and shoes. If you track in more snow, it will be easier for the dirt on them to seep into the carpets. Make sure to shovel all of the accumulating snow as it happens.

Keeping your carpets and furniture safe from the elements, wear, and tear starts with a professional cleaning to make it easier to maintain throughout the winter. If you would like your carpets or upholstery cleaned, call us. We would love to help you be cozy all winter long.