Carpet and Couch Cleaning: What are Those Dark Patches?

Have you ever been sitting on your couch on an armchair, only to notice a strange, dark patch on the ground? It’s as if a specific area of carpet is darker than the rest, creating an eyesore where your feet would normally rest. What’s the deal with that? What causes that? When it comes to carpet and couch cleaning, these dark spots are caused by a combination of friction, and a buildup of dirt that is left behind by our shoes and boots.

To put it simply, when you walk over a carpet or sit in the same area, your feet are rubbing against the same carpet fibres. If you’re wearing shoes, you’ll be transferring dirt to the carpet, even if you diligently wiped your feet upon coming in. This is because we can’t get every particle and tiny bits of soil out of our shoes. So, shoes act like sandpaper, with the dirt particles grinding against the carpet fibres on the surface when we continually step and rub on them. As the carpet fibres become worn away, they look darker (and duller).This is because fibres start out cylindrical, round, and smooth when the carpet is new. When they become abraded over time, they become less smooth, reflect less light, and give off an appearance that doesn’t look as nice as the rest of your carpet.

What’s the solution?

There’s a chance the dark patches on your carpet can be restored with a nice deep cleaning, to lift out all the dirt and get the fibres healthy again. However, this depends on the age of your carpet, and how damaged it has become over time. If this can’t be done, your best option will be to consider a carpet repair. With a carpet repair, you may be able to splice the damaged carpet with fresh carpet, or use a carpet dye to help restore its color. Don’t let dark patches deter your carpet and couch cleaning…get a free estimate to get it taken care of!

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