Much of our content on Kenosha Carpet Cleaning Blog focuses on spot removal tips and various carpet cleaning services, green cleaning methods and expert techniques. But, for this post, instead of discussing how to clean a specific stain or contaminants from carpet, we are going to focus on how to prevent them altogether.

Today’s Tip: Lose the Shoes

Now, we’re not exactly recommending you lose your shoes entirely. In fact, unlike socks, literally losing a shoe might be somewhat difficult. Our tip is actually very easy and it just requires you and your family to remove your shoes before entering your home or any carpeted areas of your home.

First, let’s discuss the obvious. Leaving your shoes in your garage or mudroom or a non-carpeted entryway will guarantee that no dirt, mud, slush or any other gunk on the bottom of boots and shoes will be tracked onto the carpet in your home. Who knows what your children stomped around in when playing outside? At least by making them take their shoes off at the door, you will know it won’t be in your carpet.

Now, here are some of the less obvious benefits of removing your shoes at the door. Did you know that shoes are the main source of lead-contaminated soils and dirts entering a home? Just by taking off your shoes before entering your home you can reduce your lead dust levels by almost 60% and drastically reduce your exposure to dust mites, pesticides and other contaminants associated with nature. Shoes also bring in manmade carcinogens from tar that’s used to pave driveways and parking lots.

So, as you can see, taking off your shoes is not only a good idea for maintaining cleaner carpets in your home, it’s also an easy step toward creating a healthier home for you and your family.

If you are uncomfortable with asking guests to remove their shoes before entering your home, perhaps inform them of the rule prior to their arrival so they can bring slippers or comfy socks with them. Or, maybe you can even provide a pair of footies like Martha Stewart does for her guests. When you explain all of the great benefits of not wearing shoes in your home, they’re sure to understand.

Removing shoes at the door is a simple way to prolong the buildup of dirt, pesticides and other contaminants in your carpet, but over time you will still want to call a professional carpet cleaner to remove dirt that naturally accumulates deep in carpet.

We recommend Nature’s Way Chem-Dry in Burlington. Nature’s Way Chem-Dry technicians wear booties while they clean in order to prevent bringing any additional dirt into your home and they provide green cleaning methods without the use of harmful chemicals or toxins.