Replacing your carpet can cost up to $12 per square foot (0.09 m). If you notice your carpet becoming crunchy, you need to act quickly. Properly treating your carpet can protect it and extend its lifespan.
If your carpet is crunchy, it may be due to cleaning residues, foot traffic, a faulty vacuum cleaner, uncleaned spills, or high humidity. Solutions for a crunchy carpet include cleaning your carpet, maintaining your vacuum cleaner, and reducing moisture in your home.
In this article, I will further discuss the following:
- What causes your carpet to feel crunchy and stiff?
- Key solutions to fix crunchy carpets.
Contents
1. Your Carpet has Shampoo Residues
After getting your carpet cleaned in your home, the floor may still feel sticky due to shampoo residues. These residues can feel crunchy even if the carpet is clean.
The cleaner may only remove part of these residues and leave the rest of the shampoo embedded in the fibers of your carpet. Shampoo residues consist of various chemicals and cleaning solutions used during the cleaning process. Eventually, these residues react with dust in the air and form a dry paste that becomes visible on your carpet.
If this is the case, have your carpet professionally cleaned as soon as possible. The sticky residues attract dirt and debris and can lead to an even dirtier carpet.
Use a Vacuum and Towel to Remove Residues
If the carpet is dry, use a vacuum to remove all residues. If the carpet is still wet from cleaning, blot as much shampoo residue as possible with a towel. You may need to let your entire carpet dry before thoroughly vacuuming it.
If you are unable to remove the shampoo residues, have your carpet professionally cleaned again. It is also a good idea to contact the cleaning authorities and complain about the issue.
In case of doubt, it is best to play it safe and have the carpet professionally cleaned.
2. Your Carpet is Walked on Too Often
Dirt and debris accumulate in areas where people walk the most. Such areas are likely to have dirtier carpets because the fibers have been compressed. Cleaning these heavily trafficked areas only provides short-term relief, as they will inevitably be walked on again.
In the process, the dirt gets pushed into the carpet backing, further contaminating the padding underneath. The padding absorbs this excess dirt and also becomes soiled. Walking over a compacted area can cause the accumulation of dirt and debris, making your carpet dirty and crunchy.
Clean Carpets with Heavy Foot Traffic More Frequently
If your home experiences heavy foot traffic, consider having your carpets cleaned more frequently. Regular maintenance prevents the carpet fibers from becoming compacted and allows you to vacuum up dirt effectively.
The frequency at which you clean your carpets depends on how many people visit your home and how active those individuals are. For example, a family with four children and two adults likely needs to clean carpets more often than an individual without pets or children. If you have pets in your home, the amount of dirt on your carpet increases, as do the number of dead skin cells that enter your home.
Alternatively, you can purchase an area rug for heavily trafficked areas of the house. A runner rug helps prevent dirt and debris from being pushed into your underlying carpet backing.
3. Your Vacuum Cleaner is Faulty
If you notice that your carpet has been crunchy for a while, your vacuum cleaner may be to blame. If you have an older vacuum cleaner filled with dust or pet hair, the vacuum cleaner bristles are likely worn out and not very effective. Malfunctioning brushes can cause your carpets to become crunchy as the vacuum cleaner pushes hard dirt into the carpet instead of efficiently removing it.
A properly maintained and functioning vacuum cleaner is key to a clean carpet. Often, we forget that we need to regularly maintain our vacuum cleaners. This is especially true when our carpets are subjected to a lot of traffic and activity.
Clean or Replace Your Vacuum Cleaner’s Filters
If you have cleaned the filters and checked the hose for clogs but the vacuum cleaner still doesn’t seem to be working properly, take it back to where you purchased it or bring it to someone who can repair it.
A new filter also helps keep your carpet cleaner. Even if the surface of your carpet appears to be clean, there may still be dirt present in the deeper fibers that is left behind by a typical vacuum cleaner. A more efficient vacuum can remove these particles and leave you with a fresher carpet.
For more information, watch the video below on how to properly maintain and check your vacuum cleaner:
4. Your Carpet Has Old, Uncleaned Stains
If you’ve ever had a stain on your carpet, you know how difficult it is to clean it. It can become even more challenging if the stain has been there for some time, leaving residues stuck in the fibers.
When something is spilled and you don’t clean it immediately, the carpet can develop a dirty appearance due to the buildup.
This problem becomes more evident if you have pets or children who are likely to spill food and drinks on your floor. If you don’t promptly clean up these spills, they will harden and become part of your carpet.
Clean Spills or Stains as Soon as You See Them
The best way to handle spills is to clean them up immediately.
If you already have a stain on your carpet, don’t worry. You can still clean it up. Try using some warm water and soap to break down residues on your carpet. If that doesn’t work, try vacuuming over the area to remove some of the stains.
For more stubborn stains, try applying a small amount of carpet spot cleaner onto a clean cloth and gently rubbing it in the direction of the carpet pile.
5. Your Home Has High Humidity
If you’ve noticed that the carpet in your home feels crunchy while other areas of the house don’t, it could be due to excess moisture in the air. The moist air is likely being sucked into your vacuum cleaner, causing the carpet fibers to rub together.
Another problem related to high humidity is mold. Mold thrives when enclosed in a moist, warm environment. Mold can grow on your carpet, causing stains and odors.
Turn on Your Dehumidifier to Remove Moisture
If you notice the carpet feeling crunchy while other areas of the house don’t, try turning on a dehumidifier to remove some of the moisture in your home. A dehumidifier helps provide fresh air in your home and prevents mold growth on carpets.
If you are currently dealing with mold in your carpet, make sure to remove and discard all affected areas and have the entire carpet professionally cleaned.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a way to preserve your carpet from crunchiness and keep it clean and free from dirt, debris, or spills, there are many things you can do. Use a vacuum to clean your carpet and clean it frequently, especially if it’s in an area with high foot traffic. Also, make sure to clean up spilled liquids or stains as soon as you see them.
Hopefully, the information in this article has given you some ideas on how to start making changes that make a difference!