Clean Your Carpets Because They Are Germ Hotspots – Orange County CA

Carpeting can be a great flooring option at home. It adds warmth, comfort and feels good on bare feet. But because of all the traffic it encounters, it tends to get pretty dirty over time. In fact, according to Men’s Health, it’s a germ hotspot and can be 4,000 times dirtier than your toilet seat — ew! “Rugs are botanical and zoological parks,” microbiologist Dr. Philip Tierno told the magazine and mentioned that they can have many different organisms living in them.

So what’s the best way to clean a carpet? Well, Men’s Health suggests hiring a professional once a year for a deep steam-cleaning. But weekly maintenance is super important as well. TLC’s How Stuff Works recommends vacuuming regularly and applying soil retardants and baking soda to the surface.

We knew this wall-to-wall textile could end up spotty, but we had no idea there could be so many creepy crawlers lingering in the fibers. So be sure to pay extra attention to your rugs this weekend if you’re doing some spring cleaning.

For more information, head on over to Men’s Health and TLC. And be sure to click through our slideshow for more cleaning tips.