As a one-stop-shop for carpet care tips, sales, and cleaning around Naperville, Lisle, and Wheato, we’ve heard it all, and it’s common for people to ask us about whether it is okay to use bleach on their carpet. It’s an understandable question — after all, you use bleach to clean plenty of items. That said, it’s not a product you should use on your carpet.
Here are just a few reasons why.
It Damages the Backing and Subfloor
Truth be told, the most important reason to avoid using bleach on carpeting has little to do with the part you see. The main issue is that some of the solution will migrate down the deepest part of the pile. Some fibers might be tolerant to such strong chemicals, but bleach can damage the underlay and backing.
Bleach is Hazardous
If asked to name a dangerous household chemical, most of us would put bleach at the top of the board. The problem with using bleach on carpet is that the chemical remains active. It can irritate the skin, and it’s particularly hazardous for any pets or young children. In some cases, chemical burns can result from contact with bleach-treated carpet.
And it’s not just the skin you need to worry about. You’ll be breathing the bleach solution in as you scrub out the stain, and it will continue to circulate around the room after being applied. Bleach isn’t something you want in your lungs — side effects include asthma flare-ups, headaches, migraines, and vomiting. Keep this in mind — if you can smell bleach, it can do you harm.
Bleach Isn’t a Great Cleaner
The icing on the cake? Bleach doesn’t even remove stains very well. It’s a very strong disinfectant, but it possesses no natural detergency and is no more effective at cleaning than some good old H2O.
Professional Carpet Cleaning is the Way to Go
So, using bleach on your carpet is hazardous to both flooring and occupants, and it isn’t even effective. If your carpet has suffered a nasty stain, the smart thing to do is contact us — we’ve been cleaning carpets and rugs since 1957, so we know what we’re talking about.