Carpet Care Tips: On Shoes and Going Barefoot on Carpet

Carpeted flooring brings in so much warmth and comfort in a household. Such benefits come at a price as carpets require dedicated maintenance. There are so many factors and dynamics to consider in keeping one’s carpet clean and pristine. But for this article, we’re going to discuss something so basic yet still so confusing to most carpet owners: shoes on the carpet! This article will give a definitive answer to the question: is it okay to wear shoes on the carpet? 

Is it okay to wear shoes on the carpet?

To make it clear and ever stressed — no, it is not okay to wear shoes on carpet. You should never wear shoes on the carpet. There should be no gray area in this matter. One should never wear shoes on the carpet because apart from the fact that it will definitely stain and make your carpet dirty, such practice is deeply and disturbingly unhygienic.

Your shoes have massive amounts of germs and bacteria from having gone from one place to another. In plain sight, you could see that it has all the dirt, mud, and even grass from all the places you’ve been to. Your carpet does not need all of that dirt. It can cause stain and greatly affect the quality of its fibers. It will also effectively shorten your carpet’s lifespan.

You have your home carpeted because you want it to be the most comfortable and warm place for you. It is your sacred place of rest and recovery. Your carpet serves as a visual and sensual clue that you are home and already left the outside world. That you can already relax and rest. In doing that, please make it a point to leave everything that is not necessary — dirt, mud, and stress, behind when you enter your home. It will not only be good for your carpet but for your overall well-being as well.

Worse than shoes on carpet

But there is actually one thing that is way worse than wearing shoes on a carpet, and it is going barefoot on it. Sure you’re home, you are in respite and full relaxation and you can do whatever you want. As carpets are extremely comfortable, warm, and fuzzy, it is so easy and tempting to consider going barefoot on it. If you have been doing this, please stop as it is worse than wearing shoes on it.

Carpets and bare feet do not match because our feet have sweat glands. The no. 1 enemy of carpet is not actually dirt but moisture. Dirt is so easy to deal with but moisture is a totally different banana. As our feet have sweat glands, they can easily leave unnecessary moisture on carpets. Moist from sweat glands are never good for carpets even in small amounts.

Moist from your sweat gland attract dirt and dust that can deeply cling to carpet fibers. As they are microscopic and are usually in small amounts, it becomes all the harder to thoroughly clean your carpet. It will also create stains that are hard to remove. Dried moisture from sweat goes unnoticed. They are left to dry and become such a pain to treat as dried stains are harder to remove. They will end up causing odd discoloration that can make your carpet look drab and dull. Bad odor is its worst effect. Dried sweat on a carpet will leave your carpet smelling bad and your entire room smelling funky. You do not want that. Nobody wants that. No one ever deserves that. So please, stop going barefoot on your carpet.

Ideal Carpet Care

To make carpet care easier for you, do consider applying the following practices:

1. Wear socks.

The best way to avoid carpets from having built-up and dried sweat is to wear socks. Make it a habit to wear socks when you’re home. It is comfortable, hygienic, and ultra helpful in maintaining a clean and pristine carpet flooring. To get yourself excited with the habit, consider buying colorful socks with fun designs! It will make the habit more engaging and fun!

2. Wear slippers.

If you don’t want to wear socks at home, you could wear slippers instead. Not wanting to wear socks at home is completely understandable as most people want to fully be bare and relaxed when they’re inside their house. A good alternative is wearing slippers. The good thing is, there are thousands of slipper designs to choose from! There are even ones that are ultra-soft and comfortable! If you’d opt for the soft and plushy ones, not only will you be doing so much good for your carpet, you will also be adding so much comfort and relaxation into your daily life. 

3. Consistent Vacuuming Schedule.

This advice is pretty standard but it is something that most carpet owners still forget and fail to apply. There are numerous factors to consider when making a schedule. But one rule of thumb that you should remember is this: the more footwork your carpet receives, the more vacuuming it needs. Weekly vacuuming is highly advised to effectively keep unwanted dirt, stains, and odor way.

4. Shampoo your carpet.

You should also shampoo your carpet every now and then to secure that deeper stains get removed. Shampooing also ensures that residual debris is completely removed.

5. Professional Carpet Cleaning

Have professionals clean your carpet every once in a while. There are some dirt, stains, and debris that normal household cleaning could not handle. To ensure a longer lifespan for your carpet, do hire experts that can do a deep cleaning. Yearly professional cleaning is highly advised.