Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Aug 11, 12:45*am, Robinkae wrote:
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. *It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. *However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). *We may inherit this home one day. *By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. *Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

My inlaws house is the same way. The house was built in '74 and the
carpet has never been professional cleaned, just vacuumed.
They always took their shoes off when they came in the house and put
on slippers. The green shag still looks like new.

Jimmie

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

"Robinkae" wrote in message
...
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

No matter how well it is vacuumed, after 40 years it will still be loaded
with all sorts of dirt deep down in the pile. I'd get rid of it. Just
recently heard that carpet can weigh twice as much as new because of the
accumulated dust over the years. I don't know if that is completely true.
If they have pets, I'd get rid of it before moving in.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Aug 11, 12:45*am, Robinkae wrote:
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. *It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. *However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). *We may inherit this home one day. *By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. *Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

I can't think of any health hazard but would probably have house
professionally cleaned when empty. A new carpet actually presents
higher health hazards while fumes from the manufacturing process
clear.

Frank

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

"Robinkae" wrote in message
...
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?


Yuck! Get rid of it no matter how good it looks. Open up all of the shades
and blinds in the house and turn on all of the lights to get a good look.
There are a tremendous amount of floor covering options today. Start
looking at them and decide what you might really want. Ask realtors what
they think in terms of resale value.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"Robinkae" wrote in message
...
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

No matter how well it is vacuumed, after 40 years it will still be loaded
with all sorts of dirt deep down in the pile. I'd get rid of it. Just
recently heard that carpet can weigh twice as much as new because of the
accumulated dust over the years. I don't know if that is completely true.
If they have pets, I'd get rid of it before moving in.

It is amazing how much dirt you will find UNDER a carpet. The fine dust and
dirt filters down the pile, through the backing and sits on the floor or the
underpad. Also an underpad that is 30 years old will also be deteriorating
and probably is just crumbs where the heavy traffic is. No amount of
shampooing and cleaning will remove this stuff from under the carpet.
Actually wetting the carpet may make it worse.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

Robinkae wrote:

My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

A forty year accumulation of dirt particles buried in the carpet and
pad. It's up to you whether that's a concern for you or not.

The carpet backing is probably crumbling already, and might be
showing visible decay in just a few more years. My brother and I
pulled 30-year old carpeting out of his house. While pulling it up
it tore almost as easily as paper. Turned out the backing was
brittle and crumbling.

HellT

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

We just hauled up the carpet in our daughter's room to replace it with
laminate, we bought the house 3 weeks ago, and under the carpet and regular
underlay, there was some black rubbery stuck to the floorboards underlay.
I'm guessing it was there for the 30 years the house has been built. The
stink from it was disgusting, as soon as you opened the door to the room it
assaulted you. I would definately haul it up if it's still on the floor at
that point. Based on what we saw/smelled in our daughter's room, we decided
to renovate the other bedroom as well just to eliminate it.

"Robinkae" wrote in message
...
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:45:41 -0700 (PDT), Robinkae
wrote:

My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

Health problems, I doubt it. How is the health of your in-laws?

I say, Wait another 30 years and then it's your children's problem.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

Robinkae wrote:
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?
Um, lessee. 30 years ago was 1978? Was that when the house was built? By
any chance is there hardwood under there? If the house was built in
1968, I'd say probably, but if it was built in 1978, it gets iffy. Next
time you are over there, pull up a heat grate from the floor, and take a
peek. If there is hardwood, it's a no brainer- pull the carpet out and
get the floors cleaned or refinished. (Sometimes, if it was a factory
finish on the hardwood and they didn't have pets or houseplants on the
floor, you get lucky and all it needs is cleaning and waxing.)

If no hardwood, I agree with the others- time for a rip'n'replace. In
30-40 years, no matter how clean a house, there will be a layer of crud
under there.

I'm not a fan of w/w carpet, for lots of reasons. Not being
allergy-friendly is just one of them.

--
aem sends...

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:15:28 GMT, aemeijers wrote:
Robinkae wrote:
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). We may inherit this home one day. By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?
Um, lessee. 30 years ago was 1978? Was that when the house was built? By
any chance is there hardwood under there? If the house was built in
1968, I'd say probably, but if it was built in 1978, it gets iffy. Next
time you are over there, pull up a heat grate from the floor, and take a
peek. If there is hardwood, it's a no brainer- pull the carpet out and
get the floors cleaned or refinished. (Sometimes, if it was a factory
finish on the hardwood and they didn't have pets or houseplants on the
floor, you get lucky and all it needs is cleaning and waxing.)

If no hardwood, I agree with the others- time for a rip'n'replace. In
30-40 years, no matter how clean a house, there will be a layer of crud
under there.

If the layer of crud is under there and so well embedded that neither steam
nor vacuum can remove it, what difference does it make?

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:45:41 -0700 (PDT), Robinkae
wrote:

My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago.

Sorry OP, but RID yourself of the carpet.

But, not before they (in/outlaws) move out. ymmv.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
If the layer of crud is under there and so well embedded that neither
steam
nor vacuum can remove it, what difference does it make?

None if is stays there, but it may be unhealthy if particles become
airborne. Can't tell from where we sit.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:00:24 -0400, Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
If the layer of crud is under there and so well embedded that neither
steam
nor vacuum can remove it, what difference does it make?

None if is stays there, but it may be unhealthy if particles become
airborne. Can't tell from where we sit.

If neither steam nor vacuum can free the particles, they won't become
airborn.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message

If neither steam nor vacuum can free the particles, they won't become
airborn.

Maybe, but there can still be some particulate, like the outgassing of
chemical that you can't vacuum away or steam clean. Depends on what is
actually in there, how well embedded or how fast/slow it is deteriorating.
Running a vacuum cleaner over the carpet for a few minutes once or twice a
week is not the same as exposure 24 hours a day.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"AZ Nomad" wrote in message

If neither steam nor vacuum can free the particles, they won't become
airborn.

Maybe, but there can still be some particulate, like the outgassing of
chemical that you can't vacuum away or steam clean. Depends on what
is actually in there, how well embedded or how fast/slow it is
deteriorating. Running a vacuum cleaner over the carpet for a few
minutes once or twice a week is not the same as exposure 24 hours a
day.

On the other hand, the aged and infirm folks have lived with it for thirty
years - and will do so for another ten - so there's obviously not a problem
for normal folk. Only defective humans need worry.

Carpet Not Cleaned In 30 Years
 

On Aug 11, 12:45*am, Robinkae wrote:
My in-laws installed carpet in their home 30 years ago. *It was high
quality and vacuumed regularly; it still looks good. *However, they
have never had the carpet professionally cleaned in any way (either
steamed or shampooed). *We may inherit this home one day. *By then the
carpet will be 40 or more years old. *Are their any health or
cleanliness problems we should be concerned about?

Well you can see that a lot of people are concerned, but not I,
that I have seen, has any real reason to believe so. We don't need to
live in a sterile environment. In fact we don't.

OK if you pull it up, you will find DIRT under it. Likely anyway.
Now, go out the front door and look around. Guess what, there is dirt
on the sidewalk, there is dirt under the grass. Get a life. If you
want it cleaned, clean it.

Frankly I would expect carpet that old to be worn and read for
replacement. Yea, I would clean things up before putting new down.
But if the carpet is OK and you don't hate the color or style, I would
sure leave it there.