Carpets can make your home feel welcoming and cozy, but they can also be stressful if you are worried about keeping them clean. This is especially true if you have pets, children, or lots of guests that come in and out of the home. Winter is especially hard on carpets, so many people plan to have the carpets cleaned in the spring. While spring cleaning is a great idea, it isn't enough. It's also vital that you schedule a cleaning in early fall so your carpets are prepared to withstand hard winter use.

Remove old dirt

While summer may not be punctuated by the mud and wet of winter weather, there is soil that is tracked in. Dust, plant debris, pollen, and just plain dirt gets tracked in all summer long. While you may not see the obvious staining that can occur in winter, the soil is there. When winter moisture arrives and water and mud gets tracked in, all this soil deep within the carpets mingles with the moisture. This is when stains can occur. By having the carpets thoroughly cleaned before winter, you get the reward of better-looking carpet as well as fewer worries about staining in the major traffic routes throughout the home.

Fix issues

A loose carpet staple or a pulled fiber in the carpet may not seem like a big deal until you snag it with your heavy winter boots and rip up a section of carpet accidentally. Carpets just seem to be more damage-prone in the summer, perhaps because everyone is traipsing in and out more often while carrying a variety of summer toys or tools. You are more likely to notice damage in its early stages when the carpets are freshly cleaned. Many carpet cleaning services also offer low-cost repair services, or at the very least they can refer you to a repair service.

Provide stain protection

If you are still concerned about the typical stains that occur in winter, then fall cleaning is a must. Simply ask the service to also apply a soil and stain protectant treatment. This treatment creates a barrier between your carpet and moisture. Whether the culprit is mud tracked in on snow boots or spilled wine at your holiday party, you can quickly soak it up before it penetrates the carpet fibers and causes a major stain. This means your carpets will be in much better condition in the spring.

A fall carpet cleaning does more than get out the summer dirt. It helps protect the carpets so that they survive the harsh use of winter.