Have you heard of the phrase “stop the problem at its’ source”? Soil containment, such as using walk-off matting, is a key preventative measure that can significantly help reduce abrasive damage, staining, and soiling of your carpet.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends that a coarse textured walk-off matting be placed outside of the entrance. Coarse textured mats will help get tough dirt off the bottom of shoes. A large water-absorbent walk-off matting, that’s about 6 to 15 feet in length, should also be placed inside, behind the entrance. The length of the inside walk-off matting is important because the dirt on the bottom of the shoes trail for about 15 feet after entering through the doors. According to the American Institute of Architects, studies have shown that 10 feet of inside matting can capture up to 52% of derbies and 20 feet of inside matting can capture up to 86% of derbies. Simply, the longer the length of the inside walk-off matting, the more soil, dirt, and other debris will be captured by the walk-off matting.

To further increase the effectiveness and longevity of walk-off matting, the sidewalks and parking lots should also be cleaned. According to a study done by Windsor, sweeping the outside and not utilizing walk-off mattings alone reduced the amount of derbies that entered the facility by 66%. Cleaning the outside can help reduce the buildup of debris and dirt that can get attracted to shoes, further promoting soil containment.

Soil containment is very simple and if you follow these procedures, you can help significantly reduce carpet soiling, damage, and decrease the amount of time, labor, and cost that is associated with carpet cleaning and replacement.

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