What are those ugly black lines around my baseboards and under my doors?
Filtration Soiling
If you have light colored carpet, you may have experienced these dark lines that appear on the carpet.
This soiling, called filtration soiling, is created from air passing through the carpet as it attempts to get through the crack between the carpet and the baseboard. As the air passes through the edge of the carpet pile, this microscopic soiling is deposited there (hence the term filtration soiling). Occurring over a significant period of time, filtration soiling is not noticed until a build-up has taken place.
This type of soiling is difficult to remove because the soil particles are very fine and penetrate deep into the carpet pile, sometimes into the backing of the carpet.
Can it be removed?
With special products, time and effort, reasonable results can be achieved. Prevent filtration soiling by vacuuming and wiping the edges of carpeting on a regular basis. Be careful not to nick your fingers around the tack strip on the edge of the carpeting!