Living in the Seattle area means living with moisture. Our beautiful green landscape comes at a cost — average rainfall of 37 inches per year means moisture is constantly working its way into our homes.
As someone who’s been cleaning carpets in this area for decades, I can tell you that moisture is the single biggest factor in carpet health and indoor air quality in the Pacific Northwest.
How Moisture Affects Your Carpets
When humidity stays consistently above 60% (which it does for most of the year in Seattle), your carpet fibers absorb moisture from the air. This creates an environment where dust mites thrive, mold spores can take root in the carpet padding, and allergens get trapped deep in the fibers where regular vacuuming can’t reach them.
I’ve pulled up carpet padding in older Seattle homes and found mold growth that the homeowners had no idea was there. The carpet looked fine on top, but underneath was a different story.
What You Can Do
- Run a dehumidifier in rooms with carpet, especially in basements and ground-level spaces
- Vacuum at least twice a week with a HEPA-filtered vacuum
- Take shoes off at the door — this is huge for Seattle, where we’re constantly tracking in moisture
- Get professional hot water extraction cleaning at least once a year (every 6 months if you have pets or allergies)
Why Extraction Method Matters
I always recommend hot water extraction (sometimes called steam cleaning) over dry cleaning methods for Seattle homes. The high-temperature water kills dust mites and mold spores, and our truck-mounted equipment has enough suction power to extract almost all the moisture — your carpets should be dry within 4-6 hours.
Some companies use portable machines that don’t have the same extraction power, and that’s actually worse than not cleaning at all — you’re adding more moisture without properly removing it.
At Alpine, we use truck-mounted equipment exclusively. It gives us the water temperature, pressure, and suction power to do the job right. After 50+ years in this business, we know what works in our climate.
Questions? Call us at (206) 501-2223 or visit alpineclean.com to schedule a cleaning.
— Eric, Owner, Alpine Specialty Services
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