If your carpets feel cold and damp when you walk over them, one of these 5 serious problems could be the culprit

If you’re part of the no-shoes-on-the-carpet club (which everyone should be a member of, in my opinion), there’s a high chance that you’re familiar with the feel of your carpet under your feet. But if you start to notice colder, wetter patches, you might start to wonder why your carpet is damp. And rightly so.

Damp carpets, sadly, aren’t uncommon in UK homes, especially during the winter months. However, it’s important to take stock of any changes to your carpets if you’re serious about getting rid of damp in your home as a whole. After all, damp carpets can lead to mould build-up, bacteria growth, musty odours, and serious damage to your home’s foundations.

Left untreated, damp carpets can cost you an extortionate amount of money - and not just for replacing your carpets. That’s why I’ve compiled everything you need to know about why your carpets are damp and what you can do about it.

1. There’s too much moisture in your house

Damp and condensation become a huge problem during the colder months, as the lack of ventilation and excess moisture from cooking, showering, and drying clothes indoors can lead to dangerously high humidity levels. With rising energy prices, many homes also fail to maintain the ideal temperature needed to prevent mould.

With nowhere to go, the excess moisture settles on your carpets and seeps into the fibres, making your carpet feel damp. The best way to combat this and prevent damp carpets is to use one of the best dehumidifiers to control and reduce the moisture levels in your house. I’d suggest using a dehumidifier and an air purifier at the same time, or buying a dehumidifier that also has a HEPA filter.

The MeacoDry Arete Two Dehumidifier/Air Purifier fits that bill perfectly. After all, Giles Fallan, the CEO of Buildsafe, warns, ‘Carpets, curtains and bedding, and other soft furnishings around the home can all harbour dust mites. These little critters are known to thrive in warm, damp conditions, and can actually trigger allergies.’

It’s also worth using a hygrometer like this ThermoPro Small Digital Hygrometer (£10.99 at Amazon) to keep an eye on your moisture levels, opening windows for just 10 minutes every morning, utilising extractor fans when cooking or showering, and drying laundry in a non-carpeted room to keep moisture on and around your carpets to a minimum.

2. You’re not vacuuming enough

I may be biased as Ideal Home’s Vacuum Expert, but I really don’t think people give the best vacuum cleaners enough credit. And while the general rule of thumb is that you should vacuum around 2 to 3 times a week, I think this should be much higher during the colder months of the year - especially if you have a damp-prone home.

That’s because knowing how to vacuum properly won’t just tackle visible dirt and debris on your carpets. It’ll also remove invisible dirt and debris, which can become embedded in the fibres and ultimately create a ‘pocket’ for mould to grow.

The professionals at Factory Direct Flooring spoke to Henry Paterson, Cleaning Expert at Housekeep, about how this hidden dirt and debris can ultimately lead to damp carpets. He said, ‘Carpets can end up harbouring bacteria and other nasties that are trampled in from elsewhere. They can also end up trapping moisture within the fibres. There are also mould spores in the air naturally, which can land and settle on carpets.’

He adds, ‘Add moisture from spillages to the equation - which aren't always cleared up correctly - and it's not surprising that carpets can become a hotspot for mould growth.’ Because of this, it’s well worth upping your vacuuming schedule to prevent damp carpets. Personally, I vacuum high-traffic areas of my home every other day during the colder months, and the lower-traffic areas every few days.

3. You’ve cleaned too much

On the flip side, cleaning your carpets too much can also lead to damp - but you’ll be happy to know that it's not possible to vacuum too much. You can use the best carpet cleaners and the best steam cleaners incorrectly, though.

For starters, using a steam cleaner on carpet may be one of the best ways to kill any lingering germs or bacteria, but the high-pressure (and high-temperature) steam can quickly make your carpets damp if you’re not careful. Because of this, you need to make sure that you choose a model that comes with a carpet glider - like the Vileda Steam Mop Plus - and limit how long you allow the steam to work its magic.

The same can be said when you clean your carpets with a carpet cleaner. And while there’s no avoiding getting your carpets wet when cleaning them with this machine, they should ideally be dry within 12 hours. If they’re not, you might need to tailor your technique or buy a machine that comes with a ‘Dry Only’ mode - like the Vax Platinum SmartWash Carpet Cleaner.

When using either a steam cleaner or carpet cleaner, you should ensure that your home is properly ventilated. Use fans and dehumidifiers where possible to speed up the drying process and prevent prolonged exposure to moisture, which could eventually lead to damp.

4. There’s a leak or spill

Home maintenance is a never-ending cycle of problems, but it’s important to note that these issues can often lead to damp carpets. This is especially true if there’s been a leak or spill in the house, as sometimes these incidents can go under the radar - especially if there’s a problem with the exterior of your property.

In fact, issues like leaky gutters and cracked render can lead to damp carpets, as dripping water can fall onto them, and excess moisture can seep into the house. But that’s not all, as it’s also worth keeping an eye out for appliance leaks if you regularly use dehumidifiers or portable air conditioners in carpeted rooms.

You should also act fast to fix leaking radiators and soak up any spills as they happen. Sometimes, something as simple as a spilt cup of tea can cause bigger problems down the line if you have particularly absorbent carpets. That’s why I’d always suggest following the ultimate stain removal golden rule and tackling spills as soon as they happen.

Personally, I swear by the Shark Stainforce Spot Cleaner for those moments, as this cordless spot cleaner can suck instantly suck up any spills before they seep down into the carpet fibres and potentially cause a build-up of mould and bacteria.

5. You have rising damp

While the odd leak is easy enough to fix, prolonged leaking and construction issues can lead to serious (and more expensive) damage and damp problems. There are also so many different types of damp out there, which doesn’t make the situation any easier.

Construction expert Natalie Mitchell at HomeHow.co.uk explains, ‘Damp may also form due to damage to the roof, guttering, or pipes. This can cause leaks, rot, and mould. Damage to rendering may also cause penetrating damp.’ Many of these types of damp can also lead to damp carpets, as they result in excess moisture in the home.

The most serious of the lot, however, is rising damp. This damp rises from the ground through the capillaries in your walls, leeching out to your floorboards, skirting boards, and your carpet fibres, and ultimately making your carpets damp in the process.

Sadly, there isn’t a quick fix if you have rising damp. You’ll need to contact a professional who will advise on the best course of damp proofing, which is typically a chemical damp-proof course or the fitting of a damp-proof membrane. In the meantime, though, it’s well worth using a dehumidifier and improving ventilation in your home.

What to buy

FAQs

• Damp, cold carpets
• Musty odours
• A spongy texture
• Discolouration
• Warped skirting boards/floorboards

Hopefully you'll never have to deal with damp carpets, but it's still worth understanding what can cause them - and what to do to solve it.