Short answer: mould needs moisture that stays put. In winter, keep carpets dry by ventilating daily, drying spills straight away and never leaving damp items on the floor. If mould has already appeared, find the moisture source before you clean.
Why winter is the risk season
Adelaide winters are cool and wet, and houses stay shut. Cooking, showers, drying washing indoors and unflued gas heaters all add moisture to the air. That moisture settles on cold surfaces, including floors along outside walls.
Add wet shoes, damp dogs and umbrellas, and carpet can stay slightly damp for days.
Where to look
- Along outside walls and behind furniture
- Under rugs laid on carpet
- Beneath pot plants and pet bowls
- Inside built-in wardrobes on outside walls
- Near bathroom and laundry doorways
A musty smell usually arrives before visible mould.
Prevention that works
- Ventilate every day, even for ten minutes. Open windows on opposite sides of the house.
- Use exhaust fans when cooking and showering, and leave them on for a while afterwards.
- Do not dry washing in carpeted rooms without a window open or a dehumidifier running.
- Dry spills fully. Blot, then put a fan on the spot.
- Leave wet shoes and coats at the door.
- Move furniture a little off outside walls so air can circulate.
- Use saucers and stands under pot plants.
If the carpet is already mouldy
Small surface spots from a one-off spill can be cleaned. Wider mould, mould that returns, or mould after a leak means the underlay or floor is damp, and the moisture source needs fixing first.
In older homes, damp along the walls may be rising damp. See musty carpet and salt damp. After a leak, see flooded carpet: the first 24 hours.
Cleaning carpets in winter
It is fine to steam clean in winter. Book a morning appointment and keep the heating and some airflow going. See how long carpet takes to dry and our carpet cleaning service.
FAQs
Can steam cleaning cause mould?
Not when the carpet is properly extracted and dried within a day. Mould follows carpet that stays wet for two days or more.
How do I know if mould is in the underlay?
A smell that persists after surface cleaning, or mould that keeps returning in the same place, points to damp below the carpet.
Is a dehumidifier worth it?
In a damp room, yes. It is one of the most effective ways to keep carpet dry through winter.
