There is a phenomenon in the carpet cleaning industry that could easily be called, "ring around the room," but is more commonly referred to as filtration soiling or soil filtration lines. What are soil filtration lines? Soil filtration lines are ugly dark lines usually from 1 to 3 inches in width that often show up in homes along the baseboards, under doors, along stairways around furnace vents and under floor length draperies.
The Cause
Filtration soiling is caused by soot, dust, carbon monoxide and other microscopic airborne pollutants that pass through the carpet pile. As the pollutants pass through the carpet, the fibers act as a filter to remove the fine particles of airborne soil. These lines build up in the carpet and slowly turn from light gray to black. These airborne particles are distributed throughout a building via the heating or air conditioning system or through natural convection currents in the building structure. In virtually every home and building, gaps are found at the lower edge of walls, between steps and the walls of a stair case and between the floor and the drywall. Soil filtration lines may take weeks, months or even years to appear.
Prevention
The best method of prevention is to develop a habit of vacuuming along baseboards and stairways weekly, using a crevice tool. Also, during the months of heaviest usage for your heating or air conditioning system, change the filters at least monthly.
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