This soiling is called filtration soiling because it comes from air passing through the carpet as it is attempting to get through the crack between the carpet and the baseboard or under a closed door. As the air passes through the edge of the carpet pile, this microscopic soiling is deposited there (hence the term filtration soiling). This occurs over a significant period of time and is not noticed until a build up has occurred.
This type of soiling is difficult to remove because the soil particles are so fine that they penetrate deep into the carpet pile, sometimes into the backing of the carpet.
Can it be removed? To a degree. With special products, agitation, heat and lot’s of time and effort, reasonable results can be achieved. However, it should be noted that this problem can also be accompanied by fume fading (discoloration caused by gases and contaminates) and so when removed, you will often notice some color degradation to the affected areas.
