Keeping your carpet beautiful is just plain smart

As one of the world’s oldest and most appreciated flooring products, a beautiful carpet can turn a living space into a showcase, a bedroom into a sanctuary – transform a house into a home.

Such a valued and versatile design element demands to be treated with care and attention. Maintaining your carpet is wise indeed.

To that end, we present this section. With the maintenance tips, suggestions and guidelines below, your new carpet can remain beautiful and beneficial for many years, and for many comfy, bare-foot crossings.
Start protecting at the entryways

Wherever there’s a doorway into your home from high-soil areas like backyards and garages, lay down walk-off mats.

Spend a few dollars on these inexpensive accessories and save yourself carpet-cleaning dollars in the long run.
One tool is elemental and essential

 


A quality, effective vacuum cleaner is a must. Purchase a good one and use it on a regular basis.

Vacuum cleaners have been greatly improved in the last few years; many are lighter, easier to handle, more powerful than ever and have added features and attachments. Some robotic products do the work without you!

Dirt and dust are tough on a carpet, causing it to lose its appearance and break down its performance. Thorough, regular vacuuming eliminates loose dirt and brings your carpet back to life, extends its beauty.
Focus on the “busy zones”

High traffic areas require more vacuuming attention more frequently. Concentrate on them with a vacuum cleaner that has a good beater bar and lots of suction. Call on the machine’s attachments for the tight spots – in the corners, along walls and on the stairs.
A note about bags

If your machine uses a bag, change it regularly for better cleaning performance. Many of today’s models are bag free, making your job a lot easier and faster.
The cushion plays a vital role

The carpet cushion maintains the appearance and the underfoot feel of your carpet. Spending a little more for a quality cushion is a smart investment because it can prevent matting and crushing underfoot, plus offer better soil and stain protection.

A quality cushion also delivers ventilation between the carpet and floor; makes vacuuming more easy and more effective.
What to do when you hit a snag

Carpet snags happen, especially with looped carpets at their seam or transition point. Avoid vacuuming over loose yarn and don’t try to pull out a snag. Use the same technique you would with a loose thread on an expensive blouse. Snip the snag even with the carpet, paying careful attention not to catch adjacent loops.
Two of carpet’s biggest enemies.

Heavy furniture is no friend to your carpet. The weight can compress or crush the carpet pile and leave deep “footprints” that will appear unexpectedly when you redecorate or move.

Our advice is to rearrange your furniture from time to time.

Sunlight is warm and inviting in your home but carpet near windows and patio doors is exposed to harmful ultraviolet rays which can cause carpet fading, deteriorate the fibre and decrease wear ability.

Whenever possible, install window treatments that offer sunlight protection.
Spills are inevitable, here’s what to do

Take action as soon as you can. Waiting to treat spills allows them to soak into the carpet fibre and become tougher to completely remove.

Use a dry cloth or paper towel to blot up the majority of the liquid or debris. Rubbing or scrubbing the area harms the fibres and may produce a permanent mark.

Use warm, not hot, water to rinse the soiled area thoroughly. Hot water can set the stain and make it difficult if not impossible to remove.

Press clean cloths deeply into the carpet, absorbing the moisture until the stain no longer appears on the cloth.

If a stain remover is needed, blot up excess moisture before applying, work gently and don’t over apply the stain remover.

Last, completely rinse the area with warm water, then absorb the excess dampness with a clean cloth. Once the carpet is dry, vacuum to restore its texture and appearance.
Call on the experts periodically

Time and traffic can’t be avoided and sooner or later you’ll need to protect your investment by calling on reputable, carpet cleaning professionals.

We suggest cleaning by the experts approximately once a year. They have the skill, experience and right tools to do a thorough, effective job of removing tough stains and deep dirt.

But use the pros sparingly. Too much commercial cleaning can damage your carpet by reducing its built-in protection.
Smart carpet owners read a lot

Think of your carpet as a textile product and carefully read all of the care and maintenance literature offered by the manufacturer.

Understand that different carpet fibres, styles and finishes can have maintenance guidelines exclusive to them alone.

While carpet upkeep is ongoing, this completes our section on maintenance. We hope the above advice keeps your carpet as beautiful and livable as ever, and enables you to be a smarter carpet buyer, owner and maintainer.