Carpet Care and Maintenance

Vacuum Your Carpet Regularly

Fine particles of dust will abrade the pile of a carpet and therefore it is best to vacuum your carpets regularly. Regular vacuuming of a carpet will enhance its appearance and prolong its life. Removing loose soil while it remains on the surface, will prevent it from being trodden into the carpet and thus abrading the fibers. Use a vacuum with a beater bar or rotating brush head, unless you are vacuuming a thick loop pile carpet, in which case one should use a suction vacuum only, in order to prevent fussing. Vacuum high traffic areas once a day, and light to medium traffic areas two to three times a week. Specific care information may be available from your carpet dealer or from a toll free number provided by the carpet manufacturer or fiber producer.

Preventative Maintenance for Carpet

Place foot mats at all doorway entrances where carpet meets up with any hard surface flooring material, in order to prevent the tracking in of dirt and fine dust particles that can abrade the carpet fibers and result in visible wear and tear.

Place furniture coasters under the feet of any heavy furniture, in order to prevent indentations. This is especially important if you have furniture with wheels.

Many of the fibers used in the manufacture of carpet will fade over time when exposed to direct sunlight. In order to extend the life of your carpet, ensure that the drapes are closed during hours of direct sunlight.

Do not utilize any cleaning solutions that contain bleach or corrosive materials, as this could permanently discolor or dissolve carpet fibers. Olefin is a solution dyed fiber and therefore is the only carpet fiber that can be cleaned using a bleach water solution

Even with regular vacuuming, soil particles and oily dirt will cling to the carpet fibers. With foot traffic these particles and oily dirt are driven deep into the carpet. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends that carpet be dry- or wet-extraction cleaned a minimum of every 12 or 18 months before it shows soiling. Use a cleaning method recommended by the carpet manufacturer to maintain their warranty. The fiber system used should be the primary factor in selecting a cleaning method. The majority of carpet manufactured today is constructed with synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester, or olefin, and may be cleaned with most cleaning methods. Note however that natural fibers may require specialized care.