Seven Steps to a Longer Living Carpet

There's nothing like the feeling of plush carpet under your bare feet; carpets can bring a little luxury into your everyday life. However, as with any type of flooring, carpet needs care in order to keep looking its best. Following the seven steps below will extend the life of your carpeting, and allow you to enjoy it for years to come.

• You've probably realized that the carpet in more heavily-travelled areas gets worn and matted down more quickly than that in other areas. For a better appearance and longer life, use throw rugs in front of chairs and other often-used furniture; you can also try rearranging your furniture and area rugs in order to more evenly route traffic through your living areas.
• Another kind of damage that can come from high traffic is crushing, which is the loss of carpet thickness. It's not generally regarded as a manufacturing issue, unless there's a clause in your warranty. To keep crushing to a minimum, vacuum your carpets regularly.
• Depressions or indentations can result from the prolonged weight of heavy furniture items, and can become permanent. Use furniture pads or cups underneath the bottoms of heavy pieces, or move it slightly once a week or so. To repair depressions that are already present, work the pile of the carpet with your fingers, then moisten the area slightly and heat it with a blow dryer.
• Color loss and fading can happen when carpet is exposed to direct sunlight, heating system emissions, or exposure to chemicals. To prevent this kind of damage, protect your carpet in the same way you would any other piece of colored fabric.
• Filtration soil is caused by air flowing through and over carpet, which allows finely ground dirt to settle on the carpet's surface. It can also be caused when more air enters a room than can be removed by the system. To prevent it, seal openings under baseboards and doors, and use good filters in your HVAC unit and vacuum cleaner. If the soil is especially set in, you may need to call a cleaner or carpet fitter for help.
• Matting usually results from the untwisting and subsequent tangling of fibre tips due to foot traffic. It can be caused by things such as padding failure or improper maintenance, but it's not considered a defect unless specified in the carpet manufacturer's warranty.
• Most woollen carpet is treated to be resistant to moth damage, and synthetic blends are naturally insect-resistant. To control carpet-living insects, vacuum regularly, and change the bag frequently; severe infestations will require the help of a pest control professional.
• People usually buy carpet because it's soft, warm and comfortable, and because it just feels good to walk on. By properly cleaning and maintaining your carpet, you can prolong its good looks and extend its life by many years.

​​This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Stewart Groom Flooring the carpet fitting specialists. Please follow this link to find out more about the carpet fitter in Leicester.