Keeping Your Carpet Beautiful For Years To Come. |
When you purchase new carpet, you do so because you love how it looks and feels. It's a feature that will enhance your room and give it a fresh, spectacular look. Of course, you want that look to remain for many years ahead. The following information will cover important aspects of caring for your carpet so you can be assured that the beauty it possesses today will remain for years to come.
After Installation:
Shedding- Most carpets retain some loose fibers after they leave the mill or store. These fibers often appear as balls of fluff on the surface of your carpet or in your vacuum cleaner. With time, they will work their way out of the carpet and no longer be a nuisance.
Sprouting- Occasionally, loose tufts will appear above the carpet surface. To remove the loose tufts, clip them to be even with the carpet's surface. Don't pull out the loose ends! If you do, they will permanently damage the carpet.
Rippling- During times of high humidity, your carpet might experience some slight rippling. This situation usually resolves itself as the carpet settles. If the problem persists, you should call your flooring retailer.
How To Keep Your Carpet In Great Shape:
Routine Maintenance- Regular carpet care and routine maintenance are essential to maintaining your warranty coverage. Over time, normal foot traffic and soiling will cause a change in any carpet's appearance. Hot water extraction, either alone or in combination with cleaning, is usually required to maintain any warranty. For the warranty, the service must be performed by a trained carpet care professional every one and a half to two years to refresh the texture and rejuvenate the fibers in your carpet. You can also do this yourself, however some carpet company's require a receipt from proffessional carpet cleaner should a warranty claim arise.
Vacuuming is Key- Vacuuming is key to keeping your new carpet young, fresh, and beautiful. Dirt and grit will become embedded in the fiber and affect your carpet's color and cause matting of the carpet. So you will want to vacuum heavy-traffic areas every day if possible. Less heavily used areas can be maintained with once-a-week vacuuming. Vacuum about three passes for light cleaning, and up to seven times where there is more soil.
Give it a Rest-Redistributing the load your carpet bears can lengthen it's life. So, rearrange your furniture periodically to give some areas of your carpet a rest.
Heavy Duty Cleaning- Vacuuming won't always take care of your carpet cleaning needs. Sometimes you need to do a little heavy duty cleaning to get your carpet looking like new again.
Many different types of carpet cleaners are commercially available, including dry cleaners, spray-on foam cleaners, and wet shampoo. Because there is a chance this could damage your carpet and invalidate your warranties, you should call your carpet company for details.
The best method, however, is to hire a professional carpet cleaner to give your carpets a thorough cleaning. When you decide to have your carpet cleaned professionally, choose the carpet cleaner with the same care you'd take in maintaining any major investment.
Treating Spills and Stains
The best cure for a spill is a fast response. If a spill is allowed to become a stain, it will be much more difficult to remove. Here are some tips for eliminating stains and spills.
Stop Stains Before They Start:
There are three important steps that you must use to treat a stain, hopefully before it has a chance to set into your carpet.
Apply: Wet a clean, white, (not printed) paper towel with a cleaning solution. Then dampen the carpet with it. Avoid wetting the carpet through its backing.
Blot: Absorb the excess liquid from the carpet by pressing straight down with a clean, dry, white paper towel. Do not rub. Place a half-inch think pad of clean, dry white paper towels with a weight on top and leave overnight if necessary.
Scrape: Gently scratch the soiled area with the blunt edge of a spoon. Scrape from the outside edge of the spot toward the center.