Your carpet is a valuable investment. Any investment requires maintenance. You change the oil in your vehicle so that the engine will last longer and avoid costly repairs. The same is true for your carpet, or any floor covering for that matter. By properly maintaining your carpet it will look better, last longer, and contribute to a healthier indoor environment.

When it comes to maintaining carpet, one of the most critical areas of focus is the traffic areas. If ground-in soil is not removed on a regular basis, the traffic areas will begin to wear excessively. The dirt is extremely abrasive against the fibers of the carpet as you walk back and forth on it. The second area of focus is spot removal. You must react to “danger” spots immediately. Red wine, red beverages, urine, blood, etc. can cause a permanent stain if not treated immediately.

Listed below are the steps that you must take to properly maintain your carpeting. 

1. Check the WarrantyCopies of specific warranties on your carpet purchase are available for you upon request. Stain-resistant warranties can vary from 5 to 20 years. All stain-resistant warranties require regular cleaning and immediate spot removal! 

2. Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum!

Vacuum your carpet often. Once or twice a week at least. Vacuuming removes the sharp soil that can cut and slice the fiber causing premature wear. Much of this soil is not visible to the eye. Vacuum before the carpet looks soiled. Remove any loose particles such as loose food, leaves, pieces of crayon, bugs, etc. as these items can cause a spot on the carpet. 

3. Professional Cleaning

As a general rule, professional cleaning by a professional, certified firm, should take place about once a year. Many stain-resistant warranties require professional cleaning every two years! If you have extremely heavy traffic areas, clean more often. Professional cleaning removes the damaging soil from the traffic areas that vacuuming has not been able to remove. Proper professional cleaning will not leave a sticky residue behind and be done many times per year. 

4. Spot Removal

Immediate spot removal is key to a clean carpet. Great care must also be taken in how spot cleaning is performed. When the carpet is new, it has sufficient protector on it, plain tap water will remove many spots. However, for those spots that will not move easily with water, you must use a spot cleaner. Select a spot cleaner that is recommended by your carpet retailer or your trained, certified professional cleaner. Apply spot cleaner sparingly to a white terry cloth and gently massage the spot causing it to transfer into the cloth. Never pour spot cleaner directly on the carpet. If the product that you are using seems to cause the spot to re-soil over a few weeks period, discontinue use. any spot that you are not able to remove, and for pet urine and feces, call your professional cleaner immediately. 

5. Protective Coating

Residential carpets are treated with stain-resistant properties and soil resistors. The soil resistor part is known as DuPont Teflon or 3M Scotchgard. After a period of two to three years, much of the soil resistor wears off, depending on traffic. At that point, you should consider having a professional carpet cleaner re-apply the treatment after professional cleaning. The soil resistor will help the soil slide off the carpet easier when vacuuming, spots will be easier to remove, and professional cleaning will be more effective the next time it is cleaned.

Regular vacuuming will extend the life of your rug and contribute to maintaining its great appearance.

Vacuuming should be proportional to the amount of soiling to which the rug is subjected – the more adults, children, and pets you have walking and playing on the carpet, the more often you are advised to vacuum.

For the average household, it is good practice to vacuum daily in high traffic areas such as hallways, near entrances, or busy living spaces and 2 or 3 times a week for the rest of your home.

For a thorough vacuum do three or four passes in each direction (North-South and East-West).

As a general rule, it is advised to use an upright, brush-assisted vacuum for cut pile and suction only vacuum cleaner on loop pile carpet and rugs.

• Vacuuming Rugs – Like most carpeting, rugs should be vacuumed at least weekly to remove dry soil, lint, and hair. If in an entryway, vacuum more often. Be cautious not to vacuum the fringe with your brush bar! Use the end of a vacuum hose from a canister vacuum. Every few months turn the rug face down on a clean, dry smooth surface and vacuum to vibrate out the embedded dry soil.
• Rotation – To ensure even wear, your rug should be rotated. Depending on the traffic, the rotation may vary from every six months to once a year.

If you vacuum frequently but your rug is still in need of a good clean, call for a free consult today!