Carpet Care
It's
a good idea to keep a swatch of your carpet, the sales receipt, warranty
and installation information in case you need to refer to it later. To
keep your carpet in the best shape possible, you'll need to follow a simple
maintenance routine to protect your investment, includiing periodic professional cleaning.
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Daily Maintenance
Vacuum
your carpet regularly, especially in high traffic areas. 80 percent
of soil in carpet is dry and can be removed with the vacuum cleaner.
Use a
vacuum with a beater bar and brush, and be sure it's set to the correct
height for your carpet pile. If the setting is too high for your carpet,
you may not be cleaning it effectively. If it's too low, your carpet
will get unnecessary wear and tear from the vacuum cleaner. Changing
the direction of the cleaner frequently will make vacuuming more effective.
This regular maintenance will improve the overall appearance of the
carpet.
Change
the bag often to maximize the effectiveness of your vacuum cleaner.
You'll
need to deep clean your carpet about every one to two years. With today's advanced
fibers, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning.
High traffic
areas will need to be cleaned more frequently by spot cleaning or with
a steam cleaner. (There are excellent household steam cleaners on the
market that are the size of a vacuum cleaner and are ideal for frequent
cleaning).
Common Carpet Problems and Solutions
Crushing
is caused by both furniture and foot traffic. The weight of furniture
crushes a carpet's pile. Furniture glides or protectors help to distribute
the weight of the furniture from pointed "feet" that may dig
into the carpet. Changing traffic patterns in a room by rearranging the
furniture can help reduce crushing caused by heavy traffic patterns. Frequent
vacuuming helps to raise the pile.
Static
occurs with cool temperatures and low humidity. Choosing carpet with anti-static
protection or using a humidifier will help the problem.
Shedding
is most common in wool carpets. New, cut pile carpet will also shed for
awhile until the loose fibers are eventually removed with the vacuum cleaner.
Pilling
is a condition, usually caused by traffic in certain areas, where small
balls of fiber appear on the carpet's surface. If the pilling is minimal,
just clip it to reduce the appearance. If it's extensive, call a professional.
Snagging
occurs when sharp-edged objects such as furniture, toys or pet claws snag
the carpet fiber. Simply clip off the snag if the affected area is small.
Sprouting
is a condition where small tufts of fiber stick out above the carpet surface.
Clip the individual sprouts level with the carpet. Never pull them or
you may pull other fibers in the process and further the damage.
Fuzzing
makes the carpet appear "hairy" and is generally caused by slack
yarn twist or fibers breaking out of the yarn during wet cleaning or servicing.
If this occurs, it needs to be sheared by a professional cleaner.
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