Caring for Your Carpets Correctly Extends Their Life
Vacuum Regularly
Vacuuming regularly is the best way to maintain your carpets.
- Vacuum daily in high-traffic or pet areas.
- Vacuum twice weekly in medium-traffic areas.
- Vacuum weekly in light-traffic areas, using attachments at carpet edges.
Be aware that one pass with a vacuum is usually not sufficient to do a thorough job. Going over it one time may be enough to remove the dirt that is on the very surface layer, but debris can work its way down into the fibers and may need to be approached multiple times, from different angles in order to be most effective.
Use Rugs & Mats
Use rugs or mats at doorways going in and out of your house. Outdoor and indoor mats or runners can reduce the amount of dirt that enters the house.
Clean Spots Quickly
Clean spots and spills quickly with products that do not damage the carpet or cause it to resoil quicker. Tom remove a spill...
- Blot liquids with a dry, white absorbent cloth or plain white paper towels (no prints or colors).
- Start at the outside of the spot and continue toward the center to prevent the stain from spreading. Continue blotting until the area is barely damp. Semisolids, like food spills, may need to be scooped up with a spoon. Solid, dried bits can be vacuumed up. Warning: do not scrub or use a brush. Scrubbing and brushes can damage the carpet. Fraying and texture change is the likely result.
- Pretest your chosen carpet cleaner on a scrap of carpet or in a hidden area of your carpet.
- Follow the product’s directions carefully. Apply a small amount of the cleaner to a white cloth and work in gently, from the edges to the center. Blot; don’t scrub. Never use a brush. You may need to do this several times to remove the spot.
Other Ideas
- Ask everyone to take off his or her shoes before entering your home. This practice saves wear and tear on the carpet.
- Change your air filters regularly. Refer to the manufacturer’s directions for your heating and air-conditioning system. The more dust and particles removed by the filter, the less that fall on the carpet.
- Rearrange furniture every few months and comb the dents to get rid of indentations caused by the weight of couches, chairs or tables.
- Rotate rugs so that they do not get worn in the same places over a long period of time. This will lengthen the vibrancy of smaller floor coverings.
