Because carpet acts as a floor covering, carpeting can be subjected to quite a beating. Over time, carpet can look prematurely dirty or faded, and carpet fibers can actually start to lose their fullness. However, with routine care and maintenance, years can be added to the life of your carpets and rugs. Follow these simple guidelines and learn how to keep your carpet looking its absolute best.

Frequent Vacuuming is Key

Many people may not be aware that frequent and thorough vacuuming is one of the most important (and easiest) things you can do to help retain your carpet’s original appearance.

With that being said, choosing the right vacuum cleaner to handle your carpet cleaning needs is extremely important. While household tools such as carpet sweepers can remove surface dirt, vacuuming prevents deep abrasions that can ruin carpet. When shopping for a vacuum, one of the most important things to look for is the vacuum’s filtration abilities. Vacuums with dual motors, or those with one motor to provide suction with the other motor powering a beater bar to loosen dirt, are excellent at removing dirt and grit, particularly upright vacuums with this feature. Also, vacuums with beater bars or rotating brushes are better at loosening dirt than standard canister vacuums. In addition, be sure that the vacuum you choose provides the correct height adjustment for your specific type of carpet

Because vacuuming helps remove dirt particles which can degrade and dull the appearance of carpets and rugs, carpets should be vacuumed at least once a week and perhaps even more frequently in heavy traffic areas. Frequent vacuuming prolongs the life of your carpet by preventing any buildup of gritty debris that can cut up carpet fibers, and every few weeks, you should use your vacuum’s crevice tool to clean the tight areas around baseboards, radiators, and other difficult-to-reach places.

Reduce Traffic and Retain Your Carpet’s Texture

To prolong the appearance and overall life of your carpet, reduce the amount of traffic in heavily traveled, carpeted areas, as these areas will receive the most wear. Use rugs under and in front of heavily used furniture such as chairs, and clean these rugs on a regular basis. Furniture and area rugs should also be moved periodically to reduce the wear on these paths.

Heavy furniture can also cause permanent indentations in your carpet, and it is important to use furniture glides or cups under the legs of heavy pieces. Temporary indentations can be remedied by working the carpet back in place with your fingers or with the edge of spoon, dampening the area in question, and heating the carpet with a hair dryer.

Fluffing, Shedding, and Sprouting

You may sometimes find tiny balls of fluff or loose fibers on your carpet or in your vacuum cleaner. Fortunately in most cases, this is not cause for alarm, as it is the normal result of fiber that is left in the carpet during the manufacturing process. Proper vacuuming with a high quality vacuum cleaner will usually cause this shedding this disappear if your carpet is relatively new, and removing these large fibers will not affect the life or appearance of the carpet.

In some cases, you may even notice a yarn tuft or two sprouting above the pile surface of your carpet. Simply snip off these large tufts with a pair of scissors to the level of the carpet, but never pull these out. If sprouting proves to be a persistent problem, contact your carpet’s manufacturer or flooring representative.

Address Carpet Stains Immediately

Even with the utmost of care, carpet staining is inevitable. Therefore, it is important to understand that when spills occur, time is of the essence, as the sooner a stain is cleaned, the easier it will be to completely remove. Don’t be fooled by stains that appear to be clear, as these can change color and be quite visible over time. For even additional cleaning, look to wet/dry vacuums which not only have the ability to suck up dust and debris, but also liquid spills as well.

The first step in removing a carpet stain is to blot any excess liquid with a paper towel or clean cloth. Liquid stain removers should not be initially added to the stain, as they will only make the spot larger and cause it to sink deeper into the carpet. Once the liquid has been absorbed, if a special cleaning solution is to be used, first test it on an inconspicuous part of the carpet to prevent any possible staining. If the solution proves to be safe to use, try to use the least amount of solution possible and work from the outside of the stain toward the center to prevent any spreading. To prevent fiber damage, don’t rub the carpet with too much force, and be sure to dry the area with a hair dryer or fan when you are finished.

Also keep in mind that not all stains can be removed: bleached areas caused by chlorine bleach or sunlight are impossible to get rid of, and liquids like urine, if allowed to dry, will leave permanent stains.

Ultimately, regularly vacuuming your carpet and spot cleaning will prolong the appearance and life of your carpets. Professional carpet cleanings every 18 months are also an important part of a regular carpet care regimen, and investing in a carpet shampooer, wet/dry vacuum, or steam vacuum is also a good idea for interim carpet maintenance.

The best way to keep a rug clean is to keep it from getting dirty in the first place. Removing outdoor shoes when entering the house (as people do in most rug-weaving countries) is a good idea if this accords with your lifestyle. Bare-foot or sock-foot traffic is much gentler to a rug than a hard outdoor-shoe sole (or spike heel), and leaving your outdoor shoes at the entrance to the house tracks in much less dirt.

Have your rug cleaned only when it really needs it. For rugs in some areas this will mean a yearly cleaning. Rugs in other areas can go several years and more without needing professional cleaning.

To judge how dirty a rug is, try one of these methods:

Pick up a corner of the rug and while holding it, kick the back of the rug sharply. If a cloud of dirt flies out of the pile, the rug is dirty and needs cleaning. NOTE: some dust and wool fibers are normal!

Kneel down on the rug and rub the pile vigorously with your hand in a short arc for 5 to 10 seconds. Look at your fingers and palm: if your hand is dirty, the rug needs cleaning.

With the pile facing UP fold part of the rug back upon itself so that the pile opens along a line of knots. Look down into the base of the pile at the foundation of the rug. If the warp and weft look dirty, there is dirt deep in the pile where a home vacuum cleaner cannot reach it. The rug needs cleaning.

Clean It Yourself

It’s easy to clean small rugs yourself. The process is best done in a utility room or garage (on a clean floor) or outside on a clean driveway or paved walk on a nice, sunny day:

Vacuum both sides well.

Shampoo the rug with cool water and mild liquid soap or rug shampoo (don’t use strong detergents, ammonia water or sudsy ammonia water). TEST FOR COLOR RUN IN A SMALL AREA FIRST. Use a soft, long haired brush or a firm, non-shedding sponge. Brush the pile firmly with linear motions in the direction of the nap: don’t scrub too vigorously. Wet the nap thoroughly with the soapy water.

Wash fringes with the same soap solution. Use a laundry brush and brush repeatedly away from the pile.

Rinse thoroughly with running water.

Squeeze out excess water–a rubber window squeegee works well. Squeegee the pile repeatedly in the direction of the nap until no more water is forced out.

Lay flat to dry. When the nap feels dry, turn the rug over; the back is probably still damp. DRY THOROUGHLY.

If the pile feels a bit stiff when dry, brush gently or lightly vacuum.

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