Keeping Your Carpets Looking Fresh
There are a lot of factors that come into play when you consider how your carpet will maintain it’s new appearance: the quality of the carpet, the quality and thickness of the padding, and, of course, the wear and tear of daily life.
There’s no secret to keeping your carpets looking fresh. There are a few things you can do to make sure your carpets have a long, good-looking life:
Vacuum Regularly
Maintaining a regular schedule is one of the best ways to keep your carpet looking new. Once a week is best, but more often will not hurt the carpet. Dirt, soil, and grime accumulate over time and these particles can break the surface of the fibers. Make sure you get all of the carpet – even those areas you don’t think get a lot of traffic.
As you vacuum, don’t get into a pattern. When you continuously vacuum in the same direction every time, the strands start to naturally lay into a pattern. Instead, change directions frequently, even during each vacuum session. For example, vacuum completely in one direction and then take a second pass at the same room in the opposite direction.
Keep Other Floors Clean
Keep other floor surfaces in your home clean, too. When the kitchen floor is dirty or grimy, it’s easy for people to track that dirt into the dining room.
Clean Spots Immediately
The longer a spot stays on the carpet, the harder it will be to remove. Attack those carpet stains as soon as you see them.
Use a quality carpet shampoo for best results. Usually these come in concentrated formulas you can mix with hot water. Apply liberally to the affected area and brush in until it gets foamy. Work the cleaner into the stain but don’t overdo it. You can damage the carpet if you brush too hard. Clean up with a wet-vac and rinse with cold, clean water. This treatment should yield excellent results.
Take Your Shoes Off
One of the worst contributors to bad looking carpet is the dirt tracked in from outside – especially the asphalt of a driveway. The oils in asphalt easily stick to your shoes and track inside where they work their way into the carpet and are hard to remove with a vacuum. The stickiness of the asphalt will also attract dirt that becomes almost impossible to remove. It’s best to remove your shoes – especially after coming in from outside.
It’s not hard to take good care of your carpets. Following a few simple guidelines will help keep your carpet looking as clean and fresh as the day it was first installed.
