Flooring

Carpet care guide

After your carpet has been fitted, it is a good idea to establish a regular maintenance routine that will help your carpet to stay looking its best. You can find easy-to-follow tips from my carpet expertise below.

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If you’ve recently had your new carpet fitted, you may already be starting to fret over the chance of it getting stained or marked.


Spilt drinks, muddy paws, makeup mishaps and debris from shoes are all common culprits for carpet blemishes.


Luckily, we have plenty of helpful hints to keep your carpet looking pristine.

Protect your carpet


I understand that life can throw many things at your carpet – literally!


So that you can be prepared, I recommend our ScS SOS Carpet Care Kit, available to purchase in store and online. 


Our SOS Carpet Care Kit includes:


  • Carpet stain away for removing fresh stains
  • Carpet stain remover for greasy stains
  • Ox cleaner for stains such as food, drink, urine and other stubborn stains


Maintenance & cleaning tips

How to clean carpet


To keep your carpet looking its best, its important you clean up any spills or messes as soon as possible after they occur. 


Following my simple steps will help banish stains before they set:


● Gather any solids (such as food), starting from the edges and moving inwards to avoid it spreading further

● Use a clean, dry cloth or towel to blot up any liquid

● Apply carpet cleaner to a clean cloth and apply it to the stain. (Always follow the instructions on your carpet cleaner as they may differ from one product to another). Do not scrub it as you will end up rubbing the stain more into the carpet.

● Repeat using water to remove the residue of the cleaning product from the carpet

● Dry the area with a clean cloth or towel

● Once the area is dry, vacuum to reveal your clean carpet. Voila!


For bleach-cleanable carpet, such as Polypropylene, simply mix a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water and gently rub the stain. 


Please note that wool carpets, though highly durable, need a little extra care when it comes to cleaning and stain removal.


Professional cleaning is recommended, so please refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Deep cleaning carpet


It’s inevitable that dust and oil particles in the air will leave a dulling film on your carpet over time.


The best way to overcome this is by employing a professional cleaning company that will use specialist cleaning solutions recommended for your carpets.


I recommend that a professional clean is carried out at least once every two years.

Colour matching


Please be aware that carpet samples may not always be an exact colour match to the finished carpet that you receive, as small changes in colour shades may occur from one production batch to another.


Although the changes are usually only minimal, please do be aware that carpet samples should be used only as a guide to the finished product.

Shedding


Shedding is natural for new carpets, when loose fibres work their way to the surface.


These are simply excess yarns and fibres, and aren’t a defect in any way.


Regular vacuuming will help to collect any loose fibres and in time, you will notice that any shedding will have stopped.


I recommend vacuuming at least once or twice a week to pick up any stray fibres, dirt and dust.


Woollen carpets are particularly notorious for shedding and is normal for a wool carpet to shed fibres for a while after being fitted.


This should reduce within 3-6 months with routine vacuuming. 

Shading and pile reversal


Shading and pile reversal can occur on any type of carpet and gives the appearance of light and dark patches.


Please be assured that this is normal and is a result of the carpet’s pile lying in different directions, creating a ‘shaded’ look.


Small areas can be brushed back gently with your hand so that the pile all lies in the same direction.

Pilling


The pile of your carpet are the loops of fabric that make up your carpet. Each type of carpet (such as Saxony, Twist or Loop) has a different pile, which affects the look and feel of the carpet. 


They also have different densities, meaning that some carpets are much more hardwearing than others and have better ‘bounce back’ compared to other carpets. 


‘Pilling’ is a term used to describe the small balls of fibres that collect on a carpet’s surface; a similar thing often happens to woollen jumpers after wear.


Pilling is most often seen on loop pile and wool-blend carpets, and can be easily treated by simply snipping away the bobbles with a pair of household scissors.

How to lift the pile of your carpet


It is natural for carpets to flatten over time due to use, but there are certain things you can do to keep this to a minimum. 


Here are a few ways to help lift your carpet pile and keep it looking sprightly:


1. Regular vacuuming not only removes dirt and dust from your carpet but also lifts the fibres back up, helping to keep your new carpet looking fresh and fluffy. You should vacuum your carpet at least 1-2 times per week to keep it looking its best.


2. Use your finger or a brush to move the fibres back and forth until they are fluffed up


3. Regularly move your furniture around, even by just a few inches to relieve flattened carpet. To reduce dents and make it easier to move furniture around without damaging your carpet, use floor protectors or furniture glides under the legs and wheels of your furniture.


4. To remove furniture indentations, fill the dents with ice cubes and allow them to melt. Use your fingers or a brush to fluff up the fibres. You can repeat the process if you’re not happy with the result but do not attempt this method too much as carpets tend not to like water and may result in a damp odour. Vacuum once dry.


5. If you have an entire room to rejuvenate, sprinkle some baking soda over the whole carpet and gently brush into the fibres. Leave to work overnight and then vacuum up the next day to reveal fluffy 

ScS carpet warranties

What is a stain? The industry definition of a stain is a permanent transformation of more than one unit on the ISO-105 AO3 greyscale, a standard that is used to assess carpet staining. The ability to resist staining means the ability of the carpet pile to withstand or minimise permanent staining caused solely by foods or beverages. This warranty covers: Cleaning costs, if a professional cleaner cannot remove the stain. A new carpet of the same of similar quality if professional treatment cannot remove the stain. Removal of your existing stained carpet. Installation cost at a normal consumer rate, excluding extra costs of moving furniture. Refund applicable only to the area or room directly affected. Removal and installation costs limited to £3.00 per square metre. Conditions of the warranty: For the warranty to be valid, you must retain your proof of purchase, the name and colour of the carpet and the price you paid per square metre. This warranty only applies to carpets fitted in a single family residence and subjected to normal domestic wear. All carpets must be fitted by a professional company registered to BS5325 (2017) standards to be eligible for cover by this warranty. The warranty is only valid in the name of the first purchaser and is non-transferable. In other words if the carpet is re-sold by you, or the residence in which it is fitted is sold the warranty becomes invalid for the new owners of the carpet. The carpet must be cleaned at least once every two years by a professional cleaning company. Exclusions: All stains caused by non-food or non-beverage substances, for example, ink. All pigment stains such as dyes contained in food and drink products, for example, mustard. Discolouration of shading changes to the carpet due to normal everyday footfall soiling, crushing of the pile, abrasion or pile reversal. Staining due to improper cleaning methods or use of any chemical application which is not recommended. Staining due to abnormal use or conditions, including wilful acts of gross negligence. Costs relating to the replacement of underlay and moving of furniture.
At ScS, we will ensure that your carpet will last the duration of the guarantee, and that with regular maintenance your flooring will perform well. Exclusions: Appearance such as flattening – the appearance of any carpet can be significantly improved with regular maintenance, Please refer to our carpet care guide for details on a regular maintenance routine that will help maintain the appearance of your carpet. Please note: The stain warranty is only applicable to polypropylene carpets.

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Jack Odgen

Written by:

Flooring Specialist

at ScS Coventry

11th October 2023

Jack is the Flooring Specialist based at the Coventry ScS store. Having been part of the ScS flooring team since 2019, Jack knows everything there is to know about the flooring ranges at ScS. Jack's favourite flooring is carpet as it can make a house feel more homely, has a nice underfoot feeling and can help to keep the house a little warmer.