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.
11th October 2023
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
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