When you put down new carpet, you love the look and feel. You enjoy it for a while, and then you become concerned because you want it to look this good for as long as you can. Is there an easy way to maintain your carpet? Yes, there are things that you can do to preserve the new carpet look and feel. There are several steps that you can take to make sure your carpet looks its best.
Vacuum
It is important to vacuum your carpet on a regular basis. This will get the surface dust and dirt off and will prevent the carpet color from getting dull. Additionally, vacuuming will prevent the dirt from going deeper into the carpet fibers.
Spot Check
Make sure any spills are wiped up as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than getting a stain on your brand new carpet. More than a stain though is preventing any type of bacteria or mold to develop. When cleaning up spills, make sure you buy a quality product. You don’t want the “cleaner” to just mask the spill for a short while only to have the stain re-appear when the product dries. Or worse, spread the stain even further and require cutting out a section of carpet to replace it.
Clean and Deodorize
A deep, thorough cleaning of your carpet will remove any debris or dirt that is left behind after vacuuming. Sometimes dirt becomes ground in or just goes deeper into the carpet where the vacuum cannot pick it up efficiently. The deep cleaning will reach where this dirt is and remove it. Also, allergens will be removed. Like the spot removal section above, when deodorizing the carpet, you want to remove the odors, not just cover them up. For these jobs, you want to make sure you have quality equipment and cleaners or have professionals handle the task.
Keep It Groomed
Carpets develop wear patterns and impressions when heavy objects are placed on them for a long period of time, such as a sofa. To maintain the look of the carpet, it is good to “fluff” the carpet back up in these areas. Additionally, where there is heavy traffic will need attention. One of the ways to bring the carpet back to life is to have the carpet raked. This will lift the pressed parts of the carpet and restore it back to its original shape.
Snags and Burns
Sometimes things are dropped on the carpet and burn a small section of it, or something gets caught in the carpet and creates a snag. It is important to not pull on the carpet to fix either of these scenarios. You can damage the carpet through this. It is best to cut out the burned areas (if it will not leave a hole) and carefully cut off the snagged part. If the burn is minor, a little cutting can remove the singed strands without changing the overall look. If the area is burned badly, then it will be important to carefully remove that section and replace it with a brand new piece.
