10 Maintenance Tips To Prolong the Life of Your Carpet

Carpet Maintenance: An Indispensable Part in Increasing Carpet Lifespan

Carpets can last a long time, almost as long as 10 years if they are taken good care of. But this is easier said than done. Life can be full of surprises and little mishaps such as spills and stains on your carpet. And ofcourse the hustle of everyday to make matters go out of control. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a small amount of maintenance and organization, you can extend the life of your carpets.

In this blog, we will tell you the most effective preventive measures, precautions as well as changes that you can make that will save you tons on money and time in the long run!

10 Ways to Maintain Your Carpet & Prolong its Life

1. Vacuum Regularly

We know, we know, an obvious and simple one right to maintain a carpet, one you’ve heard countless times? But it can’t be stated enough, as it is essential to remove the daily dust and dirt your carpet accumulates. Although, here are some tricks that you need to know to do it the right way, that often get neglected:

• Make sure you dust or sweep your house thoroughly before you vacuum or you could get dust on your clean carpet again.
• Ensure that you position the carpet correctly, as if the vacuum is too high off the ground, it won’t suck in the dirt thoroughly and if it’s too low it will damage both the carpet and your vacuum cleaner.
• Take your time when it comes to vacuuming. It’s not a race and shouldn’t be done in haste. This is because vacuuming at a slower pace allows it to pick up all the dirt embedded below the surface of your carpet.
• If you think a vacuum cleaner is enough for carpet maintenance, think again! It is only capable of removing 75% of the dirt from the carpet that too only on the surface. The unreachable dirt can only be removed by professional cleaning services like steam cleaning or dry cleaning to remove them.

2. Rearrange the Position of your Furniture

Another tip for carpet maintenance is rearranging furniture. This ensures that only one spot of your carpet isn’t taking the load or weight. This will help in an even distribution of fading out of the carpet.

This will also significantly reduce uneven discoloration as it will prevent the sun from hitting a particular spot.

In order to protect your carpet from heavy furniture or other heavy decor items, use coasters. Also, make sure you lift and never drag while moving furniture.

3. Inculcate a “Shoe-Free Zone” Policy for Your Home

Even if it appears that your shoes are clean, they carry a ton of outdoor dust, dirt and even insects that can enter your home if you don’t take them off.

Walking in with shoes can leave not only debris but also cause wear and tear of your beautiful carpet.

If you think creating a complete shoe-free zone is impossible, just follow this only for the carpeted areas and you will be well on your way to an easy but a big step to maintaining your carpet in tip-top condition.

4. Clean Stains Instantly! Don’t Wait!

When it comes to stains, time is of the essence. Quick action when a spill occurs is the best way to maintain your carpet in good condition. The key is to dab or blot gently and not to scrub.

Excessive and aggressive rubbing can cause the stain to push it deeper into the carpet fibres, making it much more difficult to remove.

Remember, each type of stain requires a different method and also depends on your carpet type. You can read more about it here.

5. Use Stain Resistant Products

Protectants help by preventing dirt and liquid from absorbing deeper into the carpet. They can also prevent fading that happens from prolonged exposure to sunlight.

If saving money on carpet maintenance is your goal, trust us, stain resistant products are one of the first and biggest lines of defense and a saviour! You can thank us later!

6. Use Mats in High Traffic Areas

You know how roads experience different amounts of traffic at specific times of the day? So do our carpets! Areas in the house such as doorways, living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms see a lot of foot traffic. Installing doormats and other protectant mats over your beautiful carpets can help in preventing accumulation of debris. Ensure that overtime you also clean these mats.

Select the best protection mats such as ones that have walk-off properties and are water-proof to maintain and prolong the life of your carpet.

7. Minimize direct exposure to sunlight

Carpets can fade very quickly if they are kept in direct sunlight. Ultraviolet rays can cause the fibres of your carpet to turn brittle and decompose in time.

To prevent this from happening, install lined curtains or thick blinds that block the sunlight during morning and evening hours.

As mentioned in point 2, rearranging the position of your furniture will also prevent sunlight from being concentrated on one spot on the carpet and cause evenly distributed colour, making areas that are affected less visible.

8. Indoor Air Quality Plays a Major Role

The quality of air and the environmental conditions can affect your carpet in more ways than one. For example, if you live in an area that has a dry climate, high levels of pollen, dust and dirt can take a toll on your carpet fibres. To control this you can install a good quality air conditioning or have extraction fans that help keep the air cleaner.

On the other hand, if you live in an area with high humidity levels, installing dehumidifiers to remove moisture will do the trick and help prevent the growth of mould and significantly help you avoid wear and tear of your carpet.

Other ways to ventilate your home and maintain your carpet is to open windows regularly, avoid smoking indoors as well as check for pet messes.

9. Avoid Eating in a Carpeted Room

Yes, there is something totally enjoyable about folding your legs on your couch and enjoying meals while watching TV. Although, not only is this bad for your health but also your carpet. In short, it’s a recipe for carpet-staining and a maintenance disaster!

Avoiding eating or drinking in carpeted rooms means you won’t risk spilling. Eat in your kitchen or dining room. Remember, it only takes one spill to leave a nasty greasy stain on your beautiful carpet, that if not careful can remain there forever!

20. Leave it to the Professionals

Last but not least, getting your carpet deep cleaned by a professional at least once every 3 or 6 months is a must-do carpet maintenance tip!

DIY methods, household cleaning equipment and products do not have what it takes to get deeper into the carpet fibres. Hiring a professional like My Fair Cleaning will not only prolong the life of your carpet but also have it looking spotless and new again!

Ali December 25, 2021 Carpet Cleaning