Carpet care and maintenance

 
We want your floors to look beautiful for many years to come. That’s where maintenance comes in. Learning how to care for your floors properly is an important step that you don’t want to forget. Our guide to caring for your floors gives you tips on regular cleaning, yearly maintenance, and stain removal to ensure that your floors keep up their beautiful appearance.

Carpet is an excellent way to add warmth and softness to any home. With the vast number of carpet styles and types of carpet available today, it’s no secret that carpet continues to be a top choice. While carpet has many advantages and some disadvantages, what you might be asking yourself is, “How do I care for carpet?” We have some recommendations, tips, and tricks on how to keep your carpeting looking fresh and clean. Whether you have a home full of children or pets, or you simply want to maintain your carpet to ensure it lasts as long as possible, you’ll love our easy to follow guide on how to clean and maintain carpet in your home.
 
 
How to keep carpet clean
The beauty of carpet is that when you follow the flooring maintenance and care guides, it’s easy to maintain the integrity of your new floor, protecting your investment. Also, properly caring for your carpet will enhance its life and performance, giving you years of enjoyment. Whether you choose to clean it yourself or hire a professional, make sure to check your carpet warranty for any maintenance instructions. Almost all carpet warranties will require that you have a professional clean your carpet every 12-18 months. If you want to keep dirt, dust, and stains from occurring, here are a few tips on preventing accidents from occurring.

  • Take Your Shoes Off. When you arrive home after a day when your shoes attract dirt, take your shoes off as soon as you enter through the door. Dirt, mud, and other materials on your shoes will be left at the door.
  • Invest in Area Rugs. A top trend in today’s home décor is layering rugs, and there’s good news – the trend doesn’t stop at hard-surface flooring! Adding an area rug over your existing carpet is an excellent way to maintain the look and feel of your new carpets. Plus, you can create unique layering styles that capture your personality in your new home décor, and change out rugs when trends change.
  • Keep Food and Liquids in Your Kitchen. If you have a family that loves to snack at all hours of the day, or you happen to be a little clumsy, consider keeping all food and drinks in your kitchen. Reducing the likelihood of accidents is all about preventing them, and by removing the spills that are possible, you also remove the stains!
 
 
How to deep clean carpet
To deep clean your carpet without a steam cleaner, you can start by vacuuming up loose dirt and debris twice a week. Different fibers and manufacturers have different needs when it comes to the strength and type of vacuum. So before you begin, be sure to check your maintenance instructions to see what vacuums are approved for use on your specific carpet.

Vacuuming is crucial to maintaining carpet because it pulls up dirt that could be trapped in the carpet fibers, which is common in any household. In areas like hallways and staircases, there will be increased dirt because these are highly trafficked areas. Lower traffic areas like living rooms and bedrooms will also need to be vacuumed before you begin deep cleaning. While these areas of your home don’t see as much foot traffic, they are still likely to have debris trapped beneath the fibers that will need to be removed before you move on to the next steps of deep cleaning your carpet. One tip that can help you remove as much dirt as possible is to make sure your vacuum is empty. Full vacuums won’t suck up dirt as quickly or efficiently.

When vacuuming, always go in both horizontal and vertical directions. Stubborn dirt can be tough to remove, and it may require that you go over the same spot a few times. You may be surprised how much of a difference simply vacuuming your carpet in different directions can make.

Also, move furniture around so that you can get beneath couches, chairs, and other items where dirt can easily become trapped. Also, moving furniture permanently every few months is an excellent idea. It will help prevent your carpet from becoming permanently indented, leading to longer-lasting carpet that looks great for years to come.
 
 
How to spot clean carpet
While spot cleaning may seem like a simple task, spot cleaning carpet to remove stains depends greatly on the type of stain on the carpet. To remove carpet stains and spot clean your carpet, your best bet is to determine what type of spill is on the carpet, and then use our carpet stain removal page. Whether you spilled wine, fruit juice, or paint on your carpet, you’ll find instructions on how to get it out with some items you probably have on hand.

Vinegar, a damp towel, and laundry detergent are just a few ingredients that can be used in a pinch. If you’re not quite sure what the stain is, there is also an “unknown” stain option that will give you some recommended tips and tricks on spot cleaning your carpet. Pay close attention to the directions, as you’ll either need to blot, rub, or scrape the carpet to get the best results for your spot cleaning carpet treatment. Always be careful when using a homemade solution, and consult your recommended maintenance guidelines by your carpet manufacturer to be sure that you don’t void your warranty.
 
 
How to care for carpet with a professional steam cleaner
One of the most important things about maintaining your carpet is ensuring that you are following the carpet care that is recommended by the manufacturer. Following this carpet care will ensure that you don’t void the warranty of your carpet. It is usually to get your carpets professionally cleaned every 12-18 months, depending on the manufacturer and type of carpet. Investing in professionally cleaned carpets is not only necessary to avoid voiding your warranty, but it’s also one of the best ways to get a deep clean.

Unlike vacuuming and spot cleaning, steam cleaning uses a different method to get the deepest clean for your carpets. The steam from a steam cleaner helps to break down dirt, dust, and other materials that are trapped beneath your carpet fibers, which are then removed by a high powered vacuum. Steam cleaning is an excellent way to bring life to your carpets, and can be done by carpet professionals in your area.
 
 
Caring for carpet
Whether you are investing in new carpet for your home and you are preparing to keep it as clean as possible or you’re looking to clean older, worn carpets, there are plenty of ways for you to get started. Vacuuming, spot cleaning, and preventing carpet stains are all excellent ways to clean, care, and maintain your carpet for many years. Steam cleaning is a great choice for the ultimate deep clean, removing allergens and trapped dirt. To get carpets professionally steam cleaned and find out more about the best ways to keep your carpets clean, reach out to a Carpet One Floor & Home store near you today!