The Basics Of Rug And Carpet Care

While most homeowners tend to rely on professional carpet cleaners to clean their carpeting, they fail to understand there are specific steps that can add durability to their carpets and rugs. Here's a breakdown of how you can keep your carpeting and rugs in good shape.

• Different treatments for different materials
  The care and cleaning of your carpeting and rugs will depend upon the materials from which they are made. Wool rugs require frequent vacuuming while avoiding the use of a rotary brush. Ammonia and highly alkaline cleaners should not be used because of the likelihood of damage to the wool. Synthetic carpets and rugs can be vacuumed using a beater brush to remove grit. A steam cleaner can be used to remove dirt and debris stuck in the fibers.
  
  
• Vacuum High-Traffic Areas Frequently
  High-traffic areas are susceptible to stains. You may want to pay special attention to family rooms, door entries, halls leading to kitchens as well as pet areas. This essentially means vacuuming daily to keep persistent dirt at bay.
  
  
• Air Them Out
  Dust collects in your carpets and rugs over time. This is unsanitary and can cause allergic reactions and other health problems. Airing out your carpets frequently is an important home maintenance task. Vacuuming will not be the best option as it tends to send dust into the air. Fresh air and sunlight will kill all the bacteria and remove the dust particles.
  
  
• Use Pads Beneath Area Rugs
  Some people prefer to use accent area rugs over wall-to-wall carpeting. While beneficial in most cases, don't forget to use rug pads underneath your carpets to avoid two main challenges: carpet-surface erosion and dye transfer.
  
  
• Use a High-Quality Vacuum
  Using a high-quality vacuum plays an important role in keeping your rugs and carpets in shipshape. Not all vacuum cleaners are the same, and you may want to choose high-quality products to avoid frustrating breakdowns when you're putting in extra effort in the care of your carpets. A quality vacuum cleaner will be highly durable, effective, and efficient.
  
  
• Regularly Rearrange Furniture
  Furniture positioning significantly affects the rate of wear and tear in carpets and rugs. Chairs and sofas strategically placed in permanent positions naturally cause foot traffic and dirt patterns mainly characterized by pets and normal wear and tear. Furniture legs can also damage carpets if not shifted periodically.

You may want to take care of carpet divots by placing ice cubes in plastic bags and resting the specified bag in the divot. The subsequent cold from the ice will cause the carpet fibers to bulge and restore their resilience and the carpet's smooth surface.

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