It’s a sad day when your beautiful new carpet shows its first signs of age. Unfortunately, depending on the style of carpet you have chosen and the way you treat it, it can start to look old very quickly! One of the most common signs of age that people notice first is their carpet looking worn and flat.
There is good news and bad news here. The good news is, there are many ways you can prevent the packing-down of your carpet and take proactive steps to keep it looking clean, springy, and just like new. The bad news is, if you ignore the issue long enough, there will come a point when these packed down fibers can no longer be brought back to their former state. So, make sure you look after your carpet from the very beginning! Here are some simple things you can do to make sure your carpet looks new for longer.
1. Take off your boots and shoes in the house
Heavy footwear causes much more wear and tear (and packing of fibers) than socks or bare feet! Dragging the heels of shoes across carpet can cause fraying or fanning out of the individual fibers, and in high traffic areas the weight of shoes and boots alone can cause fibers to be packed down and damaged more quickly. The higher your pile, the faster you will notice this kind of damage.
Wearing outdoor footwear in the house speeds up the aging of your carpet in other ways too. The more you wear outside shoes and boots, the more dirt you are bringing in and leaving in your carpet! Dirt, dust, and damp all weigh it down and make it look older and flatter.
2. Use door mats
The less dirt that makes it into your carpets, the less they will become packed down and heavy, and the less friction they will experience from dirt particles being ground in. Put door mats outside your doors to catch dirt on the way in and provide a place off the floor for you and your guests to put your boots and shoes when you come inside. The less tracking of dirt, snow, slush, and mud onto your carpets, the better they will look over time.
3. Prevent damage from heavy furniture
People don’t really think about the fact that furniture can cause damage, but it does! Heavy furniture causes packing and flattening of the carpet fibers under the legs, and this damage can be permanent. Rotate your furniture often (including heavy plant pots, or anything that sits in one place for a long time), and use leg coasters to spread the weight out and prevent the leg itself from driving deep into one small section of carpet.
4. Clean regularly
Make sure you vacuum regularly, as this will both lift the fibers and remove the dirt, dust, and debris that causes your carpet to fray, frizz, and age because of friction.
5. Clean up spots and stains immediately
Be vigilant about cleaning up spills and accidents right away! The longer urine, red wine, chocolate, or any other stains are allowed to sit in your carpet fibers, the harder they will be to get out.
6. Call the Professionals
The very best thing you can do for your carpet is have it professionally cleaned and maintained. Home-use spot cleaners have chemicals that can discolour or damage fibers, and not every chemical works for every type of stain. The wrong technique can be incredibly damaging as well (never rub, always pat!).
And who you hire matters too! Some companies use brushes to clean your carpets, which cause fraying and friction damage. You need to make sure the company you hire also knows what products to use for what issue, because not only will the wrong cleaning agent not clean your carpet properly, it can also damage it.
At AmSteam, we know the power of steam cleaning! This is the best way to keep your carpet looking great, both by superior stain removal and the natural fluffing and revitalizing of carpet fibers that will keep your carpet looking new longer. Our natural cleaning products are always right for the job, and are safe for your entire family.
We recommend having your carpet cleaned professionally once a year, more if you have pets or children. This will ensure that those packed down fibers are regularly revitalized and lifted and will result in far less permanent damage.
Carpet looking a little flat? Call AmSteam for a quote today!