The 5 Top Maintenance Tips For Extending The Life Of Your Carpets
Carpets can be expensive and they have a finite lifespan. Fortunately, this lifespan can be extended if you take the time to correctly maintain them. There are a number of carpet maintenance tips that you should use to ensure that your carpets last as long as they possibly can.
Regular Cleaning
The top maintenance tip for extending the life of your carpets is to clean them regularly. This means that you should vacuum your carpets on a regular basis to remove the dirt which accumulates in them. Cleaning is the first line of defense for your carpet and you need to be thorough.
The amount of carpet vacuuming that you do should vary on the amount of traffic the carpet gets. If you have an active family, you might have to do this 2 to 3 times a week. However, weekly in low traffic areas will generally be fine.
Keep The Dirt Outside
Walk-off mats inside and outside your home will help you to lower the amount of dirt in your carpets. This will help to keep your carpets in good shape for much longer. A study found that it takes around 17 steps before your shoes are clean, which means that you should take your shoes off before entering the carpeted areas of your home.
Clean Spills As Soon As Possible
When something is spilled on the carpet, you need to clean it up immediately. This will stop your carpet staining and reduce the damage that is done to the fibers. If you treat the spill immediately, you will generally be able to completely remove it from the carpet. When cleaning spills, it is important to blot the liquid and not rub it as this will cause the stain to embed in the fibers.
There are different ways to clean different spills and you need to consider this. A mixture of dishwashing liquid and water will be able to remove grease while a mixture of water and vinegar will be helpful for any other type of spill. Wax should be reheated for removal while gum should be frozen before you remove it to ensure that you get everything out.
Rearrange Your Furniture
A lot of people assume that leaving their furniture in one place will actually be good for their carpet. This is incorrect as the feet of the furniture will wear down the carpet in confined areas and this means that you will need to replace it sooner. When you move the furniture around more often, you will decrease the wear on the carpet and this will extend the lifespan. It is recommended that you move your furniture around every 6 months if possible.
Hire A Professional Cleaning Service
Deep cleaning your carpets is important if you want them to last. Deep cleaning will get rid of all the dirt and contaminants that you are not able to see or reach with a standard vacuum cleaner. However, it is important that you hire a professional cleaning service to do this unless you are very confident in using carpet cleaning machinery.
A professional cleaning service will be able to deep clean your carpets fairly easily. It is important to note that there are different types of deep cleaning and you should choose one that is economical and environmentally friendly. Certain shampoo cleaning can cause allergic reactions and you need to consider this. Many people will recommend steam cleaning as it is better for your carpets and will not have any harmful chemicals.
Proper maintenance is the best way to extend the life of your carpets. There are a number of tips that you can use which will help with this including keeping the dirt away from your carpets.