rug 101

How to Keep Your Carpet Looking Brand New

• 17 July 2021
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• 4 Min Read
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• By Jaipur Rugs

To keep your carpet as new for a long is very difficult to anyone. You can start caring your carpet by vacuuming regularly to prevent dirt buildup, and address spills immediately with gentle cleaning solutions. You can use area rug or runner rugs in high-traffic areas to reduce wear and tear. In every 8-12 months should deep clean your carpet professionally. Lastly, remove your shoes outside to minimize dirt and grime.

To keep things brand new is a challenge. In the case of carpets, it's double the effort. But nobody wants to be greeted by a shabby looking carpet. To protect your carpet by preserving its character is an art. So, if you are planning to ace it, here are a few ways to follow.

Vacuum It Away

Carpets attract a lot of dust, especially when it is in a high traffic area such as the living room.  One of the most common ways to keep the carpet brand new is vacuuming. Make sure you vacuum twice a week. More than the frequency, it is also important to vacuum properly. Start vacuuming in one direction and then vacuum perpendicular to the previous direction. Check all the nooks and corners of your carpeted area to make sure you are picking up everything that could be resting in your carpet fibers. Avoid vacuuming the tassel as it may hamper the feel of the carpet. 

Pad It Up 

Rug pad is like armor. They provide safety, longevity, and protection from wearing off. Moreover, it helps in extending the life of the rug. It also makes vacuuming easier by keeping your rug flat and protects the floor underneath the rug.

Rug pads can save from any mishappenings. 

If you have kids or elderly people in your house then a rug pad is a must. It will help from slipping away when children are running around.

Declare Your Rug as a ‘No-Shoe Zone’

Shoes tend to leave a lot of dirt on carpets especially if it is in a high traffic area. So make sure you declare your carpet as a no shoe zone. Though it is difficult to control removing shoes, make it a nonnegotiable especially since shoe marks on low pile rugs such as distressed rugs can look hideous.

There are a few ways to inform the guests that your home is a no-shoe zone. You can either hang a board outside your house informing the guests or you can provide them with disposable slippers when they step in. This will protect your carpet and save you from a lot of time. 

Protection From Stains

Stains are a real nightmare for large area rugs. So if you spill anything, the quicker you remove the better. But with children in the house, it is hard to keep an eye on what’s in their hands always. 

There are times when it is too hard to remove stains. So always keep a towel handy to blot the stain. Soak it up thoroughly with a clean and light-colored towel. It is important to keep in mind to not rub the stain because it will harm the fibers of the rug.

Stains in large area rugs and distressed rugs take away their beauty. So use a stain remover on the affected area and do as instructed.

Get Rid of Pet Hair

Dealing with pet hair is a little tricky especially when your pet has long and thick fur. Pet hair clings to the threads and fibers of the carpet and makes it difficult to get rid of it. Some of the effective methods to remove are to use the squeegee method, lint rollers, rubber glove/flip flop technique. 

Another major challenge is pet urine. If soaked into the threads then it will leave an awful odor that might ruin your carpet forever. There are also chances for the stains to remain on it. Baking soda is a savior in this case. Cover the area with baking soda and leave it for some time. Let the baking soda absorb urine and its odor. Vacuum the excess powder away. 

Save From Furniture Marks

If you tend to keep heavy furniture on your rug make sure that its fibers can withstand the pressure and it doesn't affect the rug’s pile height. Furniture pieces begin to leave marks on handmade area rugs if not moved once in a while. The best way to solve this issue is to rearrange. Yes, one of the easy ways to protect your carpet is to rearrange the furniture from time to time.

Trim Unwanted Threads

Large area rugs might tend to have threads sticking out due to pushing off furniture. There are also chances for children to pull out the threads while crawling or playing. So get on your knees and examine your carpet closely.

Trim the unwanted threads instead of pulling them out. Use sharp scissors to cut the threads that are sticking up. Do not pull up the thread when cutting it; lay the scissors perpendicular to the carpeting and cut to even the surface.

Stretch It a Little

At times when you move your furniture or when children drag it over the handmade area rug, the carpet tends to stretch out. This spoils the character of the carpet. 

However, there are also times when stretching can preserve the character of a carpet. Just like old age, carpets tend to get wrinkles if not stretched out properly. Although to protect your carpet cleaning is more necessary, stretching it out will help in its longevity. One other good part about stretching is it will save you from tripping. 

Go Deep When You Clean 

If you want to master the art of preserving the character of a carpet then the best solution is to call a professional and clean your carpet once in a while (six months to be precise).  Having a professional to clean it will help in going deep into its threads and removing the dirt. 

Carpets get dirty it's a fact but if you take necessary measures then it is easy to handle it.  The above tips and tricks will help you to keep your carpet brand new.