 | Josh Jabara is Sales Manager of hard surface flooring at Jabara’s Carpet Outlet. After attending WSU, the family business became a large part of Josh’s adult life. His father Tom, mother Susan, and his uncle George assisted in that endeavor to a large degree. Perhaps one of Josh’s greatest strengths is his hands-on approach. Josh can be reach by calling (316) 267-2512 or you may visit their website @ www.jabaras.com |
Carpet, Tile & Floor Covering
2009-04-01 14:39:00
Keeping new carpet looking new
Question: We just spent a lot of money for new carpet; can you please give me some tips on keeping it looking new?
Answer: This is a very good question, your carpet is an investment and you need to keep it looking as good as the day it was installed. By following some simple carpet maintenance tips, you’ll reduce soiling and wear, and keep your new carpet looking good longer.
Use Entry Mats
Think of entry mats as a simple way to protect your investment. Place mats, inside and outside entrances to trap soil before it tracks into your home; if you use them, you will track much less dirt and sand onto your new carpet. This not only keeps your carpet looking cleaner, it also helps protect the fibers from abrasion and dulling. Keeping dirt away from your carpet is the best way to maintain its appearance and value.
Alter Traffic Patterns
Rearranging your furniture periodically changes the traffic patterns to distribute use more evenly. Heavy furniture crushes carpet pile. If you do rearrange your furniture especially heavy items, you probably will notice deep indentations in the carpet where the furniture legs were resting. To solve the problem, spray a small amount of water on the affected area and use a pile grooming brush available from your carpet retailer to lift the crushed pile.
Avoid Contact with Color-destroying Products
Some household chemicals, medications and cosmetics can permanently stain or remove color from your carpet. These household chemicals often are the culprits of “mystery stains” because they may not discolor the carpet for several days or weeks.
Vacuum Regularly
This is probably the most important; vacuuming cannot wear out your carpet, but soil can so vacuum regularly with a quality vacuum. Even with entry mats, eventually dirt and grit can become embedded in your carpet’s pile. When that happens, your carpet will become discolored and matted. Up to 80% of the soil in carpet is of the dry particulate type that can be removed with a vacuum cleaner.
Daily vacuuming is recommended for high-traffic areas with seven passes of the vacuum cleaner over each section of carpet. For light-traffic areas, the recommendation is weekly vacuuming with three passes over each carpet section.
The best vacuum for carpet is one with a beater bar or rotating brush and powerful suction. Be sure to adjust the vacuum for the height of your carpet. Deep brush agitation may damage loop-pile Berber carpet. Also check the vacuum bag regularly, and change it when it is half full for most effective cleaning. And remember to replace worn belts and brushes in the maintenance cycle recommended by your vacuum manufacturer.
Even if you vacuum your carpet regularly, soil will accumulate that can only be removed by a more thorough professional cleaning.
If you’ll follow these simple suggestions, you will protect your investment, and you’ll keep your new carpet looking new longer.
