The Care Your Carpet Deserves

Plush, fresh carpet is one of the most exciting aspects of moving into your new or recently renovated home. It provides warmth and attractiveness for you and your family to take comfort in and enjoy. It is also a feature of your home that can endure the most punishment.

Everyday life, from foot traffic to eating and playing, takes a toll on carpet. But remaining proactive will keep your carpet looking clean for years to come.

As a prerequisite to cleaning, you and your family and visitors should remove your shoes at the door and use entrance mats to wipe your shoes and feet. This will make your life as a caretaker easier, preventing unnecessary dirt and dust from entering your home.

Vacuuming on a regular basis is essential to preventing soiled carpet. Dust and dirt that is sitting on top of your carpet is not seen until it makes its way down the pile over time, where it then creates the dark, shadowy lanes that are eyesores to your home's appearance.

By vacuuming your carpet three times a week in high traffic areas and once a week in low traffic areas, you can prevent this process from taking place. An area that is typically ignored, but will give you an advantage, is at the baseboards of your carpet. You can use a crevice tool that will prevent dust mites and soil from settling there.

The dirt you see on carpet is insoluble soil, and cannot be broken down and removed by water base cleaning products. Therefore, vacuuming is always the most important step in keeping your carpet clean.

Two other types of soil to keep in mind include soluble and solvent soluble. Soluble soil occurs from the common spills you have in your home, like drinks or food, and can be broken down with the help of water base cleaning products. Solvent soluble - from stains like grease, paint and oil that occur from time to time - cannot be broken down by water base detergents. You can address these stains on a case by case basis.

You can keep the carpet in your home looking as clean as possible by vacuuming frequently and recognizing the different types of stains and how to treat them. In addition, it's recommended to have your carpet professionally cleaned at least once a year, though you can check your manufacturer's warranty to determine the appropriate cleaning methods. Your carpet will provide you with a great source of pride for your home when it outlasts years of use because of the care you gave it.