General Care of Carpets

The key to good carpet care is to avoid particles of loose dirt and dust from working their way into the carpet pile where they will act abrasively on the fibres and discolour the carpet.

• Avoid (where possible) laying light coloured carpets next to external entrances.

• A large, strong doormat will reduce dirt from outside being spread around the house.

• Vacuum your new carpet regularly at least two or three times a week; regular cleaning will extend the life of your carpet and maintain its good appearance.

• Man-made fibre carpets and wool twist pile carpets should be vacuumed regularly as soon as they are laid to pick up any isolated particles.

• Cut pile carpets should be vacuumed with an upright cleaner with beater bar and brush.

• Loop pile carpets should be vacuumed with a cylinder cleaner using the suction head only.

• Deal with spillages as soon as possible, preferably the moment they occur.

The use of entrance mats at all outside entrances to the house is highly recommended, as it will significantly reduce the rate at which your carpets will soil. They should be as large as possible to allow most of the dirt to be removed from shoes. The mats themselves must be cleaned regularly.

Steam Carpet Cleaning

Steam cleaning (or hot water extraction) is considered to be one of the best methods for carpet cleaning. The process consists of spraying a mixture of water and detergent under pressure into the pile and recovering the water and soil with a powerful vacuum that puts it into a holding tank. The water penetrates the fibre all the way down to the backing, loosening embedded dirt and removing oil and grease deposits, thus making your carpet cleaner than it has ever been. Most carpet manufacturers, fibre producers, and professional cleaners endorse this process for achieving soil removal efficiency.

There are many types and makes of steam carpet cleaners available on the market, ranging from small portables to the large and very powerful vehicle mounted units. The vehicle mounted models are designed so that only the hose and the wand are taken into the location being cleaned. These units are very powerful, delivering hot water and generating a high vacuum recovery that can be powered by diesel fuel, petrol, propane, or even by the motor of the truck.

Professional Cleaners

The only disadvantages to steam carpet cleaning are the problems that are associated with over wetting and longer drying times. These can be eliminated however, by a skilled operator who uses equipment that is well maintained and in good overall operating condition.

Renting a Steam Cleaner

If you have decided to rent a steam cleaning machine and do the job yourself, you should check on a number of systems before you make a selection. Some units available for rent don't clean well enough and may in fact end up damaging your carpet. The equipment should have enough vacuum power to allow the carpet to dry within 12 hours of cleaning; those that don't can actually damage the carpet due to over wetting.

Method

1. Prepare the equipment and supplies. Mix the free rinsing pre-spray in a pump or power sprayer, and mix the rinsing agent in the solution tank of the extractor.

2. If the area being cleaned has furniture, you should remove as much as possible.

3. Thoroughly vacuum the carpet. If the pile is crushed or matted, use a pile brush to loosen the soils which will make vacuuming more effective.

4. Apply a generous amount of the pre-spray.

5. Using a grooming tool, agitate the pre spray deep into the fibres then let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes, making sure that it doesn't dry out.

6. Clean the area using a portable, truck mounted, or automatic carpet cleaner

7. Make certain you avoid over wetting the carpet. Any prolonged dampness can lead to mildew growth and bacteria in the carpet, or cause a separation of the backing. A wet carpet that stays this way for longer than 24 hours can develop problems. You can help to reduce the drying time by using several fans to move the air roughly the carpet. You can use a dehumidifier as well, as it will pull moisture from the air.

8. Groom the cleaned area, replace all furniture that was removed, then clean all equipment that you used.
   

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Carpet Repair and Maintenance

Abrasion

Pet paws, claws, rubber soled shoes and heels can be abrasive on carpets, particularly where use is constantly concentrated to small areas (for example, in front of armchairs). Move furniture occasionally to avoid any distortion to the carpet pile.

Burns

Burns occur when a cigarette butt or flame comes in contact with the carpet. If the burn is small, the burnt fibres of the carpet can be cut out with scissors. If the burn is large, you'll need to replace the place with a new piece of carpet. You can do this yourself with a bit of know-how, or have an installer do it.

Colour Change

The carpet may change colour over time for a variety of reasons, usually due to pile flattening, gradual soiling and slight fading of the dyes used to colour the fibres. A good professional cleaning will usually restore the carpet's appearance.

Draught Marking

Carpets may show increased soiling around the edges of a room, under doors and near air ducts. This is called draught marking, soil filtration or fogging and is caused by the pile fibres filtering out dirt particles from the air blowing under skirting boards or doors, or from ducts.

Fading

Most textiles will fade very gradually over time due to natural light. To reduce fading of carpets in rooms with strong exposure to the sun, (for example, south facing rooms with patio windows), judicious use of curtains or sun blinds is recommended.

Fibre Loss

Many newly installed carpets, particularly those with a cut or velour pile, tend to lose fibre when first installed. This effect, called shedding or fluffing, is caused by the way the yarn is spun and the carpet is made and does not mean there is a defect. It is no reason for alarm, but a natural phenomenon, which will stop eventually. The short fibres given off represent a very small fraction of the pile. Simply vacuum the carpet a little more gently for the first few weeks and empty the dust bag or receptacle regularly.

Flattening

All cut pile fabrics of any fibre type will flatten to some extent in traffic lanes although regular vacuuming will help to alleviate this. This flattening is a normal reaction to localised traffic and is not detrimental to the wear of the carpet.

Indentations

The feet of heavy furniture will create indentations on any carpet. To help reduce marking, regularly move the position of furniture and other heavy objects where possible. To help lift the pile back up, use a coin to 'gently' tease the pile upright. Alternatively, sprinkle your carpet with some club soda, place a towel over the area, then iron it. Do this a couple of times and you will see your carpet begin to re-fluff.

Pilling

Pilling can sometimes occur on loop pile and wool blend carpets. The expression is used to describe the little balls of fibres that collect on the carpet surface, and is similar to the type of pilling that can occur on a jumper. Carefully remove these pills with scissors - the durability of the carpet will not be affected.

Shading (Pile Reversal)

Pile reversal, also known as shading, or – wrongly – water marking, is the effect whereby areas of velour or velvet carpet appear to become lighter or darker in colour than the surrounding area. This is an optical effect created as a result of the pile surface laying in varying directions, and the light refraction on the surface of the pile creating a 'shaded' appearance. It is caused by traffic patterns or unevenness in the floor, but is not a carpet defect. Loop pile and many hard-twist carpets are not affected by this. Shading is not detrimental to the wear of the carpet.

Sprouting

Occasionally tufts may appear above the pile surface of the carpet. Do NOT pull them out; simply cut them level with the surrounding tufts using small, sharp scissors.

Static Electricity

When the atmosphere is dry, static electricity can build up in a carpet. This may be rectified by keeping the humidity high with a humidifier or indoor plants in water trays. You can also spray the surface of the carpet with an anti static agent.

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