With carpets being one of those items in the home which you do not expect to have to replace very often, many householders are unaware that there are many things they can do to prolong its life even further. Carpet cleaning is one of them, obviously, but there are others that we outline below.
Regularly Vacuum Your Carpet
One of how carpets most often need to be replaced quicker than usual is by tiny pieces of dirt and grit damaging the fibres. These lie unnoticed within the rug, and then when people walk across them, the damage occurs.
The easiest and most effective way to minimise the number of harmful particles within your carpets is to vacuum them regularly. This will lift most of the grit and thus limit the chances of them causing damage.
Use Rugs In High Traffic Areas
It stands to reason that the areas of the carpet which will be most susceptible to wear and tear are those which get walked upon the most often. Assuming you do not wish ‘no go’ areas, there is a simple solution.
Once you have identified high-traffic areas near the front door or immediately inside the lounge, you should place rugs there. This way, the rugs take the brunt of people walking across them, not your carpets.
Periodically Move The Furniture Around
Following on from the point about high-traffic areas, you can help reduce wear on certain sections of your carpet by periodically moving your furniture around.
For example, areas, where people’s feet rest on the floor as they sit on a settee or armchair are most at risk. If you move the furniture around, it means these areas are given some respite.
Spots Clean Spills And Stains Immediately
No matter how careful you and your family are, accidents will happen at some point when someone spills liquid such as fruit juice or coffee on your carpet.
The key is not to delay but to soak up as much of the spilled liquid as quickly as possible. Do not try to rub it clean, as this drives the stain deeper into the carpet, making it harder to remove when appropriately cleaned.
Ensure Pets Are House-trained
Pets are great fun, but they also can be a nightmare when keeping carpets in good condition. You want to ensure pets like cats and dogs are house-trained and take special precautions if you get a puppy or kitten.
Birds or rodents should have their cages sitting on or above something to catch any mess, bedding or food falling, rather than landing on your carpets.
Get Everyone To Remove Their Shoes When They Enter Your Home
This is an oldie, but still an effective way of stopping mud and other dirt from outside or your garden being trodden through your home and into your carpet. You request, or insist, that your family and visitors remove their shoes as they enter your home.
Have The Carpet Professionally Cleaned
Finally, we come to the method we mentioned in the introduction, which is to have your carpets professionally cleaned on a regular business. Not only will this prolong the life of your carpets, but any cost will be more than covered by the fact that you do not have to renew your carpets as often.