How to Keep Your Carpet Looking Good

Carpets serve some very important functions in your home. They’re comfortable to walk on and can make for good decoration are probably the first two that come to mind. A carpet also makes a great filter, catching and holding dust from the air. At the same time, it may seem like your carpet isn’t doing its job. It looks old and faded, walking on it kicks up dust, and it doesn’t feel good to walk on. Why?

Well, there are probably a few reasons why. Let’s look over three big ones.

This should be a white carpet, but it’s gone grey from a lack of proper care.

1. The Carpet Is Old

Let’s face it, all things have a lifespan. Over years and years of walking on a carpet, spilling drinks and food, cleaning it with chemicals, the slow decay of time will bring your carpet to ruin. This is unavoidable. Even the very best carpets will wear out after 15 years – maybe 20 if you take really good care of them. If your carpet is very old, the only thing to do is replace it.

That said, your carpet may be looking worn out well before it’s expiration date. Some carpets may seem to go bad after a mere 5 years. While wearing out is inevitable, wearing out quickly is avoidable.

2. Sun Fading

Ultraviolet light will damage the colors in your carpet, making it look older. The obvious solution is to keep the sun off of a carpet, but that’s not exactly doable in most rooms. The best option is to minimize that exposure. This can be done through blinds and shutters to block the light can help some, but you probably don’t want your windows blocked all day long.

Fixtures like awnings can help you manage how much light is directly hitting your carpets as well. You can also find window films to put over them that specifically block out UV light for added protection. Keep in mind that even light bulbs can potentially harm the carpets, too, so use lower wattage bulbs, or install UV filters on your light fixtures.

3. It Needs Deep Cleaning

Remember what I said about carpets being great filters for dust? Well, that’s also something that can cause them to wear out quicker. As you walk on the carpets, that dust gets ground in, condensing into hardened crystals. These crystals will damage your carpet fibers, making them look older and more ratty. Because they get embedded in the fibers, simply vacuuming won’t get them out. The best way to prevent this is with a proper carpet cleaning.

Professional carpet cleaners use specialized chemicals designed to break apart the dust crystals so they can be extracted. Regular cleaning will extend the life of your carpet for a good few years. Generally, it’s best to have carpets cleaned twice a year. The first and most obvious time is spring, when you’re already doing your spring deep cleaning.

This is an important time because you’ve just spent a lot more time indoors than usual, and the chemicals used to de-ice roads have traveled into your home on your shoes, which will damage carpet fibers even more than dust. A spring cleaning will remove all of that for you.

The second time is best in the fall. You’re about to spend several months indoors, so you want to get as much of the dust and grime out of your carpet as possible before you spend an increased amount of time walking on it.

Take Care of Your Carpet

While a carpet is going to wear out eventually, taking good care of it is important to get the most out of it. Replacing a carpet every five years is going to cost you a lot more than replacing it every 15 years. If you want your carpet to last as long as it possibly can, then you need to protect it. Manage how much direct sunlight it gets and have it properly cleaned twice a year. The cost of taking good care of your carpet will be far less than the cost of regularly replacing your carpet.

Give Us A Call!

Right now is the best time to get your carpets cleaned. Clear out the winter gunk and shake off those winter blues. We’ll help you get your carpets back in top condition. Get in touch with us today and schedule your appointment.