Carpet Maintenance: Protect Your Investment

A carpet will not look good unless it is properly maintained. Good maintenance is not difficult but will require a small amount of effort on your part.

Vacuum deeply and frequently at least once or twice a week. As floor covering inspectors we go into homes where people often claim to vacuum several times per week and even more often and perhaps they do. Upon inspection we find many of these carpets full of fiber-damaging abrasive soil that has not been vacuumed out. A person that is vacuuming frequently and not getting the soil out is not vacuuming properly or is using an inefficient vacuum. Thorough vacuuming requires two or three, slow, methodical passes of the vacuum head to remove that embedded soil. In the higher traffic areas and in areas such as an entrance or next to a hard surface floor covering such ceramic, laminate or vinyl, take extra passes. A once-a-week thorough vacuuming such as this will do more good than the daily quick over. CRI Vacuum Cleaner Testing Program.

Frequent cleaning is a must. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends deep cleaning every 12 to 18 months. Various carpet and fiber manufacturers have minimum recommendations of their own and you must be familiar with these for the carpet that you purchase. A carpet with an active family and pets will usually require more frequent cleaning than one with an adult couple and no pets. Remember that the longer a dirt or stain is there the harder it can be to get out.

If you have a spot that will not come out, call the Carpet and Rug Institutes toll-free information line for assistance. The CRI can be reached at 1-800-882-8846 or CRI on line

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