If you want to get the most out of your carpet purchase, you need to take good care of it.
This is part two of a two-part series.
Rearrange your furniture every so often to evenly distribute the wear on the carpet. This works in two ways. By exposing new areas of the carpet and covering up other areas, you reduce the chance that your carpet will be different colors due to fading from sunlight or dirt. Rearranging the furniture may also change the traffic flow of your room and prevent one specific area from becoming overly worn.
If you notice a loose thread in your carpet, you first instinct might be to pull it. But it is far better to snip the loose thread instead. Pulling the thread may leave a hole, and worse, if your carpet is weaved, the pull could actually cause a run through the carpet from one end to the other.
Make designated eating areas a household rule. Food and drink are the biggest hazards to carpet when it comes to staining a carpet. Eat only in your kitchen or dining room (assuming that both areas are carpet-free). And if you do eat in an area with carpet consider placing a throw rug or other form of protection on your floor. You can also carpet your eating area with carpet tiles. In the case of staining or damage, the individual tiles can replaced as needed.
Treat your spills and stains as soon as possible. First blot with a clean white cloth. And here is another trick that my installers told me about. If you have a remnant of your carpet, use that remnant to pull the stain out of the carpet. I know that this sounds strange, but apparently it works. For stubborn stains, use a mild cleaner or consult a professional carpet cleaner about the stain.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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