Carpet Care Tips

Please remember carpets do get dirty under normal use, so looking after your carpet and maximizing its good looks, is dependent on the owners maintenance. Below is a small guide with some basic tips on how to maintain your carpet to help it last and look fresh.

Some simple but effective tips to helping a carpet last:

  • Use a welcome mats to take the brunt of outside dirt before you enter.

  • Attend spills immediately; using some of the methods listed below.

  • Rotate your furniture; to help prevent dents in the carpet and allow cleaning behind the hard to reach places.

Vacuum Frequently

The best way to reduce soil accumulation and prolong the life of your carpet is to vacuum frequently, especially in those areas where high levels of traffic are common. For all cut pile carpets we recommend an upright cleaner with an active beater bar to help loosen and lift soil from the pile. Loop pile carpets are best maintained using a suction cleaner to minimise snagging and damaging the loop pile.

Clean frequent areas of use

The most used areas of the carpet – entrances, doorways, traffic lanes, around a favourite chair, etc., are going to collect dirt much faster that the remainder of the carpet. Cleaning these areas when they just begin to look soiled stops the dirt from spreading to the rest of the house and can extend the time between professional cleanings. 

Periodic professional clean

Airborne particles of dust and oils will eventually leave a thin dull film on even unused parts of the carpet. To help overcome this natural soiling, periodic professional cleaning of the carpet is essential. Carpets perform best when properly cleaned by a professional carpet cleaner using specially formulated cleaners developed for your carpet.

Below are some techniques for cleaning carpets. Please take note of what your carpet is made from, natural or man made carpets ; Wool / Polypropylene + Polyester. The man-made carpets are more easily to clean and are bleach cleanable nowadays. The wool carpets are a lot harder clean as they are a natural product, and cannot be bleached.

  • Use Methylated Spirits. (NB: Take Care! Methylated Spirits are flammable). Do not apply direct to the stained area. Using a piece of cotton wool apply to the edges of the stain and gradually work inwards. Blot with absorbent tissue/kitchen roll to remove excessive moisture. Do not worry if colours darken during this process. Repeat if required. Using a soap solution on cotton wool dampen the area and blot again with tissue/kitchen roll. Dry using a hair-dryer continually moving over the damp area (this will prevent watermarking) until dry.

  • Soak up immediately using absorbent cloths (towelling) tissues or kitchen roll. If stain persists re-wet using a solution of tepid water and non-biological washing powder only on a small piece of sponge or cotton wool. Repeat as necessary.

  • Soap Solution (two litres of tepid water mixed with half a teaspoon of carpet shampoo or non-biological washing powder only) Re-wet the stained area using the soap solution applied on a piece of cotton wool. Blot using kitchen roll as above.

  • Scrape or blot excess spill. Freeze with ice cubes. Shatter with blunt object such as the back of a spoon. Vacuum chips away before they melt.

  • Apply nail polish remover (non-oily acetone type). Use a cotton towel to apply to the spill. Don’t wet through to carpet backing. Pick up softened material, use clean white paper towel and push toward the centre of the spot to avoid spreading material. Repeat above – soften and carefully remove a layer of the material each time. Haste may spread the stain and/or damage the carpet.

  • Apply detergent (see “cleaning solutions”), use damp towel, leave 3-5 minutes. Blot – don’t rub. If stain is removed, finish with a water rinse, blot, followed with a pad of weighted paper towels. If stain not removed, continue as follows. Apply hydrogen peroxide solution (see “cleaning solutions”), let stand 2-3 hours under a weighted sheet of plastic wrap. Repeat application of hydrogen peroxide and dry under weighted plastic wrap until removal is completed. Apply water with damp towel. Blot – finish with weighted pad of paper towels. Apply white vinegar (undiluted) only after stained removed.

  • Scrape off excess material. Cover with white cotton towel or brown paper. Apply warm iron (warm, not hot: use lowest setting first if unsure, do not exceed synthetic or medium setting) until material is absorbed. be sure towel is large enough to cover the stained area. Take care never to touch the iron to the carpet as the fibre may melt. Change towel or rotate to clean area and repeat until all material is absorbed.