Your beautiful new carpet is not only a major investment, but also a significant interior design element enhancing the appearance of your home. Carpet made from advanced-generation man-made fibers seldom wears out but instead becomes unattractive in appearance. This is caused primarily by soiling. Obviously you want to maintain the appearance of your new carpet for as long as possible and the following information will assist you in caring for your new carpet.
Vacuuming
Like other fine furnishings, carpet requires proper care. To insure that your carpet will continue to look beautiful for many years to come and/or if a warranty claim is deemed necessary, the most important maintenance step is proper vacuuming. Regular and thorough vacuuming at least once a week, and more often in heavy traffic areas will remove soil and dirt particles before they become embedded into the pile of the carpet. An upright or canister type vacuum cleaner with sufficient suction are the most efficient cleaners. If you use a vacuum with rotating beater bar and brush, it is imperative that the head of the vacuum can be adjusted so that the brushes just barely touch the face of the carpet. Too low or an overly stiff brush on the beater bar will cause excess fuzzing. It is also important to move the vacuum cleaner slowly (four to six strokes per area) to allow time to get the dirt out. Where heavy traffic occurs, alternate vacuum at 90 degree angles (two to three strokes in each direction).
Carpet with thick loop pile construction, particularly wool and wool-blend styles, may be sensitive to brushing or rubbing of the pile surface and may become fuzzy. In addition, shag (or cabled) styles with long pile yarns tend to wrap around the rotating brushes causing damage to the yarn. For these products, it is best to use a suction-only vacuum or a vacuum with an adjustable brush lifted away from the carpet so it does not agitate the pile. Be sure to test a vacuum with a beater/brush bar in an inconspicuous location before regular use, to make sure it doesn’t produce excessive fuzzing.
At least twice per year, remove the oil and soil which cannot be removed by vacuuming using a Dry Extraction method or, if a more aggressive method of soil and stain removal is necessary, a Hot Water Extraction method.
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- DO NOT use a vacuum that automatically adjusts as this will cause excess fuzzing.
- DO NOT use an inexpensive, less efficient vacuum as they can remove surface dirt but will not effectively remove the hidden particles in the pile.
- DO NOT use any vacuum that has overly aggressive action which may damage the surface of your carpet. No warranty claims will be accepted when these types of vacuums are used.
- DO Use a vacuum type that is appropriate for your type of carpet:
• For shag, wool and wool-blend styles, suction-only vacuum or a vacuum with an adjustable brush lifted away from the carpet so it does not agitate the pile.
• For all other carpet styles, use a vacuum with a rotating brush or combination beater/brush bar that agitates the carpet pile and mechanically loosens soil. Test the beater/brush bar in an inconspicuous location before regular use to make sure it doesn’t produce excessive fuzzing.
- DO Use walk-off mats at entrances and other areas to keep outside dirt and moisture from being tracked onto the carpet. Clean mats frequently and, keep your sidewalks and entrances free of excessive dirt.
- DO make sure that the dust bag is never more than half full.
