Carpets, often thought of a peculiarity found more in British homes than American, have been making a big comeback in the States. The advances in manufacturing technology mean that they are more hard-wearing, durable and softer than ever. There are plenty of eco-friendly and low-VOC options that don’t soak up toxic odors, and they are also easy to keep clean. When you get your carpet, there are plenty of ways that will help you to keep your carpet looking as pristine as the day it was laid, no matter what happens in your house.
Deodorizing your carpet
When you deodorize your carpet, you are helping it to smell beautifully fresh for longer. You can buy commercial products that generally come in powder form. These are sprinkled on the carpet, left for a period of time and then vacuumed up. If you have pets however, you may want to use a natural deodorizer that doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. Baking soda is good for this job because it soaks up any excess moisture in your carpet. Simply sprinkle generous amounts onto your carpet, leave this overnight, and vacuum in the morning. You can also make a scented version by mixing half a cup of Borax, half a cup of baking soda and a tablespoon of ground cinnamon. It will help to get rid of pet smells.
Keep up with the vacuuming
It is the buildup of dirt and debris that causes your carpet to wear down quickly, especially as dirt is easily trodden into the carpet fibers. Vacuuming regularly is an enormous part of keeping your carpet looking pristine. If you vacuum once a week, it will remove 75% of the dirt. In heavy use areas like corridors, you should vacuum at least twice a week. The type of vacuum that you use will help too – your ordinary model might be good for your living room, but a small cordless vacuum will be much better for vacuuming stairs, or getting into nooks, corners and crevices that are awkward.
Regular deep cleaning
Vacuuming will help to lift the majority of dirt from a carpet, but if you want to keep your carpet looking pristine, it is worth getting it deep cleaned every six months. You can rent a heavy duty cleaner and do this yourself, or bring in a professional cleaning company. Generally they use steam cleaning to help lift out the dirt and grime gently, without damaging the fibers of the carpet. Any spillages and stains can also be targeted to return the carpet to an even color. Once your carpet has been cleaned, trim any snags with scissors – never pull a snag in a carpet, as you will only make it worse. If you have any areas that have particularly high traffic, cover them with a rug or carpet runner.
The carpets in your home should be soft underfoot and feel luxurious to tread on. With regular vacuuming, a good deep clean and some natural deodorizer, you can keep your carpets looking as pristine as the day you bought them.
