carpet repair, tips & tricks, DIY

Preserve the Life of Your Carpet With These Simple Tips

If you were asked which elements of your home were your largest investments a few may come to mind right away. You might say, “My shiny, stainless-steel kitchen appliances of course!” Or maybe you would think, “I spent a fortune on my designer, color-coordinated living room furniture.” Your carpet may be the last thing that comes to mind and you’re not alone – but that doesn’t mean it should be forgotten!

Carpet is often one of the largest investments you make in your home and thus deserves all the love, care and attention you give to keeping up the rest of your ‘eye level’ items. In order to preserve your floor as long as possible, your carpet should be cleaned regularly by a professional – think TigerPaws 🙂 . However, in-between cleanings, don’t forget to look down and use our tips to make your carpets last.

Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum!

We cannot stress this enough! You may think this is a no-brainer – everyone knows the importance of vacuuming right? Wrong! Even though home owners think they may be vacuuming enough, that usually is not the case. The lack of vacuuming could be permanently damaging their carpet, not to mention releasing thousands of allergy-causing particulates into the air. Keep this in mind when considering how often to vacuum: the longer you leave dirt and residue on your carpet, the harder it is the get rid of. So vacuum your carpets daily and no worries – if you haven’t been following this mantra and your carpets are looking dingy, call on TigerPaws to get them looking new again!

Can’t vacuum fast enough in high traffic areas? Use matting and area rugs.

Need a way to preserve your carpets and wouldn’t mind injecting your home with a little more style? Invest in an area rug or runner! Using rugs over your carpet (especially in high traffic areas) is a great way to prolong your carpet’s life, but also provides a beautiful accent to your home’s decor. Don’t want to invest in a larger area rug or runner – purchase an entryway mat. It’s an inexpensive way to protect your carpet from dirt & grime and prevent the ‘crushing’ of your carpet fibers. Make sure to choose a mat with a nylon face and vinyl back to combat moisture being tracked in from the outside.

Carpet looking a bit flat? Fluff it!

After years of constant trampling, your carpet may start to look like its taking it ‘lying down’ – that is, it becomes flattened. Don’t start pulling it up just yet though – you may be able to prolong its use by ‘fluffing’ it. Spray the hardened areas with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. Wait a few moments, then blot up any stains. Lastly, run a spoon on its side (yes, a spoon) along the carpet to ‘fluff’ the fibers. This should give most flattened fibers the strength they need to stand back up.

Remove unsightly dents left made by long-standing furniture.

Quite often, heavy furniture that’s been left in one place for a long time can leave deep indentations in carpet. A similar ‘fluffing’ technique for trampled areas can be used for getting rid of those dents. Just place an ice cube in each dent (more for large dents) and let them melt. After 12 hours, blot up the spots and use a spoon on its side (like the ‘fluffing’ technique) to lift the fibers back up. This technique should leave your carpet smooth and sturdy!

Remove frays in a snip!

Just because your carpet has some frays and pulls doesn’t mean it needs replacing. You can easily repair small amounts of wear-and-tear with just a pair of scissors and some fabric glue. Trim the fray/pull with scissors then add a small amount of fabric glue to the base of your carpet near the damaged piece. Line the carpet with wax paper then place a heavy book over the top to help the pulled up fibers adhere to the base. Let dry and you’re done!