How to take care of your carpet

For many people, a new carpet can be a large investment. Carpeting even a few rooms in your house can run into the hundreds or even thousands of pounds, so it is important to take good care of it. There are a few important things to consider when purchasing a carpet to make sure it is well maintained, so we're going to run through some of the key considerations for customers both when buying, as well as after a carpet is fitted.

Quality Underlay

One of the first considerations, a good quality underlay can make a huge difference to the life and feel of a carpet. No or poor quality underlay will not benefit your carpet in any way, whereas a good one will boost its resilience and durability, making it much less likely to flatten, as well as increasing the carpets comfort and insulating properties. It is a great way to reduce wear on your carpet - we always recommend our best selling Diamond 10mm Underlay.

The right carpet for the right area

When buying a carpet, you are bound to see words such as 'medium domestic', 'heavy domestic' on the specifications of different carpets. These ratings are given to carpets dependent on how well they fair in various wear and tear tests. It is recommended when buying a carpet for an area with higher levels of traffic such as hallways and stairs that you choose a heavier domestic carpet - this will mean your carpet will be more resilient to the higher levels of wear. For an area like a bedroom however, you may only require a medium domestic rated carpet, it is important to choose a carpet that is suitable for where you are putting it. 

This doesn't just apply to the wear rating of the carpet, its material is also a consideration. If you are carpeting a playroom for example, or a living room in a family home with children and pets, you may want to choose a polypropylene bleach cleanable carpet rather than a wool or nylon one for example. Polypropylene carpets are considerably easier to maintain and much easier to clean than other types of carpet, making them great for areas where scuffs and spills are inevitable.

Everyday use

Other things to note if you want to keep your carpet in great condition for longer include regular hoovering, as well as making sure that walking over the carpet in shoes is kept to a minimum. If carpets are walked on in shoes regularly, it is important to make sure there is mats at the doors to remove any grit or dirt from the shoes before walking over your carpet. Also be sure to clean any spills or scuffs as soon as you can, as the longer they are there the more likely they are to stain.