How to Prevent Damage Your Carpets
Your carpet is one of the most visible features of your home, and it also gets the most wear and tear. After all, how many steps are taken across your living room, through your bedroom, or down the hallway each day? While we specialize in carpet repair in Raleigh and the surrounding area, we know you want to protect and extend the life of your carpets. To help you do this, we’re sharing our tips for cutting down on wear and tear.
Wear Socks or Slippers Through the House
Tracking in mud, dirt, and other debris leads to unsightly stains and odors, which can be difficult to remove if not taken care of quickly. Wearing shoes indoors also wears your carpet out faster - high heels and shoes with deep tread can snag fibers and tear them while the abrasive, non-slip surface of sneakers can wear them faster than just wearing socks or slippers. Keep welcome mats outside and a location inside where family and guests can take their shoes off comfortably to keep your carpets in better condition.
Lay Rugs in High Traffic Areas
Much of the wear and damage to carpets occurs over time, just due to everyday foot traffic. Walking the same route around rooms and through your home flattens carpet fibers and can cause thin, threadbare spots and rippling that can be hazardous, as well as unattractive. Before reaching this point, lay down runners over the high-traffic paths. This will cushion and disperse some of the pressure on the fibers so they won’t be flattened or worn, and it will help to prevent dirt and stains.
Prevent Furniture Indentations with Coasters
When you move the couch or a dining room table and see the deep, flattened indentions in the carpeting, you may not be too concerned, thinking the fibers will spring back up. However, over time, the fibers are permanently damaged and will require repair to restore the uniform look back to your carpet.
First, place an ice cube in any furniture indention, as it melts, comb the fibers upright. If they haven’t been seriously damaged, they should stay upright. Then, place furniture coasters under the legs of the pieces to help distribute weight, and from time to time, move your items to the left or right a few inches periodically to reduce compression.
Don’t Drag Items Across the Carpet
While dragging an item may be easier than lifting it to move it from one space to another, this could lead to rips or tears in your carpet that will require a professional repair. This is especially likely if you’re dragging furniture or your kids are dragging heavy toys. If you can’t physically lift the item, place a piece of tarp under it to drag it. It will protect the carpet and add some extra glide that will make it easier to move.
Trim Pets’ Claws if They Are on Carpet
When you think of the damage a cat or dog can do to your carpet, you’re probably thinking of pet stains and puddles, and if your pet is house-trained you don’t have anything to worry about. However, cats and dogs can still cause damage. Cats may use your carpeted floor as a scratching post while rough edges on your dog’s claws can snag and unravel sections.
Provide cats with scratching posts or a piece of carpet remnant to sharpen their claws to keep them from using your floor covering. To keep dogs’ claws dull and short, walk them on concrete or asphalt to naturally “file” them and trim them as needed.
Learn More About Carpet Repair and Cleaning
To learn more about how to extend the life of your carpet and keep it looking neat and new, visit our website: https://www.progreencarpetnc.com/.
