Carpet Care Tips
Your carpet is a major
investment in your home, one you hope will last for years. And
it can, if you follow a few simple rules for carpet care. We hope to help
you keep your
carpet looking it's best for a long time, and be healthier, too!
Warranty
Information
Copies of specific warranties on your carpet
purchase may be available from your carpet retailer. Stain resist
warranties can vary from 5 to 20 years. ALL STAIN RESIST WARRANTIES
REQUIRE REGULAR CLEANING AND IMMEDIATE SPOT REMOVAL.
Vacuum,
Vacuum, Vacuum!
The more often you vacuum your carpeting, the better. A rule of thumb is no less than
once weekly, at least the "traffic areas" (where everyone
walks). Remember from the Consumer Education Message that dirt is
sharp and can cut your carpet like a knife. If you keep this dirt off the
carpet, you can keep damage from happening and extend the life of your
carpet. If you have children and/or a pet or two, you might want to
increase vacuuming to twice weekly or even more.
Purchase
a quality vacuum cleaner.
Not all vacuums are the same. You want to get the best you can afford,
with a lot of suction power. This helps get the most dirt off your carpet
each time you vacuum. Be sure to empty the bag or canister frequently, and
check any filters for clogging.
Have
your carpet professionally cleaned.
How often, you ask? Most professional carpet cleaners recommend at
least once a year for best results. Of course, this depends on the amount
of use your carpeting gets. Is this Grandma who lives alone? Or is
there a family of 6, with friends coming and going, and both of the family dogs
too? The more use your carpet gets, the more attention it needs to be its
very best. A small investment in cleaning twice or more each year might
just get you several more years of wear before you will need to replace your
carpet. This allows you to plan for that major expense.
Tackle
Those spots right away!
Don't let those spills wait until tomorrow! Always blot up any
spot immediately, before it has time to 'set' into your carpet. Some
stains may not come out, even with professional cleaning, if they have been
allowed to sit for too long. Ask your carpet professional what to use if
you should have an accidental spill. When Tomy's Carpet Care cleans your
carpeting, we will give you a bottle of spot treatment to keep on hand for those
minor emergencies, and we'll give you spot removal tips.
Consider having carpet
protector (Scotchgard) applied
periodically when you have your carpet cleaned. This will help prevent
spills from
becoming stains, and also will allow your vacuum to work more efficiently.
Use Mats
At Every Door.
Professionals call these "Walk-Off Mats". Be sure they are
large enough that you must walk several steps on them before you enter your home, this will
take off a great deal of the dirt on your shoes. (which now does not go
into your carpet) Shake out or vacuum them frequently. If it's not
too much of a problem for your family, you can also remove your shoes before
entering, and keep 'house shoes' handy to wear.