With the proper maintenance and care, your carpets will give you many years of use and joy.
When choosing your carpet, consider your lifestyle, and how much time and effort you have to maintain your flooring. Wool, for example, is a gorgeous natural fibre but this quality can also lead to the fibre ‘lifting’ once it’s been laid for a period, which can increase vacuuming time. We can help you weigh up the pros and cons of each carpet, and how practical it will be for your lifestyle.
Maintaining your carpet
For most people, a weekly vacuum is enough to maintain your carpet, but if you have kids or pets you might find you need to vacuum more regularly. We also recommend a professional steam clean every 12 to 18 months to keep your carpet looking good.
Tips for treating spot stains
Our simplest tip for keeping your carpet looking fabulous? Treat spills straightaway by blotting (not rubbing!) with a white cloth, tissue or kitchen paper. Here are some tips:
- To treat recent liquid-based spills, such as red wine or soft drink, blot away as much of the liquid as you can with a soft white cloth, tissue or kitchen paper, then add a drop of laundry detergent and dab into the stain. Wet a white cloth and blot the stain to lift it from the carpet, rinsing and repeating until the stain has been removed.
- For older or stubborn stains, mix together one teaspoon of laundry detergent and one teaspoon of white vinegar into one litre of warm water. Using a white cloth, blot the solution over the stain and rinse with cold water. Repeat until the stain has been removed.
- For solid spills, like peanut butter or other food, scrape away as much as possible using a butter knife, then treat as a stubborn stain, above.
It’s important to check the colourfastness of your carpet on an inconspicuous area before you apply water or any other solution. Generally, the more synthetic the carpet, the higher its colourfastness.
