We've gathered together some hints to help you care and maintain your carpet, so that you can get the very best from it. Following this advice will help to extend the life of your carpet, giving you the the best possible value-for-money.

 

Is the carpet suitable for its purpose?

Almost all carpet samples are now labelled as to their suitability for use in different areas of the home, under normal domestic usage. Before deciding on which material is to be installed, do check carefully that it is suitable for the location for which it is intended. In rooms where a lot of computer equipment is to be used, or high tech musical equipment, consider a specialist flooring material. Although carpets do not produce static, they certainly have the capacity to store it, especially in a very dry environment. Prevention of static can reduced by the introduction of moisture into the atmosphere, maybe with a humidifiers. In general, long piled carpets are not suitable for use on stairs. Secondary backed carpets, fitted over a good underlay, will give a better performance in heavy wear areas, such as living/dining rooms and hall/stairs/landings.

Samples

Samples will never be from the same dye batch, as current production. Samples should always be used as a guide, not as an exact colour match.

 

Carpet Characteristics

Tweed, berber and heather carpets are made from yarn using random blends of fibres. This can occasionally cause a slight linear effect, which may not be apparent in retail samples; where one of the colours is more prominent for the short distance. This random mix also means that these types of carpets can never be guaranteed to be exactly as samples or indeed, any other batch, and a much greater tolerance should be allowed.

 

Colour Matching/Pattern

For technical production reasons it is not possible to obtain an exact colour match between different widths and/or batches. Carpets are produced in batches and usually each batch is produced in a single width. Each batch is produced from a "creel" of yarn, specifically dyed to the colour required and will produce between 600 and 3000 square metres of carpet, depending on the creel size. To ensure perfect colour matching, only one width should be used in any installation which requires carpet pieces to match when laid side by side. Carpets that are laid with the pile travelling in different directions, even though they are from the same batch, will appear not to match.

 

Edge to edge pattern matching of tufted carpets cannot be undertaken, due to the nature of the production. A secondary backing is applied to the "loomstate" (primary tufted cloth) and the selvedges are the trimmed to give a clean edge. This trimming of the selvedge makes a pattern matching impossible. Because the "loomstate" is soft and flexible, until the secondary back is applied, a small amount of distortion or bowing in the pattern of the carpet may result.

 

Shading

Plain carpets, especially velours, will always show marking of any kind; much more than a heavily patterned material. This occurs because the pile of the carpet has become crushed, flattened or brushed in a different direction to the natural lie of the pile. Light is then reflected at differing angles, giving the appearance of light and dark patches on the carpet. This is not a defect but a characteristic of this type of product.

 

Pile Reversal

This effect can occur quite quickly after installation and, like shading, is due to a change in pile direction, reflecting light at a different angle. It can occur on any cut pile product, Axminster, Wilton, Tufted, Hand Woven, Persian, Chinese, Indian or even Coir Matting. This effect is always more apparent on plain material, as heavy patterns disguise the effect. There is no known manufacturing process which can cause, or cure, this phenomenon. It is not considered to be a manufacturing defect.

 

Shedding on cut-pile carpet

All cut pile carpets will lose short fibres, which are created during production when the spun yarn is cut for tuft formation. With normal foot action, especially in front of seating, these fibres are released from within the pile and appear on the carpet surface as "fluff". This is easily removed by vacuum cleaning, with no detriment to the materials, as they represent a minute percentage of the total fibre. An upright cleaner with beater bar and brushes is more effective in removing these fibres from this type of cut pile carpet. It is important to note that in the case of loop pile carpets, a suction-only type of cleaner should be used, as a beater bar might inflict damage to the fibres due to the rotary mechanical action.

 

Pilling

Pilling is usually found on a loop pile carpets and is caused by the tearing or breaking of the top fibres of the loop, by abrasive action on the surface of the carpet, resulting in a "fuzzy" appearance. This is usually more apparent in the main areas of usage, e.g. doorways, turns, stairs and in front of a settee. Pilling can easily be removed by cutting away offending "fuzz" with a pair of scissors. Pilling is not a manufacturing fault, but is due to local conditions beyond our control. Major local causes of pilling include footwear with high traction soles and upright vacuum cleaners which incorporate a nylon brush beater bar or Velcro strip used to pick up lint. To prevent pilling recurring, it is necessary for the consumer to identify the local causes and treat it accordingly.

 

Sprouts/Pulled Loops

Occasionally an odd tuft or two can work its way to the surface of the carpet and stand proud of the surrounding tufts. These can trimmed to the level of the surrounding pile using sharp scissors; they should never be pulled out. Pulled loops occur only on loop pile carpets and are usually the result of a loop being caught by a sharp object, such as a shoe heel, resulting in a pull. These should be dealt with immediately by trimming the offending loop level with the rest of the pile. If left unchecked further loops could be pulled, causing a "ladder" in the material.

 

Fading

Carpets made from wool, or wool/nylon mixes, can and do fade with use and time. The degree of fade can vary depending on the colour chosen and the local conditions to which the carpet is subjected. Fading is mainly caused by exposure to ultra violet light found in the normal day light, however, it is accelerated where the sun shines directly onto the carpet. This has the effect of lightening or bleaching the colour of the natural fibres, just as exposure to sunlight will lighten human hair. Wool is, after all, animal hair. Protection should be given to carpets in exactly the same way as other fabrics or items of furniture exposed to sunlight.

 

Flattening

Flattening will occur as a result of foot traffic over the carpet surface, particularly in the main areas of usage and in front of seating. The effects of flattening can be minimised with a few sensible precautions, such as moving the main items of furniture, chairs, tables and sofas, just a few inches on a regular basis. At turning points, such as just inside and outside doorways, consideration should be given to providing mats, to prevent these areas of high abrasion from the pivoting action of feet, becoming areas of premature wear. This is particularly important outside kitchen doorways, where there is the additional problem of "kitchen substance" being transferred from kitchen floor to carpet. As ever, regular grooming, particularly by an upright cleaner with a strong suction and rotating brushes, will be most effective in maintaining the appearance of any carpet. The exception being loop pile carpets, where suction only cleaners should be used.

 

Installation

All carpets should be stretched properly with the knee kicker during installation (in most domestic locations). With larger rooms or contract areas, the common knee kicker will not provide sufficient stretching and the use of a power stretcher is not only recommended, but is essential to ensure the tightest possible fit This minimises the possibility of the carpets to becoming unstable. Instability in the carpet can result in stretching and will require additional visits from fitters to trim back an expanding carpet. Instability, in severe cases, may cause "ripples". This may indicate that the primary backing had become detached from the secondary backing. This is known as delamination and is untreatable. Stretching can also occur when unsuitable underlays are used in an installation. We prefer solid underlays in either felt or rubber, to profile underlays, that we believe offer less support to the carpet. We would always recommend that stair carpets are fitted in such a way that periodically they can be moved up or down, even a few inches, to spread wear over the material. This will prevent premature wear occurring on any part of the installation, particularly the bottom step and the nosings. Where this is impractical, consideration should be given to the retention of sufficient material for subsequent replacement of areas of high wear. This method is recommended by BS5325 and manufacturers cannot be held responsible for any premature wear which takes place where this guideline has not been followed.

 

Maintenance

Vacuum cleaning is vital in maintaining the carpets appearance and preventing severe deterioration. In areas of high use, or where local conditions dictate, this should be done daily to remove dry soil, dust and grit, which can damage carpet fibres, and to restore flattened pile to an upright position. An upright cleaner, with strong suction and rotating brushes, is the most effective in this, provided that the dust container is emptied frequently. Significant efficiency is lost as dust containers fill up. Use suction-only type of cleaners on loop pile carpets.

 

Accidental Spillages/Spot Cleaning

It is vital that accidental spillages are dealt with both very quickly and correctly, as failure to do so can result in carpets being permanently marked and, in extreme cases, severely damaged. Any hot liquid which contains colour, from tea and coffee through to vomit, simulate dye conditions. It is vital that such a substance is removed from the carpet immediately. Scotchguard treatments, in line with all other protective treatments, provide strain resistance only - THEY DO NOT PROVIDE STAIN PROOFING. Their effectiveness is still dependent on prompt and correct treatment of stains & spillages.