Articles for Moms > Easy Carpet Care for Homeowners
 
Whether building a new home or renovating an existing one, today's consumers have a nearly infinite selection of floor covering types, styles, and price ranges to choose from.  Those choosing carpeting should know that nylon is the predominant fiber used in its construction at present.  High quality nylon will yield many years of durability and attractive appearance, if properly maintained and cared for.
 
While some manufacturers offer nylon carpeting styles in the $1.80 to $2.00 per square foot range, there are high-quality nylon carpeting choices for as much as $7.00 to $8.00 per square foot.  In this application, the higher priced styles may be a wiser purchase, due to the added durability rendered by these high-end selections.  Of course, at that price, square footage adds up quickly into a major purchase amount.  It only stands to reason that the prudent homeowner will want to do everything they can to ensure many years of good appearance and performance of their new carpet.
 
A crucial factor in getting the most out of your carpet that is often over-looked is the necessity of frequent vacuuming and regular cleaning.  All carpet manufacturers recommend daily vacuuming and regular professional steam cleaning on an average of once annually for most average homes, especially if there may be a warranty involved. As soil particles become embedded in the carpet, they either cut or damage carpet fibers in the yarn every time it is walked on.  If you have ever noticed the vacuum cleaner bag or canister having quite a bit of "fuzzy" matter in it when it is emptied, you will be shocked to learn that the "fuzz" is actually your new carpet going out the door one bag at a time. Ugly dark "traffic lanes" very quickly emerge, and often cannot be reversed, because of the damaged or missing fibers.
 
Daily vacuuming will help keep the soil from embedding in the pile, but over time it cannot be avoided, necessitating deep cleaning about once a year to remove the embedded soil.  Professional steam cleaning is recommended, because it is the only method which effectively removes the embedded soil right down to the backing of the carpet.  Steam cleaning, when done by a certified technician, actually "pressure washes" your carpet down to the backing with extremely hot solution, then sucks everything up through a very high powered vacuum, removing the soil and 85 to 90% of the moisture used in the process.  Normal drying times are short, 2 to 6 hours if done properly.
 
Many other methods of "dry process" carpet cleaning are available, but should not be used, because they do not remove the majority of damaging soil particles, and only give the carpet the "appearance" of being fresh and clean.  These methods use a variety of solvents and compounds which are vigorously agitated on the surface of your carpet, usually by a rotary machine with a fabric pad, and the rotating action of these machines can actually damage your carpet in the cleaning process, further compounding fiber damage and loss.
 
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is to clean their carpet with a home or rental carpet machine.  This is one of the worst things you can do to your carpet, because they put a lot of moisture into your carpet, and do not have the vacuum necessary to extract it back out.  This causes an over-wet carpet, which can take days or weeks to dry, and often results in mold or mildew.  Over-wetting your carpet and leaving it that wet for a period of time can also cause the backing to "de-laminate" or come apart, and it is the backing which "holds" your carpet together, and the homeowner watches the death of their carpet occur right in front of their eyes.
 
There are some things that the homeowner can do, such as frequent vacuuming, which will promote a long healthy life for your carpet.  Other things are best dealt with by picking up the phone and calling a certified professional to do it for you.  You‚ll be glad you did!  
 
©2006 Jeff Anton
 
This informative 683 word article by Jeff Anton,  IICRC certified technician and owner of  The Rugsucker Carpet Cleaning, will give insight on the importance of regular vacuuming and cleaning of your new carpet.  Jeff and his wife Lori reside in rural Wyoming, and operate JefLor Web Specialties, a web design and professionally written web content venture, in addition to their carpet cleaning company.