Ways To Make Your Carpet Last Longer

You finally had the money to do a little bit of redecorating, and replacing your carpets was priority number one. After all the time you spent choosing just the right color and texture, not to mention the money the carpet, padding and installation cost, you want your new flooring to remain looking great. With the following tips, you can make your carpet last longer.

Difficulty: Moderate

To ensure longevity, buy the best carpeting and padding that fits into your budget. The carpet that you choose should incorporate stain protection

You may feel a bit uneasy about asking guests to remove their shoes, but by leaving footwear at the door, you keep the dirt off your carpeting as well. In addition, take the time to sweep your home's sidewalks, and invest in heavy-duty doormats to prevent excess dirt from entering the house.

Your family may protest this rule, but it's the only way to prevent spills from staining your carpeting. Sauces, chocolate and juices are lethal to your carpet's aesthetic value. If food does find its way to your carpet, be sure to clean it up immediately.

In high-traffic areas, carpets should be vacuumed daily. In less-traveled areas, vacuum one to two times per week. Vacuuming often will remove damaging dirt from the fibers. Buy an upright vacuum fitted with beater bars, or install a central vacuum system.

You should hire a reputable carpet cleaning company to service your carpets at least once per year. The pros have the equipment that won't leave detergent in the fibers.

While walking without shoes will help to make your carpet last longer, you shouldn't walk on your carpeting with bare feet. The oils present on the skin will stick to carpet fibers and attract dirt and grime.

To break up the same old traffic pattern and to avoid wearing the carpeting down in the same spots, move your furniture around. This will create new foot traffic and your whole carpet will last longer, not just one area.

When installing new carpets, always have a quality carpet pad installed underneath it. Carpet pads prevent carpeting from becoming matted.  Carpet pads also allow for more efficient vacuuming. While a carpet pad may be an extra expense, it can really increase the longevity of your carpet so that you can enjoy your carpet longer.

Also consider the type of carpet you choose. Polyester carpeting, although it may be cheaper, will wear down more quickly and is harder to clean. If you have children and pets you should consider Nylon carpeting that resists stains better and will last longer for an active family. When shopping for new carpeting look for a pile that has tightly twisted fibers as they will be more resistant to soil. The higher the pile of your new carpet the harder it will be to keep it from matting down.