Carpet

Carpet adds warmth, comfort, and noise reduction to your home. With regular care, your carpet will maintain its appearance and last for years. Understanding proper maintenance is essential for protecting your investment.

Berber/Loop Carpets

Always disengage the vacuum beater bar on Berber, shag, and cable carpets. Using the beater bar causes permanent damage and is excluded from the Limited Warranty.

How It Works

Carpet consists of several layers:

• Face fibers - The visible pile you walk on
• Primary backing - Holds the fibers in place
• Secondary backing - Provides stability
• Padding - Cushioning underneath for comfort and durability

Carpet usually comes in 12-foot widths, making seams necessary in most rooms. Seams are normal and become less visible over time with use and vacuuming.

Your Design Studio selection sheet provides the brand, style, and color of your floor coverings.

Routine Maintenance

Task	Frequency	Time Required
Light vacuuming (3 passes)	Twice weekly	15 minutes
Thorough vacuuming (7 passes)	Weekly	30 minutes
High-traffic area vacuuming	Daily	5 minutes
Spot clean spills	Immediately	10 minutes
Professional cleaning	Annually	N/A

Regular Vacuuming

You can add years to the life of your carpet with regular care:

• Vacuum twice weekly with light passes (3 passes per area)
• Vacuum thoroughly once weekly (7 passes per area)
• High traffic areas may need daily attention
• A vacuum with beater-bar agitates pile and is more effective (except on loop carpets)

Why it matters: Carpet wears out because dirt particles get trampled deep into the pile and wear down fibers like sandpaper.

Professional Cleaning

• Have carpet professionally cleaned at minimum once per year
• More often with pets or heavy traffic
• Hot water extraction (steam cleaning) provides best results
• Allow carpet to dry completely before heavy use

Spill Response

Immediate action is critical:

1. Blot or dab - never rub
2. Work from the outside of the spill inward
3. Use clean white cloths or paper towels
4. Test stain removers in an inconspicuous area (closet) first

Important: No carpet is stain-proof. "Stain-resistant" doesn't mean stain-proof.

Troubleshooting

Common Carpet Issues

Problem	Cause	Solution
Visible seam	Normal construction	Will become less visible over time
Loose seam	Installation settling	Request service if coming apart
Rippling	Humidity or stretching	Request re-stretching if persistent
Shedding	New carpet	Normal; vacuum more often initially
Pilling	Fiber type and traffic	Clip off pills
Sprouting tufts	Manufacturing variance	Cut with scissors (don't pull)
Filtration lines	Air filtering at edges	Leave interior doors open when HVAC runs

Substances That Can Cause Permanent Damage

May cause permanent staining:

• Hair dyes
• Shoe polish
• Paints
• Ink

Can change carpet color:

• Bleaches
• Acne medications
• Drain cleaners
• Plant food
• Insecticides
• Some sodas and teas (with strong dyes)

Burns

Take care of burns immediately:

1. Snip off darkened fibers with scissors
2. Use soap-less cleaner
3. Sponge with water
4. For extensive burns, consult a professional

What to Avoid

warning

• Don't rub spills - Always blot; rubbing spreads the stain and damages fibers
• Don't use beater bar on loop carpets - Causes permanent damage (Berber, shag, cable)
• Don't skip vacuuming - Dirt acts like sandpaper on fibers
• Don't pull sprouting tufts - Cut them; pulling removes surrounding fibers
• Don't delay spill cleanup - Quick action prevents permanent staining
• Don't use untested cleaners - Always test in a closet first

Preventing Wear and Crushing

• Use glides or cups under heavy furniture
• Rotate furniture periodically to change traffic patterns
• Heavy traffic areas (halls, stairways) are more susceptible to wear
• No carpet is crush-proof

Fading Prevention

All carpets slowly lose color. Delay fading by:

• Frequently removing soil with vacuuming
• Regularly changing HVAC air filters
• Keeping humidity and temperature moderate
• Reducing sunlight exposure with window coverings

Related Topics

• Ceramic Tile - Alternative flooring care
• Condensation - Managing humidity affecting carpet
• Air Conditioning - HVAC filter maintenance

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Warranty Coverage: See Carpet Standards for coverage periods and exclusions.