At Glasswells we are flooring experts, which is why we’ve created this care guide to provide you with all the necessary information on how to keep your carpet in top condition. Your carpet will last for years with proper maintenance from our simple guidelines.
Maintenance
The key to a good carpet is to avoid loose dirt and dust from working their way into the carpet. Dirt that has been trampled between the tufts of the carpet can eventually damage your carpet by wearing away the fibres. The best way to prevent this is vacuuming.
New carpets should be vacuumed regularly as soon as they are laid. All new carpets will shed a small amount of loose fibres, which should be removed by vacuuming. The shedding can continue for what seems like a long time on wool carpets but, it is just a characteristic of this type of product, and will cease over time. If you do not vacuum your carpet, these loose fibres can become matted, so it’s always best to vacuum your carpet as soon as possible and, two or three times a week after that.
Depending on the carpet, they need to be vacuumed differently, this will help with keeping your carpet looking brand new and, help it last much longer.
Loop Pile
With loop pile carpets, they should be vacuumed using the suction head only. If you use beater heads and brushes, they can catch and lift the fibres which can cause excessive fluffing and matting, giving the carpet a bobbled or felted appearance. By using a beater head on loop pile carpets you create the risk of fibres becoming wrapped around the bar, that can create a run in the carpet.
Cut Pile
Cut pile carpets should be vacuumed with an upright cleaner with a beater bar and brush. It’s also best to use a lightweight vacuum with adjustable brush height settings, so the vacuum and glide over the top of the carpet. With cut pile rugs, it’s always best to avoid the edges with a beater bar and use a smaller suction attachment instead, to reduce fraying.
Below is a list of additional guidance to use when looking after your carpet. Our team are carpet specialists and, are always happy to answer any questions you may have. If you need any more advice you can pop in to one of our stores, or give us a ring and we will be able to assist you.
All carpets using a spun yarn will shed excess fibre when first installed. The duration of the shedding of these fibres will vary depending upon the frequency of vacuuming and the type of machine used. This is to be expected and does not mean there is a defect. The short fibres given off, represent a very small fraction of the pile
All cut pile carpets, particularly plain or tonals, are liable to shading; that is to show light and dark patches due to uneven crushing of the surface, commonly known as “pile pressure”. Like shading, pile reversal occurs when the pile or nap of the carpet changes direction and thus reflects light at different angles showing the effects of shading which can become permanent. This can happen to all cut pile carpets and even Oriental and hand-made rugs. There is no commonly known manufacturing process which can cause or cure this phenomenon and therefore it is not a manufacturing fault.
Occasionally you may see a line running across a newly installed carpet, about one foot in from a wall. This line is not a seam. This mark, known as a “pole mark”, results from the carpet being wrapped tightly around a cardboard tube for shipping. The mark will disappear as the carpet becomes acclimatised and is vacuumed. Extra attention to this area during vacuuming will speed the process. For more immediate results, try light steaming of the affected area.
Occasionally a tuft may protrude above the carpet surface. This is not a manufacturing fault, simply trim this down to the general level of the surrounding carpet with a pair of scissors. NEVER try to pull the tuft out of the carpet.
All carpets are subject to flattening which is caused by the compression of the pile from footwear and furniture. You may notice this from indentations from the feet of furniture, so wherever possible it is advised to use castor cups. Try to rearrange your furniture occasionally to avoid uneven wear and tear. Never drag furniture across a carpet. By vacuuming, this will help to alleviate flattening, bringing the pile back up to its normal position.
Today, almost all of the fibres and dyes used in making carpets exhibit excellent properties of colour fastness to sunlight. However, all carpets are subject to a degree of fading with age. Carpets fitted in extremely sunny rooms with large windows can be protected by drawing your curtains or blinds during periods of strong sunlight.
Pet paws, claws, rubber soled shoes and heels can be abrasive on carpets, particularly where use is constantly concentrated to small areas (i.e. in front of armchairs). Move furniture occasionally to avoid any distortion to the carpet pile.
Accidental spillages on carpets are an unfortunate fact of life and no carpet is 100% stain-proof. Liquid spills should be soaked up immediately with absorbent tissue, preferably white, or a clean, dry cloth.
Avoid excessive rubbing and always work from the outside edges of the stain into the centre to avoid any spreading. Use a blunt knife or spoon to gently scrape away any solids.
The Golden Rule Is
For persistant stains, please contact a professional carpet cleaner
* exclusions do apply, please ask a member of staff for full terms & conditions.
For more information regarding Staingard, visit our page here or contact us where one of our team will be able to advise. This page is also available in a handy PDF format, which you can download here.
Reasons to shop at Glasswells
Take the stress out of shopping, with everything for your home available under one roof.
Our large showrooms display a massive choice of furniture, with over 200 fabulous sofa collections, more than 80 stunning dining collections, over 50 beautiful bedroom ranges and 100 luxury beds. We also have more than 10,000 flooring options and have access to thousands of fabric swatches for curtains and blinds.
A service you can depend on.
Since 1946, Glasswells’ philosophy has been to provide the widest choice of quality furniture at the very best value, paired with service which stands out from the crowd, is true and is trusted. This remains as vital to us today as it did over 75 years ago.
Locally sourced, fresh food made to order.
The Place to Eat restaurant in store at Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich is perfect for taking a relaxing break from browsing all our products. We offer a wide assortment of dishes utilising locally sourced and seasonal produce, with vegetarian and gluten-free options available.
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