Without a doubt, carpet is a great investment that can easily improve the look of your home. But you'll also need to take good care of it. Here's a simple list of do's and don'ts that should go a long way towards helping you make sure your carpet will last a good long time:
Do's:
Do use a quality upright vacuum cleaner that has a beater bar.
Do vacuum your carpet regularly - dirt is a carpet 's greatest enemy. (Most manufacturers recommend that you have to make 7 passes with the vacuum cleaner over the same section of carpet to make sure that it's clean.)
Do clean up spills immediately. For pesky, hard-to-get-up dirt, try a spot cleaner such as Nylac, Tech or Host.
Do read the warning labels of any products that might accidentally come into contact with your carpet.
Don'ts:
Don't let any product that contains benzoyl peroxide come into contact with your carpeting because it will bleach out the fabric's colors. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in acne medications such as Clearasil, Oxy 5, and Oxy 10, as well as certain types of plant foods. SO BE CAREFUL. If you use any of these products, be sure to THOROUGHLY wash your hands after use so that none of it ever touches your carpeting. Granted, zits are the pits, but even worse would be permanently fading your carpeting. AND WE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.
Don't put down leftover carpeting as "mats" directly over new carpet. The backing is rough and can damage the fibers of your carpet. If you do choose to use "mats" - again, against our advice - be sure to remove them frequently to allow the carpet to breathe.
