Floor School : All About Carpet

All carpeting begins from the conversion of raw fiber that is (with a few exceptions) spun into yarn and then made into carpet by one of three methods - weaving, tufting, or bonding.

There are two sources of carpet fiber: natural (like wool, silk, and cotton) and man-made (like nylon, polyester and acrylic). Natural fibers provide soft, low luster colors, long term performance, and other aesthetic qualities. Synthetic fibers offer brilliant colors, easy maintenance, softness and outstanding value.

Color is introduced either at the raw fiber stage, or when the yarn is spun into the thickness, weight, and length used in the particular carpet. (An especially skilled job, yarn spinning has its own specialist companies.)

Today, most carpet is made of synthetic fiber. Nylon is the most popular, and offers the best performance and styling flexibility of all natural and synthetic carpet fibers. It accounts for over 65% of all carpets manufactured.

Carpet Care

Let's start by saying that the most important thing you can do to prolong the life of your new carpet or rug is to vacuum it. Regular vacuuming removes those nasty dirt particles that leave it looking dingy over time and abrade the fiber, which shortens its lifespan. Use a vacuum that has a rotating brush or beater bar, which stimulates the carpet tufts and loosens the dirt and soil. (Plus, schedule regular professional cleanings to remove soil accumulation that your regular vacuum can't reach.) If your area rug has a fringe, make sure it's sewn on well, and use the vacuum carefully.
If you have a thick carpet and want to remove any tracks the vacuum makes (it's called shading), you might try vacuuming in one direction, and then smoothing the carpet surface by hand.
You can help to reduce wear in your carpet by occasionally alternating your furniture placement to change the 'traffic lanes' and allow the carpet to wear more uniformly. Be sure to vacuum these specific areas more often to reduce dirt particles, which can lead to matting too.

Carpet First Aid

In case of spills on your beautiful carpet, the best way to remove any liquid stains is, generally, to first remove the excess liquid with several layers of clean, dry paper towels. Then apply a diluted hand washing detergent to a clean cloth and gently blot the stain until it's removed