How do I make my carpets last longer?
This is a guide for those who already have carpet and are looking to prolong its life. How to make your carpets last longer depends on the carpet, but these for all carpets. The average life expectancy of carpet in a family home is 12 years. You can extend this a little following these tips.
Everyone wants to get more for their money and this includes their flooring. Flooring can be expensive to replace so taking steps to keep it looking its best for as long as possible can be a big money saver. It will also add to the beauty of the room.
Are you hungry?
One of the easiest preventative measures is to not eat while on the carpet. It is free and doesn’t take much effort at all, just some conscious thought. It might be a little strange to and you could be asking how does this make my carpet last longer? Well everyone makes mistakes from time to time and food likes to spill on everything. So in a roundabout way this makes it so there are no spills that you have to clean up and that may stain. This means no stains shortening the life of your carpet!
Vacuum. Vroom, Vroom!
Probably something that you have already thought about when trying to get your carpets to last a little longer is vacuuming. Don’t skimp on a nice vacuum, because you get what you pay for. The cheaper vacuums don’t pick up the dirt and dust as well and some don’t even pick it up at all. They don’t filter the air well, spew dirt back out, and can be difficult to clean. Carpet is pretty pricey so you don’t want to get the cheapest vacuum to take care of it. Opt for something in the middle around $200. We found a guide on purchasing a vacuum Here.
It’s all in the technique
Now that you have a vacuum that will do the job you need it to, you have to use it right. Typically you want to vacuum twice a week to prevent buildup of dirt and grime. They say that the amount you want to vacuum an area should be the same as the number of people using that area. So a family of five would want to vacuum their high traffic areas like their living room 5 times a week.
When you vacuum make sure you are doing so at the right speed. Going slowly will get out as much dirt as possible. Going an area slowly is more efficient than going over it several times quickly. Before you vacuum check the filter or the bag. A dirty bag or filter can lower a vacuum’s suction power. It also helps lengthen the lifespan of your vacuum so it can keep vacuuming as long as your carpets are around.
Mats, rugs, and runners Oh my
Carpets get a lot of wear and tear with people walking and getting things spilled on them. A rug protects an area from these. Put a rug or a runner in a high traffic area so your carpet isn’t getting all of the traffic. Even places where spills are likely would be a good place for something. At the least it would save you from having to clean up the spills right away.
Shoes come off at the door
Who even knows what we step in daily while on our way to school and work? Taking your shoes off when you get home makes sure that everything you walked in that day will not be transferred to your floors. For a quick and easy way to see how much one person could track in daily take a shoe and a wet cloth or wipe. Wipe down the bottom of the shoe and then take a look at that wipe.
Treat stains as soon as they happen
The sooner you treat it the higher chance you have of the stain coming out. Put water or a cleaner on the spot and then gently blot it out with a white or neutral colored rag. Anything with colors risks dying your carpet. It would be sad to get that stain out and then have another one. Don’t rub the spill. Rubbing it will only make the carpet worse and the stain harder to get out.
Break out the feather duster
Dust is inevitable. It happens in all of our homes even if they aren’t lived in. Dusting daily will help you trap some of that dust and dirt before it makes its way to your carpets. Another preventative measure would be to install a new air filter into your furnace. That way there is less dusting to do and you can focus on more fun things. It also helps the air quality in your home so it is a double bonus.
The exciting things
Maybe you could give some of these things a try. The things listed below we know aren’t very practical but they could help. Hop from one location to the next. You are cutting down your contact with the carpet by 50%. Put plastic down on the floor then you aren’t touching the carpet at all! Put your kids in a hazmat suit so their breathing doesn’t affect the carpet fibers. Who knows there may even be a few suits for pets to wear as well.
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.