Restoring your carpet
Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM
If your carpet is looking a little worse for wear, it might be time to consider restoring it.
Water damage, spills, heavy furniture and even just general wear and tear can take their toll on carpet over time - but don't panic. There are plenty of steps you can take before you need to worry about replacing your floor covering.
If the damage to your carpet has been caused by a one-off event - such as a leak in wet weather - the first thing to do is identify the source of the water and stop the problem. Generally, rainwater or fluids from pipes cause less damage than overflowing toilets and other sources of contamination. Use common sense to determine the severity of the situation.
Wet carpets will need to be disinfected and dried - this should be done within 12 hours of the original damage to prevent mould from starting to grow in damp areas. If there is any risk of contamination from mould or bacteria, you may instead wish to replace your floor covering.
If your carpet is showing the strain of years of foot traffic, it may simply be time for a thorough deep clean. You can easily do this yourself with a rented carpet cleaner and the correct soap solution. For larger or more complicated jobs, you may want to consider calling in the professionals - they can have your carpet looking back to its vibrant best in no time.
You'll likely find that heavy furniture has left marks on your carpet if you are redecorating or rearranging your rooms. In most cases, your carpet will bounce back to its former glory on its own, but you can place ice cubes on the marks and allow them to melt and dry to hurry the process along.
If you're not sure what is wrong with your carpet, you have a special type of flooring or you simply want a bit of extra help, it may be wise to call in an expert to help you assess the situation.
You also may find that if your carpet is getting old or the damage is too severe, it may be more cost effective to purchase a new floor covering. Fortunately, there are numerous cheap carpet offers available, with options such as wool mix carpet and berber to choose from.
Whether you choose to try restoring your carpet yourself, call in the pros for some expert help or replace your carpets completely, your home will be looking back to its best in no time.
