Carpet Repair and Maintenance

Abrasion

Pet paws, claws, rubber soled shoes and heels can be abrasive on carpets, particularly where use is constantly concentrated to small areas (for example, in front of armchairs). Move furniture occasionally to avoid any distortion to the carpet pile.

Burns

Burns occur when a cigarette butt or flame comes in contact with the carpet. If the burn is small, the burnt fibres of the carpet can be cut out with scissors. If the burn is large, you'll need to replace the place with a new piece of carpet. You can do this yourself with a bit of know-how, or have an installer do it.

Colour Change

Over the years, you may find that the colour of your carpet may change. This may be due to fading (see below), gradual soiling or pile flattening, the latter two of which may be treated by a good professional carpet cleaning company.

Fading

Most textiles will fade very gradually over time due to natural light. It's therefore a good idea to use curtains or sun blinds in rooms with strong exposure to the sun (for example, south facing rooms with patio windows) in order to reduce the possibility of carpet fading.

Draught Marking

Also known as fogging or soil filtration, draught marking is a problem caused by the fibres of the carpet pile filtering out dirt particles from the air that comes in under doors, skirting boards or from air ducts. The fault is most often displayed as dark lines around the edges of a room, under doors and near air ducts. However, it may also be seen in the middle of the room, following the configuration of the floorboards.

Fibre Loss

When first installed, many carpets tend to lose fibre, especially those with a velour or cut pile. Although this may seem alarming, there is no cause for concern, as shedding is simply a natural process caused by the way the yarn is spun and the carpet is produced. The short fibres lost by the carpet make up a tiny percentage of the pile, and after a few weeks, the fibre loss should stop. Make sure that you hoover the carpet gently, but regularly, for the first month.

Flattening

All cut pile fabrics of any fibre type will flatten to some extent in traffic lanes although regular vacuuming will help to alleviate this. This flattening is a normal reaction to localised traffic and is not detrimental to the wear of the carpet.

Indentations

The feet of heavy furniture will create indentations on any carpet. To help reduce marking, regularly move the position of furniture and other heavy objects where possible. To help lift the pile back up, use a coin to 'gently' tease the pile upright. Alternatively, sprinkle your carpet with some club soda, place a towel over the area, then iron it. Do this a couple of times and you will see your carpet begin to re-fluff.

Pilling

Pilling can sometimes occur on loop pile and wool blend carpets. The expression is used to describe the little balls of fibres that collect on the carpet surface, and is similar to the type of pilling that can occur on a jumper. Carefully remove these pills with scissors - the durability of the carpet will not be affected.

Shading

Also known as pile reversal, shading is an effect seen in velour or velvet carpet, where certain areas appear lighter or darker than the surrounding area. This effect is produced by the way that light reflects differently as the pile is pushed in a variety of directions, and is caused by foot traffic patterns or unevenness in the floor. The best solution is to hoover the carpet pile in a uniform direction.

However, it's important to realise that shading is impossible to eliminate in some cut pile styles, and is part of the character of velvets and saxonies. It is not a defect and is not detrimental to the wear of the carpet.

Sprouting

Every now and then, loose tufts may appear above the surface of the carpet pile. To remove the loose tufts, simply cut them even with the surrounding pile using small, sharp scissors. DO NOT pull out loose ends; if you do, you will permanently damage the carpet.

Static Electricity

When the atmosphere is dry, static electricity can build up in a carpet. This may be rectified by keeping the humidity high with a humidifier or indoor plants in water trays. You can also spray the surface of the carpet with an anti static agent.