Care tips for different types of carpet every owner should consider

One of the things every homeowner should do is invest some time to better understand carpet care. If you have invested in the carpet for your home, you want to ensure the investment lasts, which is not possible without you doing the appropriate cleaning and care. The best practices include regular vacuum cleaning, dealing with spills and stains as soon as possible, doing a deep clean of the carpet every year and being proactive in regards to spreading dust and dirt by leaving shoes outside and having a good doormat to wipe your feet at. 

The following guide will aim you with some knowledge on how to handle different types of carpets to see the best possible outcome: 

Know what the carpet fibre is

There are various carpet types, which homeowners need to be aware of if they wish to do the best possible care. Without such knowledge, cleaning procedures and negligence can do more harm than good.

There are three major types of carpets: cut pile, loop pile and a combination of the two. The fibre materials of each type can be different, changing how they perform. 

Cut pile carpets are made by cutting yarn loops to provide the upright pile. The result is a formal-looking, luxurious carpet. 

Loop pile carpets rely on the usage of the full loop of yarn for a diverse finish of styles and patterns in different loop heights. 

A cut and loop type of carpet is essentially a cut pile carpet with some areas of loop pile built into its design. 

Within all of these three types are a variety of styles, which are different in regards to the twist level of the pile yarn and the pile length. 

The following are cut pile carpet types. 

• Frieze carpet (cut pile) – with a high twist level, this type of carpet, makes it easy to conceal footprints and vacuum marks. It is ideal for high-traffic areas, but that doesn’t mean it should go without cleaning. It is important to get it professionally cleaned now and then to get the deeply-embedded dirt out. 
• Shag carpet (cut pile) – this style features very long piles packed loosely to create a more open construction. Vacuum cleaners are less effective, because of the density of the shag carpet. There may be a need for a specialised kind of vacuum to deal with this sort of carpet. 
• Saxony/plush/velvet/velour carpet – even though these types of carpets are different, their appearance and performance are similar. They range from short to medium piles, which can be regularly cleaned with a vacuum cleaner for good maintenance.

Loop pile carpet types should be vacuumed with extra care, in order not to create excessive fuzz. You can do this by either turning the brush roll-off or vacuuming without one. 

• Berber carpet (loop pile) – this is one of the easiest styles to keep clean and maintain because dirt doesn’t penetrate too deep. 
• Sisal/cord carpet (loop pile) – this style comes with heavy texture and appears as a plant fibre mat. Carpet care is similar to other loop style carpets. 

Cut and loop styles have one disadvantage over the individual styles, which is that they can look worn out quickly if left without proper maintenance for too long. The longer cut bends over the short loops and thus creates this effect. 

It is always important to understand the type of carpet you are dealing with, to provide good care for it. Knowing the material and the style will allow you to pick the best carpet cleaning method. 

©PCCL Ltd