The Floor Room guide to looking after your carpet

You’ve found the perfect carpet, it’s been fitted and looks amazing. But then life happens, and you’re left with a splotch of red wine, a pet created puddle or some sort of smushed-in snack to deal with. Shifting your furniture around to cover it might seem like the easiest move at this point, but there are better ways, we promise.

So, you’ve brought your new carpet home and it’s more than living up to what you dreamed of. Give it the care it deserves to keep it that way with our guide to looking after your carpet.

First, move quickly! The sooner you get to the stain, the better the outcome will be. Soak up liquid spills straight away by blotting with a dry cloth or kitchen roll. Never rub it, as you’ll only push it further into the fibres of your carpet.

There are lots of specialist cleaners out there, but if you’ve run out or prefer to use fewer chemicals in your home, you’ll find that household regulars like dish soap, vinegar and baking/bicarbonate of soda will also work a treat. Here’s how to tackle a few of the most common spills.

Do

• vacuum regularly
• soak up spills as soon as they happen
• rotate your furniture if you can
• put mats and rugs at doors   
• place furniture cups under legs

Don't

• rub stains in
• pull tufts and threads
• use too much water to clean
• use bleach, except on polypropylene
• overexpose to direct sunlight

So, you’ve brought your new carpet home and it’s more than living up to what you dreamed of. Give it the care it deserves to keep it that way with our guide to looking after your carpet.

First, move quickly! The sooner you get to the stain, the better the outcome will be. Soak up liquid spills straight away by blotting with a dry cloth or kitchen roll. Never rub it, as you’ll only push it further into the fibres of your carpet.

There are lots of specialist cleaners out there, but if you’ve run out or prefer to use fewer chemicals in your home, you’ll find that household regulars like dish soap, vinegar and baking/bicarbonate of soda will also work a treat. Here’s how to tackle a few of the most common spills.

Wine

Blot with kitchen roll, paper towel or a white/colour fast cloth, then dilute the stain with cold water before applying a paste of 3:1 water and bicarb. Allow the paste to dry and then vacuum it up.

Coffee and tea

Soak it up then blot with cold water and a cloth. Sponge anything that’s left with a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water. Always test vinegar first, as it can bleach. Don’t use dark vinegars like red wine, balsamic or malt as these can cause even more stains.

Pet puddles

Mop or pick up as much as possible, then soak the stain with a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water for 5-10 minutes. Rinse and repeat if you need to. If it’s still not shifting, reach for a specialist pet stain remover. Making sure the product is suitable for your carpet type and colour.

Make up

Vacuum powder spills and dissolve other stains with a spray of water and dish soap. Blot until no more product lifts easily. Make up remover should remove any last traces but do a test patch first.

Crayon

Leave a cloth soaked with white or mineral spirit over the stain for a minute or two, then blot. Repeat until the cloth comes away clean and use a spot of specialist stain remover for anything that’s left.

Blood

Mop up as much as possible first, then use cold water - not warm as it can cause it to clot, mixed with dish soap to clean up what’s left.

Regular vacuuming and the odd spot clean of spills are all you need to keep your carpet looking good most of the time, but eventually, dirt and bacteria can build up. Deep cleaning every so often is like a big reset for your carpet, you’ll be amazed at how fresh your floor will look afterwards. Here’s how you do it.

1. Vacuum thoroughly to get rid of loose dirt and dust.
2. Pre-treat any stains. Use a carpet stain remover or a DIY solution of a quarter cup of salt, a quarter cup of baking soda and a quarter cup of vinegar will also do the job.
3. Use a carpet cleaning machine or hire a professional carpet cleaner to lift deep set dirt from your carpet’s fibres with hot water and a cleaning solution.
4. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
5. Let your carpet dry completely before walking on it. Fans or open windows will speed up the process.

You can also use a steam cleaner on your carpet, which uses piping-hot steam to lift dirt from your carpet’s fibres. It won’t go as deep as a carpet cleaning machine, but it’ll freshen your carpet more than just vacuuming will. As for how often you need to deep clean your carpet, twice yearly is usually enough if you keep up with weekly vacuuming. You know your life, though, so if you’ve got a circus of pets and kids or have lots of parties, you might want to do it more frequently.

So, you’ve brought your new carpet home and it’s more than living up to what you dreamed of. Give it the care it deserves to keep it that way with our guide to looking after your carpet.

First, move quickly! The sooner you get to the stain, the better the outcome will be. Soak up liquid spills straight away by blotting with a dry cloth or kitchen roll. Never rub it, as you’ll only push it further into the fibres of your carpet.

There are lots of specialist cleaners out there, but if you’ve run out or prefer to use fewer chemicals in your home, you’ll find that household regulars like dish soap, vinegar and baking/bicarbonate of soda will also work a treat. Here’s how to tackle a few of the most common spills.

Lint roller

Grab up pet hair with a sticky lint roller, then just throw the hairy layer away.

Rubber gloves

A dry rubber glove will act like a magnet for pet hair on carpets. A wet rubber glove will take the effect up a notch when you’re dealing with serious shedding.

Carpet rake

A rake specifically made for animal hair is a cheap but effective tool with thin bristles that will drag deep-embedded hair out of your carpet’s weave.

Pet hair vacuum

If you’ve got a long-haired pet you’re always cleaning up after, you might find a heavy duty vacuum that’s designed to deal with fur is worth the investment.

With the right care, your carpet’s comfort and good looks will last a long time. But years and years of use will eventually take their toll. If the time has come for a new carpet, here’s your chance to take your living space up a level!

First, we suggest looking at our rundown on what you need to know when buying a carpet then start imagining your dream floor by browsing our collection of can’t-live-your-life without carpets.

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