1. HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS
Carpet in heavily traveled areas receives the most wear. For better appearance and longer carpet life, try to reduce the amount of foot traffic on these areas using small rugs or runners in front of heavily used chairs or furniture. Remove and clean these rugs when you vacuum. It is also recommended that moving furniture and reversing areas rugs will reduce “wear patterns” in the carpet and help to keep the room looking fresh and new.
2. GET THE DIRT OUT
By having your carpets cleaned professionally at least annually, you can maintain the look and beauty of your carpet. Vacuuming regularly is helpful but doesn’t fully remove all of the deposits of dirt & airborne contaminates that build up on the carpet fibers over time. This causes “dulling” of the color and texture. Professional carpet cleaning techniques that use alkaline-based cleaners and neutralizing rinse solutions remove over 90% of the remaining soil, leaving a fresh, clean and healthier carpet.
3. ODORS
Most odors are caused by chemical compounds, which emit particles into the air causing a “scent” or “fragrance”. …typically, an unpleasant one. The best way to reduce, or eliminate an odor is to find out what it could be coming from (i.e. mold, mildew, pets, food). Next, use a disinfectant, such as Lysol, that neutralizes the chemical compounds causing the odor. Second, use a deodorizer such as an air freshener, to help “freshen” the air. Carpet cleaning professionals, such as Father and Son, use stronger disinfectants and deodorizers based upon each odor, which aids in quicker, complete removal.
4. BLACK EDGES
What are those black edges on your carpets? Black edges are usually along walls, stairways and under doors. It is caused by airflow over and through the carpet, allowing ultra-fine soils to settle on the surface (much like toner cartridge ink). This is often caused by an improperly maintained ventilation system (i.e. furnace filters not being changed regularly). Filtration soils require special cleaning treatment from a carpet care professional for effective removal.
5. BERBER CARPET “SNAGS”
This is a common occurrence with berber carpet, but it IS fixable. If you have a small snag, just snip it off…DO NOT pull it out, or it will continue to purr out more of the carpet yarn. If this happens, Call Father and Son Carpet Care to repair the area at a very reasonable rate.
BONUS TIP
DEPRESSIONS & INDENTATIONS
This weight of heavy pieces of furniture can cause depressions that may be permanent. To help prevent this, use furniture glides under the legs of heavy pieces, or move your furniture a few inches backward or sideways on a regular basis (when you vacuum). This will disperse the weight so that it is not concentrated in one place for an extended time. Some depressions in carpet are remedied by working the carpet pile back into place by dampening the area and heating it with a hair dryer, or allowing an ice cube to melt on it, then “raking up” the fibers with your fingertips or a fork.
