Wool Carpet Care & Maintenance Guide

Your new carpet is a quality product that will add beauty and warmth to your new home. Proper care and maintenance beginning as early as possible, will prolong it’s life for many years to come and is quick, easy and inexpensive.

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance is essential in high traffic areas. 20% of the carpet receives 80% of the traffic. Three simple carpet-saving rules that help eliminate much of the preventable damage are; (1) Avoid soil accumulation, (2) vacuum regularly and (3) remove spills immediately.

  1. Avoid Soil Accumulation
    Remove outdoor shoes and use walk-off mats at all entrances to keep soil from being tracked onto the carpet. You may also relocate furniture periodically to allow for even traffic distribution.

  2. Vacuum Regularly
    The vacuum is your wool carpet’s best friend. This is the most effective and economical way to remove soil and dirt particles before they become embedded into the carpet pile. Remember, you cannot “over vacuum” your carpet.
    For a Flat Weave carpet use a beater bar brush for best results.
    Vacuum Tips

    1. Vacuum daily for high-traffic areas, weekly for light-traffic areas.

    2. A clean rotating brush power head vacuum with powerful suction is best for carpeted areas.

    3. Adjust the vacuum for the height of your carpet, as deep brush agitation may damage
      loop-pile Berber carpet. Avoid beater bars for loop-pile carpet. (A beater bar is a powerhead attachment used for enhanced carpet cleaning. It’s designed with either a motor or air-driven brush that lifts and pulls hair and dirt from deep within carpet fibers. Disengage the beater bar to allow for suction only).

    4. Check the vacuum bag regularly, and change it when it is half full for most effective cleaning.

    5. Replace worn belts and brushes in the maintenance cycle recommended by your vacuum manufacturer.

    Depending on your personal lifestyle, professionally clean your carpet every one to two years and be sure to select a reputable company. To prepare, remove furniture if possible or use plastic protectors under legs to prevent staining from metal or wood finish degradation.

  3. Spot & Stain Removal

    • Blot up liquids with paper towels or an absorbent white cloth and scoop up any solids

    • Using a clean cloth, apply mild soap (i.e. dish washing soap – 1 tsp mixed in 1 cup of water) and start from the outer edge of the spot and work inward to prevent excess spreading. Do not rub, as this may cause the spot to spread.

    • Blot dry using another clean cloth, apply undiluted vinegar, again starting from outer edge and working inward

    • Blot dry

    • Repeat application of mild soap mixture

    • Blot dry

    • Apply lukewarm water in similar fashion with a clean cloth – working inward (do not saturate)

Preventative Measures

  1. Clean your carpet BEFORE it looks dirty and frequently remove soil by vacuuming

  2. Use an entrance mat that is washable and clean it frequently so it maintains full potential of being a dust and dirt trap

  3. Restrict food and drink to non-carpeted areas when possible

  4. Regularly changing air filters in heating and cooling systems

  5. Reducing sunlight exposure with window coverings to prevent fading

  6. Select carpet cleaning products carefully

Household Chemicals

Many household cleansers (even natural ones) that improve our daily lives, may cause secondary damage to our carpets. Depending on humidity and temperature conditions, these discolourations may not appear until several days or weeks after the carpet was exposed to the cleaning agent. The only way to protect your carpet is to take special precautions to prevent any contact. Always cover the surrounding carpet surface when spraying with household cleanser, watering plants, etc, as contact may result in discolouration of surrounding carpet.

Commonly Available Carpet Cleaners

Your carpet has been selected partly because of its reduced impact on the indoor air quality of your new home. Wool carpet is a natural fibre and therefore a healthier alternative, as it reduces the VOC contaminants within your home. By taking the proper measures and making informed buying decisions, you can continue to make your indoor environment a healthier one.

Three of our favourites are:

  1. Nature Clean Pet Stain & Odour Remover

  2. Simple Green “Naturals” carpet cleaner and

  3. Martha Stewart Clean Carpet Stain Remover

All given an “A” by Environmental Working Group

Professional Carpet Cleaning

When a question of maintenance or stubborn stain removal requires a professional or consultant; contact the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) for an endorsed professional cleaner at www.iicrc.org or (800) 835-4624.

A few of their recommended professionals are:
www.freshandclean.ca
www.activecarpetcare.ca