For most households, carpets are an expensive investment. People rarely have money to waste nowadays and our household budgets are tight. This means that we need to look after our investments, whichever form they may take; and this includes carpets. It would be awful to purchase a carpet, only to find that within a few months, or weeks even, it has lost much of its original charm.

There are several ways to protect carpets from the problems of wear and tear, and to ensure that they stay as close to new looking as possible. Here we consider the simple rules to keeping a carpet pristine.

Use Carpet Underlay Carpet underlay is the most important aspect of keeping your carpets new. Underlay will provide suspension, i.e. it acts as a shock absorber. This means that people walking on the carpet, or furniture placed on the carpet, will not exert too much pressure. Overtime, the carpet will show much less sign of wear and tear if an underlay is placed beneath the carpet. There are other benefits to using underlay too: it will save money on your household bills, because it acts as an insulator; it will make the carpet feel more comfortable, adding spring and bounce; and finally, it will reduce wear and tear.

Steam Cleaning Steam cleaning will remove any excess dirt. Unless you live in a home that never collects dust (an impossibility!), then a regular steam clean will help to maintain the original colour of the carpet; will ensure that there are no insects or other nasties lurking or building up in the carpet. Steam cleaning is best because it will not leave any chemicals, which in turn will not discolour the carpet.

No Shoes Shoes concentrate a person’s weight more than bare feet. This means that more pressure will be put on the carpet, and subsequently the carpet will become more worn, faster. Furthermore, shoes will carry dirt, which will make the carpet look grubby. The rule, then, when walking on a new carpet is: NO SHOES.