Is My Carpet Worn Out Or Just Dirty?

    Often times customers expect “new” carpet instead of clean carpet. If a company ever promises “new” or guarantees a spot can be removed…run!! This is just not possible. We guarantee the best cleaning money can buy but NEVER guarantee a carpet will look new or that a spot will always be able to be removed. Why not? Because sometimes spots can become permanent due to the time it was allowed to remain on the carpet fiber or damage that may have been done during your attempts to remove it. Some paints and inks can be spilled in such large amounts that the amount of solvent required to remove it all would damage the integrity of the carpet construction.

    So how do you know what to expect? Of all the fibers used in carpet construction, wool, followed by nylon are the most durable. This being said, wool can be damaged easily with harsh cleaning products, urine, bleach and products with dyes such as coffee, sports drinks and kool-aid. It can hold up well to heavy foot traffic and can last for generations if you avoid pet accidents and drink spills. Nylon can be cleaned at a higher Ph than wool buthas acid dye-sites that can be re-dyed with acidic synthetic dyes that are often found in kids drinks. Dyes from the legs of wood furniture can also recolor the fibers and become permanent as well. 

    Polyester and Polypropylene are the other fibers found most often in wall to wall carpet and rugs. These fibers are made out of a plastic material and are dyed in a solution bath, therefore aren’t as susceptible to permanent staining as the color is throughout the fiber instead of in dye sites. But these fibers are not without its own issues. They are oleo-phyllic or oil absorbing, so the tend to attract grease, oils and inks more readily than wool or nylon and can be more stubborn to release them in the cleaning process. Because the plastics melt at a lower temperature, heavy foot traffic or dragging heavy furniture across them can leave permanent damage from the heat generated by friction. So these fibers are not as durable but much more resistant to permanent damage from furniture stains, drink spills and pet urine damage like wool or nylon. 

    Since this article is about wear, now that you understand more about the carpet fibers, lets discuss identifying wear. Carpet fibers become worn due to heavy foot traffic and lack of frequent or thorough vacuuming. Vacuuming is vital as it removes the dry soil that is tracked in your home or is deposited through the movement of fine dust particles by your heating and air system. Carpet is a wonderful filter for these allergens but without a thorough vacuuming to remove these particles, they can become trapped in the carpet or rug fibers. These trapped fibers act like sandpaper when you walk or stand on the fibers, scratching and cutting the fibers. They become weak, untwisted and lay to one direction rather than straight up like the fibers in low traffic areas. When this happens, the fibers do not reflect light back to the eye as they were intended and will appear to be darker, grey, dingy or dirty. 

    To know whether your carpets are soiled or worn, get on your knees for a closer inspection. Is the darker area a place of higher traffic such as in front of a sofa, recliner or around the bed? Is it right by the hard surface of a kitchen or entryway? Do the fibers seemed matted or crushed, untwisted or lay to one side? Does it look lighter from one angle than another? This is probably due to wear and infrequent vacuuming. These areas can be improved by removing the oil and soils with a good cleaning but will always appear slightly darker than the areas less traveled. Is the discoloration just on the ends of the fiber? Is the area in a less traveled area of the home or off the beaten path? Are the carpet fibers standing up straight and seem to be twisted tightly? This is generally from soil and should respond well to cleaning. 

    Whether your carpet is wool, nylon, polyester or polypropylene, we have a product and method that can give you the best results possible. If it is showing wear, dont hesitate to call so that the embedded soil can be removed and prevent expensive replacement before the life expectancy of the flooring! Vacuum frequently with a good, upright vacuum with a beater bar. Place throw rugs in an area of high traffic to prevent anymore damage. Call us to help with any of your flooring needs. We have the top level of training and education available in the industry and we would love to partner with you to keep your carpet, rugs, tile, stone, or wood floors looking their very best and lasting you for years!