FLOOR CARE ADVICE FROM YOUR LOCAL AYLSHAM EXPERTS

When it comes to keeping your carpets and flooring in tip-top condition, rely on the team at Concept Carpets.

CARING FOR YOUR CARPETS

Keeping a carpet looking ‘as new’ for as long as possible, at the same time as ensuring its maximum life, depends largely upon three basic factors:

1. PREVENT AVOIDABLE SOILING

With a high percentage of dirt coming into a building on the soles of shoes, it is important that preventative action is taken to control this as far as possible. The use of grids or mats is highly desirable as they form a barrier against soiling. Because not everyone wipes their shoes when entering a building, the barrier should ideally be large enough to ensure that visitors have to make several steps across it before placing their feet on the carpet beyond. Barriers must extend across the full width of the doorway. Those that are custom made to fit the entrance give best results.

NOTES: Grids are good for the heavy soiling areas where it is most likely that mud and similar ‘clingy’ contaminants will arise. Rubber mats are also suitable for removing coarse dirt. Sisal or coconut matting can be used. Clean mats regularly to ensure their efficiency.

2. REGULAR MAINTENANCE

Correct and regular maintenance will increase the life of the carpet and also help to maintain its overall appearance. Concept Carpets recommends:

Regular vacuuming

Your new carpet can be vacuumed immediately after fitting. Regular vacuuming is essential as it prevents loose soil, dirt and grit from working their way into the carpet pile where they will damage the fibres. Vacuum cleaners with a suction plus rotating beater bar action (usually ‘upright’ cleaners) are acceptable on many carpets. Where the vacuum cleaner is fitted with a pile depth adjustment, make sure this is correctly set for the length of pile of the carpet being vacuumed. For very deep pile carpets (e.g. shag pile or Saxony) it is preferable to use plain suction vacuuming (e.g., a cylinder cleaner or the smooth nozzle attachment on an upright cleaner) to prevent fuzzing and pilling of the pile.

Periodic cleaning by professionals

This service is available from Concept Carpets. Leave it to us to judge accurately which cleaning method to use for optimum results. The frequency required will depend upon the intensity of the traffic and the nature of the soiling.

3. TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON SPILLAGES

Prompt action is vital in order to avoid the spillage penetrating the pile fibres and becoming fixed. Absorb as much liquid spillage as possible using clean white tissue or similarly absorbent material. Solids should be removed with a spoon or palette knife working towards the centre of the spillage to avoid spreading the substance. Stain removal kits, with operating instructions, and spot stain removers are available from good quality hardware stores. Our stain removal guide below provides hints on how to remove specific substances.

CHECK OUT OUR HANDY STAIN REMOVAL GUIDE

Asphalt, tar and oil from the beach

Remove with dry cleaning fluid as soon as possible to avoid blotching. For dried-in stains, try softening-up with a small amount of butter, then after a few hours remove as described.

Blood

Bloodstains should be treated immediately with cold water. Dried-in stains may need to be soaked for a period, then gently wiped off.

Ballpen ink

Remove with pure alcohol.

Beer

Gently wash with a little mild detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.

Chewing gum

Freeze, knock off the gum and treat with a dry cleaning agent if necessary. (Freezing solutions are available from carpet cleaning companies and good quality hardware stores for this purpose).

Cellulose glue

Remove with acetone.

Chocolate

Remove with chloroethane or benzine.

Coffee and tea

Soak-up as much spillage as possible with a clean white paper towel. Dab with water and soak. Then clean with a carpet stain remover and leave to dry. Dried-in stains may be softened with glycerine and left overnight before cleaning.

Cooking oil

Wash with a little mild detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.

Egg

Remove traces of egg by scraping up, then wash with a little mild detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.

Floor polish

Polish must be removed immediately with white spirit.

Gravy

First use a great stain remover, e.g., cholothene or dry cleaning fluid. Then rinse with lukewarm water.

Grease, oil, cream, butter and margarine

Remove with chloroethane or benzine.

Ink

Gently dab the stain with undiluted ammonia water. The stain will bleach immediately and should then be thoroughly washed with cold water.

Jam

Remove with lukewarm water. A sodium dithionite solution may be used to remove any red colouring.

Ketchup

Wash with a little mild detergent and treat with lemon juice, then rinse with lukewarm water.

Liqueur

Remove with lukewarm water.

Mayonnaise

First remove like a grease stain. When the stain is dry, further removal may be accomplished with cold water.

Milk

Wipe off immediately. If visible when dry, moisten with lukewarm water, gently dab with borax and rinse with cold water.

Nail varnish

Dribble acetone or nail polish remover on to the stain and wipe clean with a cloth.

Oil paint

Use a damp cloth with a dry cleaning agent. Remove residue with thinner.

Paint

Paint must be removed immediately with white spirit. Then wash with a little mild detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.

Red wine

Moist stains should be washed with cold soda water using a sponge. Wipe off surplus moisture with a dry cloth. Dried-in stains may be softened with glycerine and left for a few hours. Then clean with a stain remover.

Rust

Buy a rust remover from the chemist and follow instructions carefully. After use, rinse with water and soak.

Sauce

Gently dab with spirit, then if necessary, treat with a little mild detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.

Urine

Soak up with a clean absorbent cloth, then treat with a little mild detergent and rinse with lukewarm water.

Vomit

Remove with ammonia water in a proportion of 1:6 parts of water. A branded household deodorizer may be used to remove any odour.

Wines
(sherry, port, etc.)

Wash off using lukewarm water and soak, then clean with a stain remover.

White wine

Wash off the stain with lukewarm water, then dab with ammonia.

SOME USEFUL NOTES ON OUR STAIN REMOVAL GUIDE

Be sure to use a clean absorbent cloth or sponge to apply the stain remover.
Allow sufficient drying time before the carpet is walked on.
Vacuum when dry.
It is important in all cases to first test the stain remover on a small area of carpet that is not normally seen in order to check for discolouration.
Always work from the edge of the affected area inwards to prevent spreading the stain.

Use a gentle dabbing or wiping action. Do not rub as this can damage the carpet pile.

TURN YOUR OFFCUTS INTO RUGS!

At Concept Carpets we offer a convenient carpet binding (or whipping) service to turn your carpet offcuts into handy rugs.

Colourful carpet swatch with a shallow depth of field and selective focus

NEED EXPERT FLOOR CARE ADVICE?

Call the Concept Carpets team in Aylsham today.