Below, you will find common carpet problems and tips on how to prevent and/or fix the issues:

Traffic Areas

We consider these to be the areas in which you travel most commonly, such as in hallways or entryways and in front of furniture. These areas get worn over time and once these areas start showing this wear, there isn’t much you can do about it. So, it’s imperative to try to reduce foot traffic on these areas by placing small rugs on the traffic area and in front of heavily used chairs or furniture. If cared for properly, your carpet should last up to 15 years or more and still look great. You can achieve this and save thousands of dollars in replacement costs by following these steps and having your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year.

Carpet Indentations

Heavy furniture can cause indentations or depressions in your carpet. Some depressions may be permanent, but to prevent indentions, it is a good idea to use furniture glides or cups under the legs of these pieces. Also, move your furniture around periodically so that the weight of your pieces of furniture is not concentrated on one area of your carpet.

Try this: work the carpet pile back into place with your fingertips or the edge of a spoon. Then dampen the area and afterwards use a hair dryer to heat the area. While drying, continue working the carpet fibers with your fingers or spoon.

Filtration Soil

You may have seen those black strips on carpet against walls or under doors. Better known as “filtration soiling,” these lines occur when air passes through the carpet as it attempts to get through the crack between the carpet and the baseboard or under a door. As the air passes through the edge of the carpet fiber, the sediments are deposited there. This process is gradual and only noticeable over a significant period and well after the buildup has occurred. What can be done. Click here to find out more

Soiling

Your carpet may be looking dull or dingy. Perhaps you have a white carpet, but now it looks more grey than white. Or you may have a light blue carpet but are likewise seeing a grey-blue tint to it. If this is the case, your carpet is well overdue for a professional deep cleaning. Main contributors to soiling are airborne debris and dust particles deposited and lodged into your carpet fibers.

How To Avoid It

Frequent cleaning of your carpet along with vacuuming regularly will guard against and can correct this problem. Try using entry mats at doorways to trap soil rubbed off from your feet.

Odor

If you had new carpet recently installed, you may smell a strong odor. It will subside, but to help it process faster, open up the windows and door in your home. If your carpet is no longer new and you smell an odd, musty, or bad odor see our guide on resolving carpet odors.

Loose Fibers

Occasionally, a thread will poke above the surface of a carpet. DO NOT PULL THESE OUT. Simply use a pair of sharp scissors and cut off these tufts to the proper level. If this problem persists in a concentrated area, contact your carpet manufacturer.

Ripples, Waves and Buckles

Waves, ripples, and buckles in carpet are caused by poor installation or excessive change in temperature and/or humidity. It’s usually an easy fix to stretch your carpeting to the way it should be.

Note: Properly installed carpet cannot be pulled up by carpet cleaners with their machines. If you see or have seen this happen after a carpet cleaner has left, it was due to lack of proper installation. Consult with your carpet installer or Service First Carpet Cleaning and Restoration to fix the unwanted problem.

Fading or Color Loss

Unfortunately, the only cure for bleached out spots or color loss in your carpet is re-dying or replacing the area. The biggest cause of color loss in carpets is store-bought stain remover. These products have been known to bleach out carpet pile, so use only Service First Carpet spotter on stains. As a side note, direct sunlight can lighten the carpet as well, so be sure to leave the blinds closed when possible.

Matting

Matting is defined as the loss of thickness in the carpet pile because of foot traffic. Vacuuming regularly can help reduce this reaction caused from traffic. Note: this is not to be confused with “traffic areas.” Both are preventable, whereas only matting is possibly reversible.

Most importantly, please contact Service First Carpet Cleaning and Restoration today with any questions you might have.