How to Care for your Carpet: Vacuuming: The most important step in caring for your carpet is vacuuming. Vacuum thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high-traffic areas. Bear in mind that walking on soiled carpet permits the soil particles to work their way below the surface of the pile where they are far more difficult to remove and can damage the fibers. Frequent vacuuming removes these particles from the surface before this happens. Overall Cleaning: Even though vacuuming can remove most of the dry soil, it is also necessary to clean your carpet on a regular basis to remove the oily, sticky soil that builds up in the pile as a result of cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked-in dirt from outside. If this type of soil is allowed to accumulate, it begins to attract and hold the dry soil. This is the reason cleaning is so important when dulling of the color is first noticed; if allowed to remain too long, it becomes gummy and difficult to remove. It is to your advantage to use professional cleaners because their experience enables them to do a better job than you can do yourself. True professionals have also made the investment in training to understand the equipment, to know the proper cleaning agents for the situation at hand, and to recognize the differences in fibers and carpet construction Preventative Maintenance : How to Protect your Investment: Walk-off mats should be used at all entrances to absorb soil and moisture, and mats should be cleaned on a regular basis so they don't become sources of soil themselves, especially during inclement weather. Occasionally move heavy furniture to avoid excessive pile crushing. Put coasters intended for use with carpet under the legs of tables, chairs, and other furniture to help distribute the weight and prevent crushing the pile. Use a quality pad under your carpet, particularly on stairs. Good pad not only gives better resilience underfoot, but it can also add to the life of your carpet. If you use area rugs over your carpet, be sure to remove and clean them regularly. Clean and restore the pile of the carpet underneath. Be certain to check area rugs for colorfastness before putting them back over carpet, as the dyes in some rugs may bleed through to the carpet. After cleaning your carpet, remember to allow complete drying before replacing rugs. Protect your carpet from prolonged periods of direct sunlight with blinds, shades, or awnings. Basic Cleaning Steps for all Food an Beverage Spills: Scoop up as much of the spill as possible, with a towel or a spoon. Blot the spot, don't rub or scrub. Gently press clean cloths into the stained area to remove moisture. Apply warm, not hot, water to the stained area and blot until the stain stops transferring to the cloth. If you can still see the stain, make a detergent solution by adding 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid to one cup warm water. Don't use too much soap, because it's difficult to rinse out of the carpet. Apply the detergent solution, let sit five minutes, then rinse with clear warm water. Repeat until all the detergent is removed. Place layers of white paper towels on the spill to absorb the liquid. Weight down the towels with a non-staining glass or ceramic object. You can let them sit overnight. When the carpet is dry, vacuum to restore the texture. If you have questions or concerns about Carpet Floor Care feel free to ask the team at Carpet Superstores who will be more than glad to help.