Burns: Any burn should be taken care of immediately.
First, snip off the damaged fibers. Then use a soap less
cleaner and sponge with water. If the damage is extensive, see
a professional about repairs.
Carpet Odor: Some new carpets and padding may have a
noticeable odor. Such odors usually disappear within a few
days with ventilating and frequent vacuuming.
Crushing: Furniture and traffic may crush a carpet’s
pile. Frequent vacuuming in high traffic areas and glides
under heavy furniture can help the problem. Rotating the
furniture tot change traffic patterns can also help minimize
changes in appearance.
Fuzzing: Hairy effect on fabric surface caused by wild
fibers or slack yarn twist, by fibers slipping out of yarn in
either service or wet cleaning. It is corrected by shearing in
manufacturing and by the professional cleaner. Carpet of
continuous filament yarn is fuzzed by filament snagging an
breaking.
Pilling: Pilling or small balls of fiber can appear,
depending on the type of carpet fiber and traffic. Clip off
the pills; but if it covers a large area, call a professional.
Rippling: In wall-to-wall carpeting, high heat and
humidity may cause rippling. If the carpet remains rippled
during normal humidity, have a professional re-stretch the
carpet with a power stretcher, not with a knee-kicker.
Shading: Shading (also know as pile reversal) is a
common characteristic of fine, cut pile carpets. Household
traffic causes the pile to assume different angles. As a
result, the carpet appears darker or lighter in such areas.
Frequent and thorough vacuuming will help this condition.
Shedding: New carpeting, especially cut pile, will shed
little bits of fiber for a period of time. Eventually, these
loose fibers will be taken up in the vacuum cleaner. Shedding
is more common with wool than with nylon and other synthetics.
Snags: Sharp edged objects can grab or snag a carpet
fiber. When this happens, clip the snag off. If the snag is
especially large, call in a professional.
Soiling: A build up of soil particles and similar
materials that cling to carpet fibers. Thorough and frequent
vacuuming is key. If vacuuming is not enough, it’s time for a
professional cleaning.
Sprouting: Occasionally, you may find small tufts of
fiber sprouting above the carpet surface. Simply clip with
sharp scissors. Don’t try to pull them out since you may also
pull other fibers out in the process.
Stains: In most cases, spills and stains must be tended
to immediately. Their severity is affected by the type of
carpet fiber, color carpet, how long stain has set, and cause
of the stain.
Static: Cooler outside temperatures with the
accompanying low humidity often create static electricity. To
avoid the problem altogether, look for carpets with built-in
antistatic protection. Meantime, a humidifier will help
control static build up.
Texture Retention: The ability of carpet tufts to
retain their visible shape under foot traffic. Following
appropriate guidelines for carpet care will minimize texture
loss.
