FOCUS ON CARPETS, RUGS & ACCESSORIES Brush Up on Your Maintenance Knowledge


Barry Crackett, Product Designer at Brushtec, shares his expertise on how your customers can maintain their carpets to keep them looking their best.


As a carpet retailer, it is essential that you pass on proper care and maintenance information to your customers after a fitting. Providing some insight is a great opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and professionalism to a client, and it will show that you're completely committed to providing the best service before, during, and after the fitting.


This isn't just a matter of professional courtesy, however. If a client damages their carpets by using the wrong type of cleaning equipment, they may even hold you accountable for not providing them with the necessary information. It is therefore vital that you provide all clients with the appropriate aftercare advice, including tips on how to clean their new carpet, and the right equipment to use.


Why is carpet maintenance so essential?


In a nutshell, it’s important that clients are cleaning and maintaining their carpets on a regular basis to ensure the longevity of their flooring. Removing the build-up of dust, dirt, hair, and other detritus will help to keep the colours vibrant for longer and help counteract the effects of heavy foot traffic and daily use.


Proper maintenance will also help to fight the spread of potentially dangerous bacteria within the fibres, making the carpet more hygienic. It will also help to remove allergens like dust mites, and will get rid of potentially damaging moth and cockroach eggs.


Low-pile and Berber-style carpets


With their short, looped fibres, low-pile carpets are one of the easiest to maintain. Weekly vacuuming should be enough to maintain a good standard of cleanliness, and should also help the pile keep its shape. When vacuuming a low-pile or Berber carpet, your customer should use an upright vacuum with a beater bar and brush, as this will allow the vacuum to clean right down to the carpet backing.


Although these types of carpet tend to be fairly stain- resistant, they should still undergo a thorough steam clean or wet shampoo at least once every 18 months in order to refresh the colour and get rid of any lingering bacteria or pests. A cleaner with a soft, long-bristled brush will work well on most carpets of this type: polypropylene bristles are soft yet durable, and should provide a thorough clean.


Deep and cut pile carpets


Carpets with a deeper pile and cut fibres tend to need slightly more care than low-pile varieties. Their open fibres


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mean they tend to stain more easily and they can harbour a lot more dirt as they are denser. Bi-weekly cleaning with a good vacuum cleaner is a must, as this will remove dirt and help the thick pile keep its shape. For delicate carpets with long pile yarns, it’s recommended that your clients use a vacuum with an adjustable height setting and no rotating brush, as these can damage the fibres. It's recommended that high-pile carpets are deep-cleaned using a steam cleaner at least once a year, rising to every six months for carpets in high-traffic areas.


White or light-coloured carpets


White, cream, and other light-coloured carpets are especially susceptible to staining, so your clients will need to know how to tackle these effectively. It's important to treat these stains as soon as possible after they form as, once dried, a stain may be impossible to repair. Your clients will also need to make sure the cleaning products they use won't noticeably alter the colour of the pile. The National Carpet Cleaners' Association has a comprehensive guide to stain removal using basic household items, which shouldn't cause damage to the carpet.


http://www.ncca.co.uk/firstaidforyourcarpet.php


“Providing an aftercare package with helpful, relevant maintenance advice is sure to impress your clients.”


Light coloured carpets are also prone to a type of staining called "ghosting", which is a form of discolouration that makes the edges of carpets look dirty and worn. In cases of this, professional cleaners should be called in as they will be able to use gentle bristle brushes and powerful enzyme-based cleaning agents to remove the stains.


Providing an aftercare package with some helpful, relevant maintenance advice is sure to impress your clients. By passing these tips on to your customers after a fitting, you can help them to keep their new carpet in good condition and lessen the risk of a customer complaint due to misinformation.


www.brushtec.com www.tomorrowsretailfloors.com


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