Central Vacuum Systems

CLEANER CARPETS YEAR ROUND

Like anything of value, carpeting is an investment that benefits from good maintenance. Help your carpets last longer and stay beautiful with these tips:

Take your shoes off when you enter the house. Not only does this prevent lots and lots of dirt from entering your home and ending up on your carpet, you'll drag in fewer chemicals, pesticides, allergens and germs that cling to footwear even when you take the time to wipe shoes carefully on a mat.

Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Even when your carpets don't look particularly dirty, they are absorbing significant particulate matter that is tiny enough to make its way down into the fibers of the carpet, grinding them down and eroding its base. Regular vacuuming prevents this wear and tear, especially if you are using a central vacuum system. Central vacuums systems suck up and remove virtually all particulate matter and carry it through a series of behind-the-wall tubes to a sealed receptacle in another part of the home, such as a basement, garage or utility room. Many traditional vacuums re-deposit some dirt and airborne debris back into the carpet.

Maintain your vacuum system. Simple routine maintenance of your vacuum is important. Don't forget to replace the bags in your traditional upright vacuums. Check for leaks in seals and hoses to ensure their efficiency. With a central vacuum, check the container that holds all the vacuumed debris and make sure you empty it before it is full, which maintains peak operation and suction. Periodically inspect the brushes on attachments and clean them of any tangled hair, threads or other debris that might affect their effectiveness.

Buy a recommended stain and spot remover before you need it. Catching spills right after they happen offers the best chance of removing a stain before it sets and begins to attract more dirt that will darken it further. Having a spot remover on hand increases those odds in your favor. Blot as much of the spill with a clean dry cloth first (cloth diapers are excellent for this purpose). Then apply spot remover as directed.

Don't cover carpeting with a throw rug or runner. You may think using a runner or small throw rug in high traffic areas of your carpet will keep it cleaner and save on its wear and tear. Don't do it. The friction of that added layer of rug actually breaks down your carpet fibers and wears them down faster.