4 Common Carpet Conditions (and How to Correct Them)
Originally written by Larry Blodgett of Blodgett’s Abbey Carpet & Flooring
Sprouting
Sharp vacuum cleaner edges, children’s toys, high heels and animal claws can cause loose ends or “sprouts” to extend above the rest of the pile. Never try to pull sprouts out by hand; instead, use scissors to trim them evenly with the pile surface and smooth the area with your fingers.
Pile crushing
All carpet fibers will crush under heavy, stationary loads, but this condition can be alleviated by regularly shifting furniture. To restore crushed areas, cover the carpet with a damp, clean cloth and carefully apply heat to the cloth with an electric iron on a low setting. Remove the cloth and restore the pile while it’s still hot by brushing it lightly. Keep traffic off the carpet until it’s dry.
Shading
After certain carpet styles have been subjected to traffic, you may notice areas that appear lighter or darker than others. This is called shading, and it’s the result of the change in direction of the pile caused by pressure from footsteps and vacuuming. Brushing the pile in one direction may temporarily correct shading, but shading is actually part of the carpet styling and should be expected to varying degrees. Don’t mistake shading for color fading.
Pile distortion/roll crush
When carpet is manufactured, inspected, handled and shipped, it’s rolled and unrolled many times, which causes a common problem called pile distortion. To correct it, vacuum the carpet, increase the room’s relative humidity to 50 percent or more, and allow the carpet to sit for several weeks in humid conditions and slightly longer in low humidity conditions.
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