Once you've decided which carpet is best for your application, it's a good idea to keep a swatch of your carpet, the sales receipt, warranty and installation information in case you need to refer to it later. Then, to keep it in the best shape possible, you'll need to follow this simple maintenance routine to protect your investment.

1. Vacuum your carpet regularly, especially in high traffic areas. 80% of soil in carpet is dry and can be removed with the vacuum cleaner.
   
   
2. Use a vacuum with a beater bar and brush, and be sure it's set to the correct height for your carpet pile. If the setting is too high for your carpet you may not be cleaning it effectively. If it's too low, your carpet will get unnecessary wear and tear from the vacuum cleaner. Changing the direction of the cleaner frequently will make vacuuming more effective. This regular maintenance will improve the overall appearance of the carpet.
   
   
3. Change the bag often to maximize the effectiveness of your vacuum cleaner.
   
   
4. You'll need to deep clean your carpet about every two years. With today's advanced fibers, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning. You can choose professional or do-it-yourself steam or dry cleaning. If you choose professional cleaning, be sure to use a reputable service and get them to perform a visual inspection of the carpet before giving you a quote.
   
   
5. High traffic areas will need to be cleaned more frequently by spot cleaning or with a steam cleaner. (There are excellent household steam cleaners on the market that are the size of vacuum cleaner and are ideal for frequent cleaning).
   
   
6. If you choose a self-cleaning method, be sure follow the instructions provided with the steamer or self-cleaning product.

Mishaps and stains are inevitable. Your best bet may be to choose a stain-resistant carpet that resists soil and cleans easily. If your carpet is stain treated with a product like Scotchgard, you'll need to follow that manufacturer's instructions for cleaning to avoid voiding the stain warranty.

• Carpets
  
  • AVOID OVERWETTING OR VIGOROUSLY RUBBING CARPETS. MANY PROPRIETARY SPOT CLEANERS CAN BLEACH THE CARPET. IF YOU FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT ANY REMAINING STAIN!. WE GET CAN MOST STAINS OUT IF THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SPOT CLEANED WITH DETERGENTS
    
    
  • BLOOD…blood is fairly easy to get out of a carpet(in small amounts! ). Soak up with paper towels, put some cold water on the stain and work in with something blunt like the end of a wooden spoon, soak up again with paper towels. Repeat if necesary.
    
    
  • DUST MARKS…these are the black marks that come up round the edge of carpets. They are caused by currents of air bringing dust up from underneath the floorboards. Cleaning will usually only partially remove them and they may reappear. Putting down paper and sealing the edges of the floor before a carpet is laid may stop them coming up.
    
    
  • FLOOD DAMAGE…Water stains, ie. from burst pipes, should be treated professionally and quickly if a lot of water has gone on the carpet. After the cause of the leak is fixed mop up water with towels. NB. Many terracotta plant pots are porous and will slowly leak water.
    
    Floods from flood water or backed up drains need speedy and professional attention. Quite apart from damage to your house and it's contents there is usually a risk that bacteria from the dirty water will cause illness. We suggest you contact your insurers.
    
    
  • FOOD…Remove any excess then wipe with a cloth wrung out with a mild detergent.
    
    
  • GLUE…It needs to be cleaned professionally, try and wipe up any residue.
    
    
  • INK…Blot up any excess. Indian and other natural inks are very difficult to get out of a carpet completely but synthetic inks i.e. as used in shoe polish, can often be removed by a solvent such as surgical spirit. Put some on a clean white cotton cloth and gently dab at stain. For large stains get professional advice. For ball point pen marks use a dry cloth and methylated spirits.
    
    
  • LILY POLLEN…If dry try and vacuum clean off excess, if wet soak up with dry cloths. Professional cleaning can often remove any residue but don't attempt cleaning the stain yourself with detergents.
    
    
  • MILK…Though it will not permanently stain a carpet milk will give a horrible smell if not completely cleaned out, may need professional cleaning.
    
    
  • MUD…Let mud dry completely, brush with a stiff brush to brake up mud then vacuum clean off.
    
    
  • NAIL VARNISH… Use a non-oily nail varnish remover or cellulose thinners and a dry cloth on superficial stains. Get professional advice for larger marks.
    
    
  • PET STAINS… Animal urine is often caustic and will permanently stain a carpet. As with drink stains soak up as much as possible. There are proprietary odour removers but professional cleaning may be needed. For upholstery and curtains dry cleaning is effective for removing smells.
    
    
  • PAINT…Do not get it on the carpet in the first place is the best advice. Emulsion when wet should be rinsed off with water, when dry it can be broken down (if superficial stain) by rubbing with the blunt edge of a knife and then vacuumed cleaned off. You can use small amounts of white spirit to remove gloss paint but it can take the colour out of the carpet. If the paint is dry and superficial it can be shaved off with a sharp knife though be careful not to make holes in the carpet.
    
    
  • RED WINE…As with other drinks blot up as much as possible with paper towel or a dry cloth. Sprinkle white wine (its acidity helps neutralize the stain) or water onto the stain and blot up again. Leave more dry clean towels over the stain with a dinner plate over them and leave while the stain dries, this will catch any more staining as it rises to the surface. Remove remaining stain with methylated spirits and a dry cloth. We do not advise putting salt on the stain.
    
    
  • RUST…Put lemon juice on the mark, leave for a minute then rinse off with water, repeat if necessary. If this is unsuccessful professional cleaning will normally remove the rust.
    
    
  • TAR/OIL…Remove stain with a spirit based cleaner, water will not disolve oil based stains.
    
    
  • TEA/COFFEE/DRINKS…Mop up as much as possible using paper towel or an absorbent cloth. Put a dry white towel or kitchen towel on the stain and stand on it. You can add more water and soak up again with cloths until the colour is gone. Leave more dry clean towels over the stain with a dinner plate over them and leave while the stain dries, this will catch any more staining as it rises to the surface. A cloth wrung out in a mild detergent or methylated spirits dabbed with a dry cloth may loosen up any residue left.
    
    
  • SOOT…Soot is oily and cleaning with water and detergents is usually unsuccessful. Vacuum clean up as much as possible. small stains can be cleaned with a solvent based cleaner but large stains should be cleaned by a professional.
  
  
  
• UPHOLSTERY
  Spot clean upholstery very cautiously as it is easy to make watermarks, particularly on cotton and linen fabrics. As with carpets, try to blot up any excess with kitchen towel or a cloth. A cloth well wrung out in a mild detergent can be used to wipe up sticky stains but be careful not to get the fabric damp. Do not use water on silk or cotton velvet. Only wash loose covers if the manufacturers instructions recommend it.
  
  
• FLOOD DAMAGE
  Most upholstery will be damaged permanently if it gets wet. Try and get it professionally cleaned BEFORE it dries.
  
  
• CURTAINS
  We recommend vacuum cleaning curtains every 6 months, particularly the headings and any pelmets and swags to stop dust building up