Carpet and Premature Wear

Vacuuming is always very important in prolonging the life and appearance of carpet. However, in every home there are areas of high use that will show wear faster than other carpeted areas. Examples are transitions from hard surfaces to a carpeted area and traffic paths going through a room.

People tend to drag their feet when they walk. This creates wear when going from a hard surface to a carpet because the carpet is typically higher than the hard surface. Also, we tend to go the same way through a room. The walking and the dragging of our feet create wear. This becomes very apparent in rooms with lots of activities such as dens. Another factor

that contributes to premature wear is dirt in your carpet. When we walk, the dirt grinds against the sides of the carpet fibers like sand paper and weakens the fibers. The result, at these high use areas, is that the carpet fibers get physically worn away and create a dull appearance. Also, because the fibers are frayed, they will absorb dirt, spills and such easier than the non-worn fibers.

We live in our homes and carpet wear is natural. However, there are things that can be done to help reduce the affect. You can look at buying higher grades of carpet which have a higher fiber count (more material per square inch just like “thread count” in linen). This can actually be a cost savings in the long run if you properly maintain the carpets. They will maintain their appearance and last longer than a lesser grade carpet. Also, avoid textured carpets in high use areas. While they look beautiful

new, the textured carpets have high and low spots. The high spots will wear away quicker because there is less material to support them. The result is that traffic patterns stand out sooner. Finally, non slip walk off mats at entrances to carpets help by capturing dirt before it hits the carpet. Also, remember to vacuum because more than 70% of dirt in a residential setting is dry particle dirt.

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