The Eyes Don’t Have It

A new or well-maintained carpet is appealing to the eyes. The carpet pile stands tall, giving a fluffy appearance. You might even notice a pleasant shine as the sun crosses over your carpet. That’s to be expected – most manufacturers produce a smooth, polished finish to the yarn used in their carpets. Sometimes a carpet protector is added to the yarn, so it will hold up to everyday wear and tear. Those treatments reflect light back to you and produce a healthy, yet subtle, sheen.

Over time, however, that sheen dulls, and the fluffy aspect starts to look matted. You might even begin to see discolorations in certain areas, especially where there’s high foot traffic. If you make sure your shoes are clean, or even take them off in the house, and you haven’t spilled anything, what causes your carpet to become dull and pressed down?

True Grit

Whether you wear shoes in the house or not, particles and debris from outside inevitably make their way inside, and gravity places them on the carpet. Much of it is so small that you cannot see it with the naked eye. The most common component of this debris takes the form of grit. Basically, grit is microscopic rocks with jagged edges. Grit is so small that it gets in between the individual fibers of the yarn in your carpet pile.

As pressure from feet or other objects traverse the carpet, grit presses against the fibers and make tiny cuts. Those cuts impede the ability of the treated yarn fibers to reflect light. Not only that, but the reflected light that remains is absorbed into the dull surface of the soil and grit. Multiple cuts from grit also interfere with the structural integrity of the yarn fibers, so the pile does not stand as tall. If the cuts are deep enough, they create rough surfaces where more soil and grit get lodged, proving more difficult to remove with simple vacuuming.

Before You See It

Even if you had the patience to watch grass grow, you probably wouldn’t be able to see this sandpaper-like effect slowing aging your carpet. After all, it happens on a microscopic level. But eventually, you will notice the sheen of your carpet diminish. It’s not as soft or fluffy, and you might even notice darker tints in the color of your carpet. By that time, the damage is done, and no amount of carpet protector can repair cuts in the fibers. Also, carpet is designed to hide soil and debris, so you won’t even see the grit, although you might feel it on your hands or with bare feet.

You can certainly vacuum up as much dirt and grit as possible, and Preferred Carpet Care is more than happy to extensively remove any soil lodged deep within the fibers. The best action you can take, however, is preventative. Don’t wait until you notice a dull appearance to your carpet, or a matted-down look. Vacuum regularly and thoroughly, especially in high traffic areas. We have other articles here on our website dealing with how to vacuum and what vacuums might be best for your home.

It’s also important to get professional deep cleaning every six months to remove what your vacuum cannot. Just as a dentist removes tartar that your toothbrush can’t reach, professional carpet cleaners remove grit your vacuum cleaner can’t touch. Preferred Carpet Care has extensive training, skills, experience and equipment to do exactly that. The main goal is to keep as much grit out of your carpet as possible, and we help you reach that goal. Please give us a call or schedule an appointment online to remove the soil and debris that your eyes cannot see.