Carpets are an essential addition to our living space. They enhance the look of our homes or office and also increase comfort. However, matted carpets can be an eyesore. A matted carpet can have the appearance that it needs replacement immediately.
That kind of look can be quite embarrassing when you invite guests over. But, with proper care and preventive measures, you can make your carpet look fresh and live longer. But, don’t worry if the carpet in your living room or office has been matted. It’s still possible to revive it and restore the glory it initially has when it was new.
In this article, we are going to tell you how you can simply fix the matted carpet. So, you don’t need to replace your carpet. All you need is to follow these simple methods:
One of the basic methods of fixing a matted carpet is by vacuuming. A vacuum cleaner will clean it and loosen matted ends. You can even increase efficiency by fixing a brush attachment to your machine.
Vacuuming your carpet is also an effective way of getting rid of pet hair and any loose dirt. Proper vacuuming also eliminates dust embedded in the carpet, which might have caused it to become matted. Enhance the results of your vacuuming by sprinkling baking soda over the carpet. Allow the substance to sit on your carpet for about 15 minutes and then vacuum.
When you sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, it will penetrate the fabrics and help lift deeply embedded dirt. This substance also neutralizes odors to provide your carpet with a deeper cleaning and fluff it up.
Method Two: Carpet Rake
Carpet Rake is another effective method of fixing matted carpet. It’s similar to vacuuming. The rake comes with comb-like stiff teeth. You can use this rake to restore glory on your matted and old carpet.
Carpet rakes are available in two versions. One version is suitable for high-pile carpets such as shag carpets. The other version is the carpet brush and is suited for low-pile carpets. So, choose the ideal variety for your carpet and run it through it.
You may also want to vacuum the carpet. In that case, utilize the rake first to loosen embedded dirt and loosen matted carpet fabrics. Rake on the entire carpet or matted areas only.
If your carpet fibers are matted severely, you’ll need to do much more than just carpet rake and vacuuming. There are effective ways of loosening matted carpet fibers. When they are combined with carpet rake or vacuuming, it can help fluff your carpet even more.
Method Three: Use Moisture
Moisture can also be effective at loosening matted carpet fibers. You can use moisture, particularly those small areas underneath furniture’s foot. Here’s what you should do:
Ice Cubes – Grab some ice cubes and place them on the matted areas and allow them time to melt. You can also enhance the melting process by using a hairdryer in a low or medium-heat setting. Once the ice cube melts, utilize a stiff nylon brush and run it over the area to straighten the fibers.
Lukewarm water – For a larger area, utilize lukewarm water instead. Sprinkle it all over the fibers of the carpet. Do it sparingly so that you don’t soak the carpet. Using your fingers or nylon brush, straighten the carpet’s fibers.
Vinegar and Baking Soda – This is another popular home remedy for fixing matted carpets. You can also use this solution to clean spots or stains on your carpet. The solution loosens the matted carpet and also cleans it. Sprinkle it over the affected area and utilize a stiff brush to spread the powder into the fibers of the carpet. Once the carpet is completely saturated, allow the substance to sit on the carpet for about 15 minutes and then vacuum it.
Water and Vinegar Mixture – Alternatively, you can also utilize vinegar and water mixture to help loosen the matted fibers. The mixture will revitalize your carpet’s fibers. It will also remove any odors and leave a fresh smell in your living space. Just spritz the solution sparingly over the matted areas. Utilize a nylon brush to restore the carpet’s fibers in shape.
Finishing up – Once you have done vacuuming, you should then spritz water and vinegar mixture onto the carpet. Ensure you utilize equal portions of water and vinegar. Use a stiff brush to raise the pile and let the carpet dry completely. Apply the vinegar and baking soda separate times. That should help prevent too much foam from forming and making it hard to clean.
If you do it well, Carpet steaming can revive your matted carpet quickly. You can utilize a cloth iron to steam the matted areas on the carpet, especially the high-traffic areas. Dampen a clean and lint-free cloth and then place it over the matted spot. Plugin your iron and set it to medium heat. Place it on the wet cloth for some seconds. That should help fluff up the matted fibers.
For large carpet areas, you should moisten the cloth you’re using several times depending on the size of the area. When you’re done, the carpet should be fluffy. If it’s not fluffy after that, you can run your fingers through the fibers. You can alternatively run a clean nylon-bristled brush to run through the fibers.
Practice Preventive Measures
I hope that one of the above methods has helped you fix the matted carpet. So, now that you successfully did so, you also need to practice preventive measures. That will ensure your carpet doesn’t get matted quickly, retain its shape for long and increase its lifespan. Here’s what you should start doing:
1. Rotate your Furniture
If you have a piece of furniture sitting on your carpet, you should start rotating it from time to time. Don’t allow it to sit on the same spot for too long as that will cause your carpet around that spot to become matted. Sometimes, the area can become deformed and irreparable. So, ensure you rotate or change the layout of the furniture on the carpet frequently.
2. Vacuum Regularly
Vacuum your carpet regularly to clean and fluff it up. Ensure you have a powerful vacuum cleaner that can produce enough suction. Such a machine will pull up fibers before they become flattened permanently.
By vacuuming the carpet regularly, you’ll also get rid of dust and dirt that can worsen matting. Although you may not need to vacuum the entire carpet always, you should at least vacuum those high-traffic areas every day.
3. Spread out the Weight
Ensure that you’ve not placed too much weight on only small sections of the carpet. If you do that, it can lead to flattening, which may be difficult to reverse. You can spread out the weight on your carpet in several ways.
First, try to arrange the furniture far from each other. Some homeowners place furniture coasters underneath the feet of the furniture. Spreading out the furniture weight will lessen the effect it has on the carpet.
As mentioned, steaming is an effective way of fixing matted carpets. You should also do it regularly. Steaming will clean and revitalize your carpet’s pile. Make sure that your steam cleaner has the necessary attachments. You should steam the areas you see becoming flat or just clean the entire carpet if you have time.
Once you have steamed the flattened areas, give your carpet time to dry. After that, use a fork to pull individual fibers gently. Although this might be too much work, the results are worth the effort and time.
5. Protective Barriers
Furniture causes flattening on your carpet. However, high traffic is the biggest cause of this problem. Thus, fix this by using mats, runners, and rugs in those areas.
You can also choose other flooring types in high-traffic areas. These include tiles and laminate. Also, remember that carpet maintenance should be a continuous process. You should do it daily to ensure the carpet remains in shape for a long time. In case your carpet gets a mess, clean it right away.
Vacuuming high-traffic areas every day can also enhance the appearance of your carpet and prevent flattening. If you have time, lift individual fibers manually with a fork. Doing all these can delay the process of becoming matted and the carpet will serve you for years.
Conclusion
Matted carpet can be very unattractive. If you love your house having an inviting look all the time, you need to fix this problem. There are many methods of doing so as we have described above. You should also practice the above protective measures to prolong the life of your carpet. Vacuum it regularly, steam it from time to time, rotate furniture, and arrange it well. That will ensure weight is distributed equally over the carpet. Proper carpet maintenance can help it live longer than you expect.
