How to Protect Carpet in High Traffic Areas
Carpet is a great flooring option. It keeps feet much warmer in the cold months. It’s soft and comfortable. And it comes in so many designs, styles, and colors that you can customize your floors and space pretty much however you like with a good carpet.
On the other hand, carpet isn’t as tough as some of the hard flooring options out there. Plenty of different tiles are nearly impervious to foot traffic.
If you want the benefits of carpet but have to worry about wear and tear related to foot traffic, then you need a few tips on how you can protect that carpet and help it last longer. Fortunately, you’re in the right place. These 5 tips can help you protect a carpet that’s in a high-traffic area.
1. Keep It Clean
The biggest problem that foot traffic represents to a carpet is dirt. Dirt will ultimately be pressed deep into the carpet fibers and pad, and that dirt wears down the carpet. It can fray the threads, and at the very least, dirt will discolor the carpet. It can also fill the carpet with unpleasant odors and make it gross in general.
The easiest way to fight back against this process is with a vacuum. Vacuum the carpet regularly to manage dirt, and depending on traffic, shampoo it a few times a year (maybe even once a month for extremely high traffic).
When you mitigate dirt in the carpet, you mitigate problems with the carpet, so keep it clean.
2. Use Rugs
Specifically in high-traffic areas, you can lay rugs and runners over the carpet. It’s actually legal. The rugs will absorb a lot of the dirt and, as a result, extend the life of the carpet. You can also remove the rugs to clean them thoroughly and even rotate different rugs to make sure they last a long time too.
Other protective barriers are also viable. Mats can absorb a lot of wear for the carpets, and in certain circumstances, you can even use waterproof linings to minimize the impact of spills and other issues (carpet with a lot of pet traffic benefits here).
3. Rotate Heavy Objects
It’s normal to put furniture and other heavy objects (like desks) on carpet. It might seem that places with such heavy objects won’t have as much foot traffic, but that’s not actually true. In home settings, couches usually outline some of the heaviest traffic areas for a carpet. In business locations, front desks are often near the most foot traffic.
The point here is that the heavy objects are straining the carpet in one way, and the foot traffic is straining it in another. When you rotate the heavy objects, you rotate that strain, and you guide foot traffic to a different path, lowering the overall wear and tear on any specific part of the carpet.
4. Control Light
One problem that is easy to overlook is ultraviolet light. UV rays from the sun often filter in through windows, and that light can fade and damage any carpet. Controlling sunlight exposure is the key here.
It can be tough to strike a balance between utilizing natural light and avoiding UV damage. A few tricks go a long way.
First, avoid direct sunlight on the carpet. You can use blinds, drapes, or similar objects to stop any direct sunlight. Diffuse light that comes around blinds and such won’t damage the carpet.
When blinds or drapes aren’t a viable option, window tint can block a lot of UV light that passes through the window and mitigate sun damage.
The most important thing is to avoid direct light through an open space. The glass that makes up windows actually blocks a good chunk of UV light, so even direct light through a window is better than the direct light from an open window or door.
5. Use Doormats
Earlier, you read about using mats on top of the carpet. Another thing you can do to help your carpet is to place doormats at the entrance to the building. Doormats do a great job of collecting dirt from feet, and any dirt that stays outside isn’t harming your carpet.
It’s one of the simplest, lowest-cost, most efficient ways to protect your carpet, especially when you deal with a lot of foot traffic.
If cleaning your carpets can extend their lives (and that really is the case), then a professional cleaning can prove quite valuable. Zeppelin offers professional carpet cleaning services in Michigan. We also offer expert advice on carpet care and longevity. Contact us today. We’ll discuss options with you and help you plan for care that maximizes the life of your carpet.