Top 3 Signs That Your Carpet Needs To Be Replaced
In this article, we will share with you five ways you can tell if your carpet or rug needs to be replaced.
20/01/2021
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Most carpet experts agree you will need a carpet replacement every 10-years. If you have a good grade carpet and you take very good care of it, you may get a few extra years from it. But, many of us go “carpet-blind”. We get so used to seeing our carpet on our flooring every day that we do not see the faded colors, stains, or other problems with the carpet. If we were to move the furniture, and open the windows, we would probably be shocked at the condition of the carpet. We would see what our visitors see when they visit and that would probably prompt us to take action.
In this article, we will share with you five ways you can tell if your carpet or rug needs to be replaced. These expert tips will allow you to make your decision and begin looking into your replacement choices now without the shock factor of discovering by accident that your home has a problem.
Tip # 1 - Stains No Longer Come Out
It does not matter if the stains are from your new puppy or spilled wine, or the type of carpet that you have in your home, even a professional cannot rid your carpet of stains. Your carpet is worn out. The integrity of the carpet is gone. It no longer has the stain-blocking features it may have had when it was a new carpet. The fibers have probably been crushed over the years by cleaning spots and various carpet care, which now makes things difficult.
While trying to clean spots on your carpet you may experience wicking. This is how it works. Maybe you have tried to remove the stain of spilled juice or wine. You use your best cleaner and blot it and it seems to remove the spot. But, in a few days, you see the exact same spot in the exact same place. You are not imagining things. You cleaned the top of the carpet and dried it as best you could. The remainder of the stain sank deep into the fibers and maybe even into the padding. As the top of the carpet dried it pulled the stain back to the top of the carpet in a wicking effect. You can continue the process, but it will take a lot of manual labor to get the spot out because of the condition of the carpet. If the stain happens to be something like ink, it will get bigger and bigger with every attempt to clean it.
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Tip # 2 - Even When The Floor Is Clean, There is an odor!
This is a wake-up call that cannot be ignored. If you have cleaned the carpet and there is a foul odor there is something under the carpet that is wrong. How you handle the smell depends on how offensive it is to you, but it is rarely something to ignore especially if a wall-to-wall carpet is installed in your home. If left unchecked, the odor will only worsen.
If you smell pet odors, they have probably leaked through to the padding. If you have only had a pet for a little while, a professional carpet cleaner may recommend a product that can neutralize the odor to a degree. However, if you have had your pet a good while, or if there are several pets competing for the same spot, the chances of saving the carpet are less likely. The carpet and padding will probably need replacement and the subfloor will need to be cleaned and dried very well. Be ready to properly train your pet to keep this from happening again. They will be confused when they no longer sense their scent. This is when you teach your pet where it is okay to go potty.
Do you smell a musky smell? It could be that the padding is moldy. If moisture has been trapped between the carpet and the padding there is a good possibility that mold has started to grow. This is especially true in areas or rooms with high foot traffic in your home as they are more prone to moisture (spilled drinks, wet shoes/feet, etc.). You may think changing the pad is enough, but think again. The materials on the backside of the carpet has been exposed to the growing mold and it has grown enough that it has reached your nose. That means you are breathing it. This is not good for anyone, but it is especially harmful to children and elderly people. This will definitely cost more than replacing a carpet. If you have mold, you need to remove the source of the mold and that is the carpet and pad.
Tip # 3 - Is It Allergy Season Again?
Do you seem to feel an allergy season all year long? When your family or visitors are in your home do you notice sneezing, itching, watering eyes, or rashes? Do you notice coughing, runny nose, or headaches? It could be that your carpet is holding on to allergens that can be released into the indoor air that your family breathes. This could include:
- ● Pet dander
- ● Dust (and dust mites)
- ● Pollen
- ● Chemicals
- ● Mold or mildew
Remember, the 5-second rule does not apply to the carpet. All carpet types hold on to what hits it. Anything that is swept, wiped, dropped, sneezed, or coughed into the air remains on the carpet if only for seconds. To be free from these allergens you need to change all carpets and rugs.
Of course, the final tip is your eyes. How does the carpet look to you? Your eyes are more forgiving than those of a visitor. It is up to you how you maintain your home. You work hard to have a nice home, investing in a nice carpet allows you to enjoy it all the more.