1. Eighty percent (80%) of all soil brought into a home is tracked in on the soles of shoes. Walk-off mats placed at all outside entrances will trap the soil before it can be tracked onto your new carpet. Clean or replace these mats often so they don’t become a source of soil.
2. Carpet in traffic lanes receives the most wear. Periodically you may want to alter heavy traffic patterns by relocating furniture. Some change will occur in the texture of your carpet after you start walking on it. This is to be expected.
3. Use a quality pad. This will absorb foot traffic energy providing greater resiliency. Our Texture Retention warranty requires a pad density of 6 pounds per cubic foot and a maximum 7/16 inch to validate the warranty protection.
4. Protect your carpet from pile crushing from heavy furniture by placing special cups or gliders under the legs of tables, chairs and other furniture. This will distribute the weight more evenly.
5. Direct sunlight can cause fading. Protect your carpets with the most appropriate window covering.

Removing loose soil while it is on the surface of the carpet is the MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO TO PROLONG THE LIFE AND BEAUTY OF YOUR CARPET. Footsteps will work the soil deep into the carpet and make the removal of loose soil very difficult. Loose soil particles can scratch the fibers causing premature wear. Regular and thorough vacuuming will remove dust and dirt. Medium to high-traffic areas should be vacuumed daily. Lighter traffic areas should be vacuumed at least once a week. Up to three passes of the vacuum is considered light cleaning. In heavy traffic areas, five to seven passes may be required.

We recommend a vacuum with a rotating brush or combination beater/brush bar which agitates the carpet pile and loosens the soil for removal by the vacuum (unless otherwise noted on carpet sample label). Be sure to adjust to the correct carpet pile height for your carpet. If in doubt, start with the brush at the highest position and lower it until it contacts the carpet enough to slightly vibrate the surface pile. Be sure the vacuum has no teeth, combs or rough edges that could damage your carpet.

A word of caution: Some thick loop pile carpets, commonly referred to as “Berbers,” may be sensitive to brushing or rubbing from a brush vacuum attachment. The pile surface may become fuzzy. For this type of carpet, we recommend a suction-only vacuum. Consult your retail sales consultant for additional information.

• Vacuum Care Instructions

For additional information visit the CRI website at www.carpet-rug.org.

Stain resistant carpets greatly improve your ability to remove most common household spills and stains. However, it is important to note that no carpet is completely stain proof. Stain-resistant finishes hold the spill on the fiber’s surface, providing more time to absorb the liquid and use spot removal techniques before the spill has a chance to penetrate the fiber. The longer the spill remains unattended, the more difficult it could be to remove.

SPOT REMOVAL PROCEDURES

1. Blot liquids with a dry, white, absorbent cloth or plain white (no printing) paper towels. DO NOT SCRUB THE AREA. Scrubbing can cause pile distortion in the affected area.
2. For food and other semi-solids, gently scrape up with a rounded spoon. Solids should be broken up and vacuumed until completely removed.
3. Refer to the spot removal guide and follow the directions carefully.
4. Pretest any spot removal agent in an inconspicuous area to make certain the solution will not damage the fiber or the dye. If a color change occurs, another cleaning solution should be selected.
5. Apply a small amount of the selected cleaning solution to a white cloth and work in gently. Work from the edges of the spill to the center to prevent the spill from spreading.
6. Continue using the first solution as long as there is a transfer of the spill to the cloth. It is not necessary to use all of the cleaning solutions suggested if the first solution removes the spill.
7. Rinse the affected area thoroughly with cold water and blot with a dry cloth until all of the solution has been removed.
8. Apply 1/2” layer of white paper towels to the affected area and weigh down with a flat, heavy object. Continue to change paper towels as needed.

RESIDUE PRECAUTIONS

Many spot removal solutions leave residues in the carpet that may attract soil. Thoroughly rinse the area several times with lukewarm tap water. Several rinses are often necessary to remove residues. Never use any of the solutions in concentrations stronger than those recommended.

To retain its luster and beauty, your carpet should be deep-cleaned every 12 to 18 months, depending upon 1) the life-style of the household, 2) frequency of vacuuming, and 3) whether the carpet is a light or dark color. You want to deep clean your carpet BEFORE it becomes excessively soiled.

Professional carpet cleaners can keep your carpet looking fresh and new longer. Many are trained and certified to care for carpets manufactured from today’s state-of-the-art fibers.

For deep-cleaning, we recommend hot water (also known as steam) extraction. With this method, a detergent solution is sprayed on the carpet and removed by extracting the dirt and solution with a powerful vacuum from either a truck-mounted or portable unit. We recommend a professional for this type of cleaning. A professional has been trained to use the equipment properly so that the carpet will not be damaged. Additionally, the equipment he uses is much more powerful than rental units available to you.

HOT WATER EXTRACTION REQUIRED

Hot water extraction, performed by a trained, qualified carpet care professional, is required every 12-18 months for coverage under these limited warranties.

You must provide your receipt for proof of service.

Do not get the carpet too wet. Wetting through to the backing may result in shrinkage, discoloration, odor and delaminating.

Before cleaning, it is advisable to remove furniture from the room. If this is impractical, place thick plastic film or aluminum foil under and around the legs of chairs and tables until the carpet is dry so that rust or furniture stains will be prevented.