Is it time to replace your carpet?

How do you decide when it is time to replace your carpet? While you should expect to get several years’ wear out of any quality carpet, some rooms are subjected to more wear and tear than others and might need replacing sooner. Here are a few things to look for when deciding whether your carpet needs replacing.

Stubborn stains

While many stains can be successfully removed if treated correctly and immediately after they occur, others are more stubborn and even professional cleaning might not be able to help. If your carpet has unsightly stains that you simply can’t shift and they are not in locations where they can be hidden with furniture – we have all tried this! – the only thing left to do is replace your carpet. In rooms that tend to suffer a lot of splashes and spills, such as dining rooms, you might consider choosing a carpet with stain protection next time to minimise stains in the future.

Wear and tear

If your carpet is starting to look a little threadbare in places, it is time to replace it. Stair carpets tend to experience the most foot traffic in the home, and most of us tend to step in the same spot each time we go up or down the stairs. This often leads to a visible difference between the carpet in the middle of the stairs and that at the edge of the stairs where no one ever steps. When choosing a new carpet for your stairs, make sure it is labelled as suitable for this purpose and choose an extra hard-wearing one if your stairs are pretty busy!

Wear and tear can also result in frayed patches in places. If you have pets with sharp claws, such as cats and dogs, they can also cause fraying.

Fading and discolouration

Direct sunlight for several hours a day can dramatically fade your carpet after a few years. In some rooms, this might not be noticeable enough to bother you; however, if the discolouration is very obvious, the only remedy is to replace your carpet. If you have problems with fading in certain rooms due to large windows that get the sun for most of the day, try to factor this in when buying a new carpet. You might be better off choosing lighter colours so that the fading isn’t so obvious next time.