When Is It Time to Replace the Carpet?
Carpet cleaning professionals not only should help customers get as much life from their carpets as possible, but also be able to tell them when carpets should be replaced. Synthetic carpets, for example, start to permanently appear soiled as the fibers experience wear, also known as being "uglied-out." In addition to fiber wear, factors like color loss and delamination are other signs that it's time to replace the carpet. Another sign a carpet should be replaced is delamination. On tufted carpets, delamination occurs when the secondary backing separates from the rest of the carpet. This causes ripples or ridges in the surface of the carpet, which could result in trip-and-fall accidents. To prolong the life of a carpet, end-users should evaluate their maintenance programs in terms of both frequency and type of equipment. Properly applied protectors that help carpets resist soil and staining are well worth their cost. It is time to replace a carpet when it has lost its face yarn, when its aesthetics are not restorable, or when it has delaminated. It is more cost-effective and environmentally responsible to properly maintain a carpet than to prematurely replace it.