Carpets have many benefits as a flooring option – they’re soft underfoot, help to keep rooms insulated and are also less noisy than hard floors. Unfortunately, carpets are not the easiest type of flooring to keep clean. Spillages can quickly turn into permanent stains if you don’t clean them up straight away, while dirt and crumbs can get trod into them and become difficult to vacuum out. Many carpets need to be occasionally deep-cleaned using a carpet cleaning machine. These machines can help lift stains and remove dirt that’s become deeply ingrained in the carpet pile. However, some carpets are so dirty that they are beyond cleaning. At this point, replacing your flooring is the most sensible option. This post explains more as to when you should clean or replace dirty carpets.
How old is your carpet?
The average life of a carpet is 5 to 15 years. Polyester carpets in places with high foot traffic tend to have the shortest lifespan. Nylon carpets in less busy areas of the home can last the longest.
Generally speaking, if your carpets are over 15 years old, it’s time to replace them and you shouldn’t bother deep cleaning them. Your carpets are likely to be worn and faded by this point, so even if you do manage to get them looking clean, they still won’t be great. Nylon carpets under 5 years on the other hand can usually be returned to brand new condition through cleaning.
Are stains quite fresh?
When it comes to getting stains out of carpets, newer stains will usually be easier to remove with a carpet cleaning machine. Stains that are months or years old may be impossible to get out, because they will have likely caused permanent damage to the fibres of the carpet. It depends a lot on what has caused the stain.
Is it discoloured – and why?
Carpets can discolour over time due to constant exposure to dirt and dust. It is often possible to remove this discoloration by cleaning them.
However, carpets can also get discoloured as a result of exposure to sunlight. Cleaning your carpets is not going to fix UV damage and you’re likely better off replacing your flooring in this situation.
Is there visible fraying or damage?
Once carpets start to fray, it’s usually a sign that you need to replace them. Cleaning your carpets may end up only causing further damage to the fibres.
A flooring company will be able to help you find the best suited flooring to replace your carpets with. There are long-lasting carpets that are easier to clean that may be better for high-traffic areas. Alternatively, you may decide to switch to laminate flooring, which typically lasts much longer and is much easier to clean.
Conclusion
Cleaning carpets is worthwhile if they’re still relatively new, have only recently developed stains and are not damaged.
Replacing your carpets may be a better option if they are 15 years old, have been stained for several years or are showing signs of fraying/UV damage.