Carpet types
Twist
A tightly twisted yarn with a short dense cut pile and textured finish. Easy to maintain and very durable in high traffic areas such as living rooms, hallways and stairs.
Loop
A woven yarn left in loops (rather than cutting the loops as would happen for a twist). It has a rugged appearance and can look like natural flooring. Very durable in high traffic areas such as hallways and stairs. The lower the loop, the more hardwearing the carpet. Not suitable if you have pets, as their claws can pull the loops.
Saxony
A longer yarn, loosely twisted at the base, which is cut and slightly separated at the top. A straight saxony has fibres pointing in the same direction which gives an appearance of colour change from light to dark or dark to light when the pile moves for example with footprints and vacuum lines. A textured saxony has fibres twisted in different directions which reflects the light at different angles to give a two-tone look. Saxony is a durable carpet with a deep soft pile. The pile can flatten over time, especially in heavy use areas.
Velvet
A short, dense, uniform cut pile which gives a soft smooth appearance yet is still hard-wearing. Ideal for adding a luxurious touch especially for a bedroom.
Samples
Samples will never be from the same dye batch as current production. Samples should always be used as a guide, not as an exact colour match.
Suitability
Almost all carpet samples are now labelled as to their suitability for use in different areas of the home. Before deciding on which material is to be installed, do check carefully that it is suitable for the location for which it is intended. In general, long piled carpets are not suitable for use on stairs. Secondary backed carpets, fitted over a good underlay, will give a better performance in heavy wear areas such as living/dining rooms and hall/stairs/landings.
Colour matching
For technical production reasons it is not possible to obtain an exact colour match between different widths and/or batches. Carpets are produced in batches and usually each batch is produced in a single width. To ensure perfect colour matching, only one width from the same batch should be used in any installation which requires carpet pieces to match when laid side by side. Carpets that are laid with the pile travelling in different directions, even though they are from the same batch, will appear not to match.
Carpet care
Maintenance
The key to good maintenance is to avoid particles of loose dirt and dust working their way into the carpet pile where they can act abrasively on the fibres and discolour the carpet.
- Vacuum regularly.
- A large doormat will help reduce dirt from outside being spread around the house.
- Removing shoes at the front door will lessen the impact of everyday wear and tear.
- Avoid, where possible, laying light coloured carpets next to external entrances.
Vacuum cleaning
Man-made fibre and wool carpets should be vacuumed regularly as soon as they are laid.
Loop Pile Carpet
Loop Pile carpets should be vacuumed with a cylinder cleaner using the suction head only. Avoid using beater heads and brushes - they will catch and lift the fibres and eventually this will give your carpet a bobbled appearance.
Cut Pile Carpet
Cut pile carpets should ideally be vacuumed with an upright vacuum cleaner with a beater bar and brush. You can also opt to use a cylinder vacuum cleaner with a similar attachment.
Stain removal
Carpets can be cleaned easily and simply by following the recommended guidance below:
- Tackle spillages and stains immediately. Don't leave them until later or allow them to dry.
- Blot away all the liquid with kitchen towel or a clean white dry cloth.
- Semi-solid substances should be removed with a plastic spatula.
- Try not to rub vigorously or over-soak.
- Always work from the outside of the stain inwards to minimise spreading.
- To clean off any remaining stains blot with a clean, damp cloth soaked in warm water.
- Repeat if required.
For easy-clean, polypropylene carpets, a solution of bleach and warm water can be used. Simply dilute one part bleach to ten parts water.
Note: Do not use this on wool carpets and take care not to over-soak the carpet.
If your stain is still visible you could try an appropriate carpet stain removing product carefully following the instructions or
contact a professional cleaner.
Carpet help and advice
Pilling
Pilling can sometimes occur on loop pile carpets. The expression is used to describe little balls of fibres/fuzz which collect on the pile surface - it's similar to the ‘bobbling' effect which can occur on clothing. To avoid pilling, vacuum with a cylinder cleaner using the suction head only. Also try and restrict the use of rubber soled shoes and pets' claws, as they can both act abrasively on the pile surface. Pilling can easily be removed by cutting away offending ‘fuzz’ with a pair of scissors or fabric shaver. Pilling is not a manufacturing fault.
Flattening/Shading/Pile Reversal
All cut pile carpets of any fibre type will flatten over time, especially in high traffic areas of the home. This can give the appearance of a different shade but is in fact caused by the pile reflecting light differently. It's a normal occurrence and not related or detrimental to the performance of the carpet.
As with flattening, pile reversal can occur when the pile of the carpet changes direction and reflects light at different angles, creating an effect which can become permanent. Sometimes this is referred to as water-marking. There has been a lot of research conducted in this area, without conclusive proof of the causes. For this reason it is not considered to be a manufacturing fault.
Shedding
All carpets using a spun yarn will shed excess fibre when first installed. The duration of the shedding varies depending on how often you vacuum your carpet and the type of machine used. Shedding is a natural, common occurrence and is not considered to be a manufacturing defect. The short fibres lost over time represent a very small fraction of the overall pile.
Fading
Carpets, particularly those with a high wool content, can fade over time. Fading is caused by continuous exposure to strong ultra violet (UV) light, which lightens, or bleaches them. The speed and extent of fading can vary depending on the colour and exposure to sunlight. You should always try to reduce the exposure of carpets to sunlight by using curtains and blinds.
