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Tips for Keeping Your Light-Colored Carpet Lighter

By Joe Cooper

Many homeowners choose light colored carpets for their price, their clean look, and their versatility with furniture and décor styles. But a light colored carpet traditionally takes more maintenance and diligent cleaning than other surfaces. Here are a few things to keep in mind

Wool Can Make Your Carpets Lighter

If you are installing new carpet in your home, wool can be a great choice. It can make carpet care easier and more efficient for the life of the rug, and can keep fibers and color better than other materials. Regular vacuuming and periodic deep cleaning (shampooing or steaming) is recommended.

Carpet Cleaning: Fight Stains Daily!

All stains should be battled as soon as they start developing. But with medium to dark carpets, stains can often be removed later. With light carpets, the "now or never" philosophy is typically the best one. If you're out of stain remover, simply mix ¼ cup vinegar with 1 cup water and let the solution sit on the stain for a little while before blotting dry.

Beware Carpet "Ghosts"

Keeping your carpet clean, fresh, and true to its original color usually takes work. With light carpets, homeowners often need to go the extra mile. Lighter colored carpets can experience what is called "ghosting," a form of discoloration that occurs around the perimeters of carpets, and can make them look older and worn.

Ghosting can happen from a variety of sources:

Smoke (tobacco, candles, fireplaces)
Interior dust (from household or construction projects)
Exterior dust (from roads, automotive exhaust, etc.)
Pollution

Unlike other carpet stains, this kind of discoloration cannot be cleaned by carpet cleaners and elbow grease. If you experience ghosting in your home, it's time to call the pros. Professional carpet cleaning services with enzyme-based cleaners can get the job done right.

You can decrease discoloration in your home by making sure your HVAC system is well maintained, by not running any vehicles in enclosed garages, and by keeping windows closed as often as possible to reduce the presence of airborne debris.

With some work and know-how, you may not have to turn to a professional carpet cleaning service to keep your light colored carpets looking great.

Sources

The Carpet Information Centre, Caring for Your Carpets and Rugs

National Association of Home Builders, Caring for Your Carpet

Wool Safe, Commercial Operating Instructions

About the Author
Joe Cooper writes home services and design articles and manages corporate communications. He holds a bachelor's in American literature from UCLA.