How to choose a quality carpet

The first step in choosing a quality carpet is to choose a carpet with the most dense pile.The more dense the carpet pile the less chance dirt and soil travelling down into the carpet. The second step is to choose the best underlay that you can afford. The better the underlay the less chance of the carpet being compacted and over time this makes a huge difference to the life of the carpet. Lastly choose a carpet fibre that suits your needs. Here is a list of the most common carpet fibres, but there are also others including blended types of fibres.

Premium Carpet Types

Wool.

Pro-

Wool has excellent soil hiding capabilities.
Wool responds well to cleaning.
Wool is naturally flame retardant.
Excellent insulator.
Often very hard wearing
This type of fibre if looked after can last a long time.

Con-

Wool is expensive material.
Stains easily and is more prone to be attacked by carpet beetles.
Sensitive to chemicals
The carpet fibres can be distorted easily.

Solution dyed nylon.

Pro-

Can be crushed and regain its shape.
Very stain resistant.
Fade proof – Insect proof.
Most carpet retailers give 15 year warranty on solution dyed nylon.

Con-

Can be expensive
Limited amount of colours

Budget Carpet Types

Polypropylene/Olefin.

Pro-

Very difficult to stain
Resistant to fading
It has good cleanability and stain resistance
Normally used in rental homes

Con-

When crushed it does not regain its original shape
Traffic areas tend to lie down
Has low melting point. Even friction from moving furniture across carpet can leave permanent marks.
Furniture makes tend to be permanent.

Nylon.

Pro-

Soft feeling fibre
Comes in large range of colours
Can be crushed for long periods and regain its original shape.
Static resistant
Scotchgard can be applied to help prevent staining
Non absorbent – Dries quickly

Con-

It can have problems with fading, bleaching and urine reactions.
Absorbs stains easily.

For more information contact us at River city Carpet Cleaning