What Carpet is Best for High Traffic Areas?

Best Carpet for High Traffic Areas

Today’s carpeting products greatly overshadow the carpeting of the past! Because of its time on the market, there have been significant upgrades in capabilities and design that recent carpet owners have enjoyed.

Upgrades have become so significant that certain carpet products can now be depended on to hold up in high-traffic areas. This is great news for people who long for the warmth and underfoot feel of carpet but also need a durable flooring option for their project.

When searching for the right carpet to use in high-traffic areas, it’s wise to let the material composition of the various carpet varieties drive your choice. Once you’ve got that narrowed down, you can let the fun part begin by picking the perfect aesthetic to bring your space to life.

Keep reading to see how we explain the durability of different types of carpet fibers as well as how to make the most of your carpet in high-traffic areas.

Common High Traffic Carpet Fibers

You will encounter many different carpet varieties while you are on your hunt for the perfect fit. Each comes with its advantages and disadvantages – knowing this information will help you make the wisest carpeting choice for your unique space.

In thinking about what distinguishes one type of carpet fiber from another, we like to think about the following criteria: durability + stain resistance + moisture resistance + aesthetic options.

While we could write an entire manual outlining this information in quite some depth, we will limit ourselves to the quick guide below to save on time!

Traffic-Friendly Carpet Cleaning Hacks

After choosing your desired carpet style, your next step is to figure out how to best care for your high-traffic carpet to make the most of it!

It’s becoming increasingly popular for social media users to post clever intel about the best hacks when it comes to certain products. And believe it or not, there are some great hacks out there for keeping your carpet clean in high-traffic areas.

Because let’s be honest: our floors see a lot of wear and tear over the years and unfortunately, that can be hard to disguise given the nature of flooring. Over the years, dirt, debris, oils, and other signs of foot traffic start to take a toll on our carpets.

But the good news is that we have some tips to serve up that you can use to keep your high-traffic carpets in good shape!

Keep reading to see how to best approach cleaning your specific type of carpet fiber.

Nylon Carpet Cleaning
You usually have two options when it comes to giving your nylon carpet a thorough cleaning.

Hot water extraction is one way to clean your nylon carpets.
You can use a cleaning agent along with the hot water extraction method.

Whether you choose to hire a professional or do it yourself, make sure the machine used has the CRI Seal of Approval.

Polyester Carpet Cleaning
Polyester carpet fibers are not only known for stain resistance but also because they don’t fade easily. And polyester carpet fibers are pretty cleanable!

Deep cleaning with hot extraction is the best method for cleaning polyester carpets. This process will help remove any hidden dirt, debris, or other bacterial remnants that can damage the carpet fibers.

Head to your local hardware store to rent a hot extraction cleaning machine or call in the professionals to bring their own trusted equipment.

Wool Carpet Cleaning
Wool carpets can be quite luxurious, and they also require some special cleaning. Taking the right care with them will help your wool carpets last longer!

Dry cleaning systems such as Capture®; Host®; Dri-Mate®; Wool Clean by Wools of New Zealand and Chem-Dry

Truck-Mounted steam extraction is acceptable for tackless wall to wall installations. We do not recommend steam cleaning for loose lay rugs
We do not recommend any portable units; nor any Bonnet systems or Rug Doctor systems

Use only cleaners specific for wool and be sure to check the manufacturer’s guidelines before using them!

Triexta Carpet Cleaning
Triexta carpets are known for their inherent ability to resist most stains – but oil-based stains are an exception. When the time comes to clean your triexta carpets, you will have to take extra care.

Professional carpet cleaning is your safest bet when it comes to cleaning your triexta carpets. Even though these fibers have an intrinsic stain-resistant quality, they do not have the protective barrier that other synthetic carpets do.

Regular Care
Never forget about the power of committing to a regular carpet cleaning schedule. Getting in such a routine will help prolong the life of your carpets and you’ll set your floors up for success in even the most highly trafficked areas.

Immediately take care of any spills or noticeable spots! The faster you can clean up visible stains, the better your shot at removing the stain. By addressing the spot or stain immediately, you are reducing the likelihood that the stain will set in permanently.

Refer to the above cleaning guidelines to take care of your particular stain.

Always lay down carpet protectors like rugs, mats, or runners in high-traffic areas like stairways, hallways, or regularly trafficked living rooms. This will help protect your carpet from the additional wear and tear these areas experience.

Make sure you continue to care for your carpet protectors to keep them clean of any debris that might harm other areas of your carpeting.

Pay special attention to these carpet protectors when seasonal changes bring in added types of debris – snow, salt, leaves, etc.

In keeping with the “always” timeline, be sure to have a no-shoe policy in your home. It might not feel natural to abide by, but doing so will save you maintenance and care money in the long run!

Regularly commit to vacuuming your highly trafficked areas. Doing so will keep debris from accumulating and further damaging your carpets.

Pay attention to the direction in which you vacuum – switching up the directions will better trap dirt and debris that could be stuck in the fibers of the carpet.

Take your time while doing so. A speedy vacuum pace won’t do the job that a slow and steady pace can do!

Don’t forget to head outdoors when you are in the vacuuming mindset! Ditch the vacuum and use your broom to sweep off any outdoor entry areas. This will reduce the amount of debris that can get into your home!

Seasonally schedule professional cleaning of your highly trafficked carpets. Trust the pros to pay special attention to your carpets so they can get at what you might not see or be able to address.

The special equipment and techniques professional carpet cleaners use can be trusted to help you maintain the longevity of your floors!

When the seasons change, it’s also a great habit to get into to switch up the configuration of any furniture that sits atop carpets. This will ensure that your carpets get equal wear.

Enhancing Aesthetics in High Traffic Carpet Spaces

It’s no secret that the key to longevity is to invest in long-term solutions – taking care of your carpets follows the same recipe!

In addition to regular maintenance and routine stain removal, there are some other less frequent but equally important habits to get into to improve the looks of your carpet in high-traffic areas!

Keep reading below to get the details you need!

Snags
Due to certain types of construction, some carpeting products are susceptible to snagging if the proper care is not taken.

If you do see any snagging in your carpet, the best thing to do is take care of it immediately. Letting it slide will only increase the chances that the snag gets bigger and bigger, and meanwhile, the solution to fix it gets more and more intense.

So, if you see a snag, trim it by using a sharp scissor. However, trim wisely! Do not remove any unneeded carpet fibers as this could result in an uneven appearance. And, never pull the snags! Yes, this can be tempting, but it will only cause more damage.

Rely on trimming any snags with scissors.

Indentations
Furniture likely sits atop some portions of your carpet. And given the weight of some furniture pieces, that might mean that your carpet faces some indentations.

Depending on how deep the indentation is, all you might have to do is use a vacuum cleaner to bring back the fibers to their initial stance.

Deeper indentations call for a different hack, though! Oddly enough, using ice cubes on the indentations can help the fibers return to their standing position. Place an ice cube on deep indentations, let it melt, and after soaking up the leftover water, use your fingers or a spoon to fluff up the indented area.

If that’s not your thing, you can always give deep indentations a steam treatment. If you have a steam cleaner or clothes steamer, bust it out and give the area a steam. Should you not have one, you can lay down a damp cloth and use a steam iron over the area.

The trick, though, is to let the cloth lay there for about 15 minutes because the trapped dampness helps the carpet fibers lift back up. However, sometimes the crush can be in the pad and not the carpet fiber – if this is the case, the indent cannot be removed.

Musty Smell
If you start to notice a smell coming from your carpets, don’t panic. There are things you can do to remove the unwanted scent!

One thing you can do is to sprinkle baking soda over the impacted area. Let it stand overnight and then vacuum up the area in the morning. It might take doing this a couple of times to get rid of the smell.

Discoloration
The best combatant to ultraviolet light damage is to control sun exposure with the use of blinds or drapes.

This will stop direct sunlight from being able to discolor your carpet. Closing the blinds or drapes during high sunlight hours is a perfect way to prevent discoloration!

Special window tints can also be used to filter out UV light.

And, as we mentioned above, switching up the configuration of bulky furniture is also a great way to make sure your carpet has equal coloring throughout.

Longevity Strategies for High Traffic Carpet

Although it’s not always fun to realize and admit, there are times that professionals need to be called in to address some carpeting concerns.

When you feel like you might be in over your head, or your DIY solutions have not worked, it’s likely time for you to call in for professional reinforcement!

Professional Steam Cleaning / Hot water extractions
Some carpet problems are best left to professionals. They have special equipment and expertise that regular homeowners might not have access to.

In fact, carpet manufacturers mandate a professional carpet cleaning every 18 months to maintain the carpet warranty. Most recommend a professional steam cleaning as well. Check with your manufacturer’s guidelines.

It’s this area of specialization that can be relied upon to best reverse intense staining conditions. In cases like this, industrial cleaners and machines are needed to bring your carpets back to a pleasing condition.

Opt for High-Quality Carpet
The surest way to effectively maintain your carpets in high traffic areas is to invest upfront in high-quality carpets.

High-traffic areas, in particular, do best with low-pile carpet types. Generally speaking, a higher-density carpet can better resist debris and dirt. Durable fibers like wool or nylon and triexta can be depended on to stand up to the expected wear and tear of high-traffic areas.

Conclusion – Best Carpet for High Traffic Areas

As you can see, if you are working with a high-traffic zone for your carpeting project, you are not limited in your options. On the contrary, quite a few options exist that you can trust to be the aesthetic option you want with the durability you need.

By picking the best carpet fiber, you are positioning yourself to have a product that stands up for the long haul. Committing to the suggested care for your carpet will help maintain its looks for years and years to come.

Our expert team members at Lakeside Floor Coverings are ready to work with you to bring you the best experience possible.

Get in touch to get started on your flooring project. Our friendly staff can arrange a time for you to visit our showroom or for our professional team to visit your home or commercial property for an on-site estimate. Call 763-503-0100.

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