One of the largest investments we make in our home is the carpeted surfaces. Nothing can compare to the feeling of warmth and comfort you get from the carpet underfoot. It has an elegance and beauty when you develop a few simple habits to maintain its beauty and the carpets will last far beyond your expectations.

It is quite common to have dark traffic areas form in your carpet if people walk with their shoes on. These areas get worn thin from the build up of dirt and the friction of shoes rubbing on the carpet and eventually no amount of carpet cleaning will make the carpets look any better. A simple solution is to take your shoes off and keep the carpet cleaner.

A simple trick to keep the carpet cleaner is to place small mats or runners in strategic areas in your home that might receive high amounts of foot traffic. These runners serve to decorate your home but more importantly they keep the carpet cleaner underneath. It is easier to clean or replace these small carpets than to replace your wall to wall carpet. You can't stop the dirt from coming in or in most cases prevent the high volume of foot traffic but these runners can prolong the need for carpet cleaning.

Another method of keeping the carpet cleaner is to get in the habit of not eating food on the carpet. If this can't be avoided because of the layout of your home then restrict the food to one area and make every effort to protect the carpet when eating. This might seem inconvenient but if you don't do this you will have spots and stains on the carpet that cleaners won't be able to remove. One area of the home that always looks the worst is the dining area and in some cases the carpets don't come clean.

Direct sunlight can cause some areas of your carpet to fade and lose their luster. The only way to prevent this is to draw your curtains but this doesn't mean that you have to sit in darkened rooms. With a little planning you will realize that there are times when you are either not home or not in the room and by drawing the curtains during these times you can still enjoy the daylight and keep your carpets looking beautiful.

Carpets today are designed to hide dirt and they have the ability to resist stains. If you can't see the dirt easily this doesn't mean that you don't need a regular cleaning routine to keep the carpet cleaner. Dirt can damage carpet fibers permanently if allowed to remain in the pile. It is absolutely necessary to develop a routine of vacuuming regularly to prevent this damage from occurring and keep the carpet cleaner. Make sure that you have a good vacuum and make sure that you vacuum slow enough to allow the machine to do a good job.

Developing a habit of spot and stain removal when these occur will help to maintain the beauty of your carpets. Even though vacuuming can remove most of the dry dirt and spot removal can make the carpets look cleaner it is necessary to deep clean the carpets on a regular basis to remove the washable dirt that builds up on the carpet as a result of cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked in dirt from outside. If you clean the carpets before they become too dirty than the cleaning will be more successful. By following these simple rules you will enjoy the beauty of your carpets for many years.