Carpets fade for a variety of reasons, the most common being sun exposure. Tied for second place is the age of the carpet and the use of chemical carpet cleaning products.
When sunlight is the culprit there are steps you can take to control sun exposure. If possible keep your blinds closed especially when the sun is shining directly on that side of the home. Or consider having your windows professionally treated by a window tinting specialist. Don’t believe age plays a role in carpet fading? Just relocate a piece of furniture that hasn’t been moved in years and you’ll definitely see a difference. Cleaning your carpet yourself? Be especially cautious when using over the counter carpet cleaning solutions. Many contain chemicals that can lift the color from the fibers, making the carpet look old and worn.
Faded Carpet Solutions
Just as there are numerous reasons for carpet fading, there are just as many solutions, but the success rate is dependent on a couple of factors including the type of carpet fiber and the extent of damage. Carpets that have been faded for years may not be salvageable. Often the loss of color appears in carpets underneath floor to ceiling windows, in front of exterior doorways and in high traffic areas; all places where the fading may not be recognized until it’s too late. Over time the carpet fibers may become brittle and nonporous and lose their ability to absorb and retain any type of liquid dying solution. But you may not be completely out of options.
Salt Water Solution-Vacuum the carpet thoroughly. Mix up a solution of equal parts table salt and hot water. Apply with a damp sponge or white lint-free cloth. For a large carpet or rug you may want to rent a steam cleaner so the mixture is uniformly applied. No matter what method you choose keep the carpet backing as dry as possible. Let the carpet fibers dry and then vacuum again. Reapply if there are still areas that aren’t as bright as the rest of the carpet. While this method may not bring the carpet up to its original color, in most cases there will be some improvement.
Carpet micro-shearing-This is a technique used by specially trained carpet technicians that basically removes the top layer of carpet fibers. Using a special electric shearing machine, the tech carefully combs the old worn and faded top layer of the carpet fibers off, refreshing both the color and texture of the carpet. This is a very time consuming and delicate procedure and must be performed by a carpet specialist.
Dying faded carpeting-Probably one of the most popular methods of refreshing faded carpet is to dye it. Carpet dyes come in a wide range of colors and can be mixed to achieve a unique personalized shade to match any décor. But as we’ve mentioned in a past post, it is much simpler to stay near the original shade or go from light to dark. Dying a dark carpet a lighter color usually doesn’t achieve the desired effect. The majorities of dyes on the market today are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, fast drying and are both permanent and colorfast.
Ready to revamp and refresh your faded carpets? ProFlooring Solutions is here for all your carpet needs. Just give us a call today at 864-569-9366 and let’s get you on the schedule for a complementary estimate. Or you can always email us at contact@proflooringsolutions.com.
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