Regular vacuuming can literally extend your carpet’s life. The type of vacuum cleaner and vacuum nozzle you use is important. A vacuum performance will vary based on the carpet’s fibre type and construction. A good vacuum cleaner typically has features that allow you to adjust the height, beater bar rotation and fan speed.

We only give general advice about vacuum cleaners as there are so many good brands or models. We forward you to consumer review websites for more detailed information.

Beater bar

Manual adjustable height of the beater bar is the most important feature because this enables the machine to be used on a wide variety of carpet types. If your vacuum is set too high above the carpet surface, the vacuum can’t attract the gritty soil below. If the setting is too low, the vacuum’s beater bar or brushes can damage the carpet’s surface, causing it to look worn and frayed.

For carpet with a cut pile an adjustable, rotating brush will help loosen deep rooted dirt and particles but this will agitate the yarn.

HEPA, High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance

Use a vacuum cleaner with a good and efficient HEPA-micro filter system in order to be able to remove fine dust and maintain a good indoor climate. The HEPA filter system extracts 99,97% of pollen, dust, animal scales and other particles.

No, invest in a good vacuum cleaner to get the dirt you can't see. There are many affordable vacuums on the market today effectively cleaning carpets.

Both types are suitable for carpet cleaning. You should base your choice on the area you will be vacuuming and your individual preferences. 

Upright vacuum cleaners deliver great performance for carpet, help combat pet hair with their beater bar and typically have large heads to cover more surface area and reduce vacuuming time.

Cylinder vacuum cleaners are smaller and lighter, making them ideal for smaller houses and are more suitable for cleaning a wide range of surfaces, including hard floors, rugs and carpets.

Choosing an energy-efficient vacuum cleaner is a simple way to reduce your energy bill. Vacuum cleaners have a label allowing you to select the best performing one according to your needs.

Purchasing more efficient appliances means less time and money spent on vacuum cleaning combined with higher performances. In addition, Ecodesign requirements make sure that vacuum cleaners that use a lot of energy, pick up dust poorly, allow too much dust to come out of the exhaust are no longer sold.

Reading the vacuum cleaner label

New vacuum cleaners come with an energy label showing its energy efficiency on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) as well as other information:

1. The company that made or placed the vacuum cleaner on the market
2. The model of the vacuum cleaner
3. How energy efficient the vacuum cleaner is - with A being the most efficient
4. How much energy the vacuum cleaner uses per year
5. How efficient the vacuum cleaner is when it comes to preventing dust from being re-emitted into the air – with A being the most efficient
6. How effective the vacuum cleaner is at cleaning carpets – with A being the most effective
7. How effective the vacuum cleaner is at cleaning hard floors – with A being the most effective
8. The vacuum cleaners’s maximum noise level

Energy efficiency class

The formula that determines a vacuum cleaner’s A to G rating takes into account both the power of the vacuum cleaner and how well that power is transformed into picking up dust.

Adjust your vacuum cleaner to the proper height setting to ensure that the beater bar or brush just lightly touches your carpet surface.

Shag pile carpet with long pile yarns tend to wrap around the rotating brushes causing damage to the yarn. For these products we recommend a suction-only vacuum or a vacuum cleaner with an adjustable height of the brush lifted away from the carpet, so it does not agitate the pile.

Choose a vacuum cleaner with large wheels for easy manoeuvrability. Smaller wheels tend to loosen threads, while large wheels easily roll over longer threads and leaving no marks or dents.

Avoid vacuums with super-concentrated suction. They are suitable for low pile carpets and hard surfaces but not for thicker, high pile carpets.

Carpets today are made with longer fibres than traditional carpets. This makes them soft underfoot, but also more challenging to clean. For a vacuum cleaner to glide easily on a carpet, air must flow into the nozzle and through the machine. With a high concentrated suction and blocking the air flow, the vacuum seals itself to the carpet and is hard to push. This also happens on a hard floor.

If you intend to buy a vacuum, an adjustable suction power would be the first thing to look for. Additional features like “carpet mode” might help but won’t guarantee the vacuum will be useable on your carpet. Some models automatically adjust the level of suction, others must be operated manually. The hose usually has an inlet you can also open to reduce the level of suction by the vacuum.

Most nozzles without a rotating brush can be tilted to add bypass air. Some models have a “carpet mode” or an air valve to avoid sticking to carpet. 

Some vacuum cleaners — more often uprights rather than canisters — can be adjusted, usually with a foot pedal, according to the height of the carpet pile. Setting it on the right height will help maximize its performance. Some vacuums do this automatically, but if yours doesn't, make sure to take the time to make the appropriate adjustments.

Some models have a self-propelling feature that pushes the vacuum forward, like a power lawn mower.

Don’t panic if you spot a stain on your carpet. Today’s high-quality carpet fibres allow most stains to be easily removed. However, which cleaning method depends on the type of stain. 

React quickly

Stains in carpets should always be treated immediately. The earlier you fight the stain, the easier the removal.

• Absorb liquids immediately with an absorbent cloth such as kitchen paper, toilet paper, cotton towel, ...
• Remove solid substances with a spoon. Any remaining residue can be treated.
• The majority of stains can be removed using tepid water.
• When applying cleaning agents, follow instructions on the packaging. Put on a cloth first and not directly onto the carpet and always test first in an inconspicuous area.
• By working your way inwards from the outer edge of a spot, you can prevent the stain from spreading.
• Avoid rubbing the stain, only dab it, as this can cause the stain to spread and damage the carpet.
• After applying the treatment, blot the area as dry as possible by applying pressure with paper towels or absorbent cloth.
• Apply a thick layer of paper towels over the wet area and weigh them down to dry the carpet.
• Brush the pile with your fingers to restore the texture after the area has dried.
• If you are in any doubt, please contact a local cleaning expert.

Tepid water

Tepid water is lukewarm, meaning that it is neither hot nor cold to the touch. Tepid water consists of two parts cold water and one part boiling water, which renders a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius, which is round about 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warning: Chlorine-containing products risk bleaching your carpet.

Things like beer, berries, coffee, cola, excrement, fruit juice, white glue, ice cream, washable ink, ketchup, sauce, soft drinks, tea and wine.

Treatment: 

Soak up immediately using an absorbent cloth or kitchen roll. If the stain persists use a solution of one teaspoon of neutral detergent such as washing-up liquid to half a litre of warm water. Dry with a hair dryer, continually moving to prevent watermarking.

Things like baked beans, blood, butter, chocolate, cooking oil, crayons, gravy, grease, ketchup, mascara, mayonnaise, milk, mustard and pet food.

Treatment:

Use methylated spirits, applying with cotton wool to the edges of the stain and work inwards. Don’t worry if colours darken during this treatment, just blot with kitchen roll to avoid excessive moisture. Then use a soap solution on cotton wool, dampen the area, blot with kitchen roll and dry with a hair dryer as above.

Any of the water-based foods or drinks as above.

Treatment: 

Use non-biological washing powder or mix two litres of tepid water with half a teaspoon of carpet shampoo. Re-wet the stain using the soap solution applied with cotton wool and blot with kitchen roll as above.

Things like brown sauce, shoe polish, sherry, toothpaste, urine and vomit.

Treatment:

Apply diluted detergent with a damp towel and leave for five minutes. Blot, then rinse with water, followed by a pad of weighted kitchen roll.

Scrape away excess then freeze with ice cubes. Shatter with blunt object like the back of a spoon and quickly vacuum chips away.

Apply nail polish remover sparingly with a cotton towel, pick up softened material and push kitchen roll towards centre of spot to avoid it spreading. Repeat this procedure until the stain is removed.

Scrape off as much wax as you can. Cover with a white cotton towel and apply a warm (not hot) iron. Repeat this procedure with a clean towel each time until the stain is removed.

Vacuum as much as possible. Loosen remaining material by tapping with a small brush, but don’t scrub. Vacuum again then use technique for water-based stains as above.

Scrape off excess lipstick and lightly rub the area with a slice of fresh white bread. Complete the removal as per the greasy stains technique above.

Vacuuming regularly is the most important step for carpet cleaning. However, deeper extraction cleaning takes care of removing tough, stubborn and deep lying dirt.

There are several deep cleaning techniques. The most common ones are steam cleaning and spray extraction.

How often deep cleaning must be done depends on carpet use and care methods. Do not wait until dirt is visible on the carpet. If the carpet is already heavily dirty cleaning is all the more difficult and expensive and, as a result, its life is considerably reduced.

You should use a recognized professional carpet cleaning company, like the ones you can find on the www.ncca.co.uk website, to undertake the work.