The choice of floor covering is crucial. More than any other aspect of home decoration, getting the floor covering just right is essential for both aesthetic and practical reasons. Falling in love with a very special type of Tuscan floor tile may on the surface seem like a match made in heaven, but once importation costs, slipperiness and fragility are taken into consideration, the obsession can soon fade. Flooring decisions need to be made with a cool, sensible head if costly mistakes are to be avoided.

Pale and interesting carpet

But what if a fluffy white carpet has always been a dream? What if the pale beauty of a cream rug on the floor has been a long held interior design ambition? Some may dismiss the idea because of misconceptions about cleaning and maintenance. Just as many others, especially interior design aficionados who favor cool, minimalist interiors, will only consider white carpet in their homes. Fluffy white carpets are still very much a popular choice for elegant interiors and with a little careful planning and forethought they need not be any more trouble than some of the frankly, less beautiful, competition.

The appeal of fluffy white carpet is easy to understand. Humans are sensual beings and the tactile brush of soft carpet beneath bare feet is one of life’s simplest pleasures. A luxurious carpet sets the tone for a room, placing all furniture and accessories in the best light and so it’s no surprise that after years of hardwood flooring, textiles are making a big comeback.

Why choose carpet over hardwood flooring?

There are many reasons for the swing back towards carpeted comfort. Hardwood flooring has its fans, of course, it gives a smooth, uniform finish and is tough and hard wearing, but it cannot compete with luxurious carpet when it comes to creating interiors with warmth, sensuality and comfort. After all, home sweet home is all about being cocooned and cossetted; no one wants their bedrooms, dens and sitting rooms to have cold, hard floors, devoid of softness and warmth.

Carpets are wonderful noise insulators. There is something very tranquil about entering a carpeted home. Sound is dampened by carpet, making the noise of footsteps, scraping dog claws and the crash of kid’s toys against the floor muted; for a quieter a life, a carpet is the flooring of choice.

Those with poor balance, such as small children and the elderly, benefit from the softer landings afforded by carpet. No matter how much we try to protect our loved ones, there will be times when they fall and carpet softens the landing much more efficiently than hardwood flooring.

In older houses, with wooden floorboards, cold drafts whip through the cracks in the floor. Obliterate such icy blasts by fitting thick, cushioning carpet. The excellent heat insulation properties of carpet are second to none and they are frequently used in cold, drafty homes to help reduce heat loss.

Keeping a white carpet white

It is true that carpets require maintenance, but no more than a hardwood floor would generally need. According to carpet cleaning experts, the best way to keep any carpet looking beautiful is to vacuum it regularly. In busy areas a daily pass with the vacuum is beneficial, while in low traffic areas a weekly vacuum is sufficient. Sometimes it makes sense to place small rugs or runners over areas of floor that see a lot of foot traffic, this keeps the carpet looking beautiful for longer.

With pale colored carpets, stain issues can assume some importance, but get the basics right and they are simple to tackle. Stains respond well to speed; the sooner action can be taken, the lesser the lasting impact will be. Do not rub the carpet as this pushes the stain further into the fibers; instead, concentrate on dabbing lightly with absorbent kitchen roll or sponge, lifting the liquid off the surface of the carpet. Home remedies can be effective solutions for stain removal and corn-flour sprinkled over a spill is a good way of absorbing liquid. Equally, tips such as using mixtures of vinegar and water or baking soda are thought to be effective. There are stories of desperate carpet owners piling salt onto red wine spills, but these are largely anecdotal and its efficacy as a stain fix cannot be assured. With serious stains it is wise to contact the professionals. To be confident of giving carpet the best treatment, it is therefore advisable to secure the services of a professional carpet cleaning company.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that up to 85 per cent of household dirt enters on the footwear of inhabitants. This is useful information if we are thinking about how to keep our carpets cleaner. Using tough, easy clean surfaces such as ceramic tile or laminate close to exterior entrance points will minimize the amount of dirt carried in by visitors, kids and dogs. Using mats and rugs close to the doors for wiping feet and introducing an ‘all shoes to be removed’ rule, also helps enormously in limiting the spread of grime. Additionally, fit boot scrapers outside the door to make mud removal easy. Look at external walkways and paths leading up to the house; are they clean and well maintained? If they are coated with dirt, then before too long the house will be too.

A fluffy white flooring choice benefits from regular professional care and to find a reputable local company, try searching for a phrase such as ‘carpet cleaning Vaughan’ online. With systems that require less water and no harmful chemicals, carpets can receive a refreshing clean whilst the environmental impact remains low. For drier, cleaner and healthier carpet care, it’s important to use the services of professionals experienced in carpet cleaning and restoring the beauty of carpets.

It’s good to know that with new professional carpet cleaning techniques a white fluffy carpet does not need to feel like such a high risk interior design choice anymore. With regular, quick and easy cleaning options for all types of carpet now widely available, we can have our dream of a cream carpeted home without worrying about every dirty boot-mark, spilled drink and muddy paw-print…