Carpet is the flooring of choice for many homeowners because it is soft on the feet and creates a warm and inviting atmosphere in any room in which it is installed. Regular care of the carpet is necessary to prolong its life and its beauty, and vacuuming each week is the best way to protect your carpet from lasting damage from dirt. Yet even carpet that is well taken care of may end up with some significant damages that need repairing, and such repairs are often easy for homeowners to fix themselves.
There are a few common problems that can affect carpets and each may require a slightly different solution. For instance, carpet can become burned, whether from an iron or from contact with some other kind of hot object. If the burn does not go too deep into the fibers, cutting off the tips of the burned fibers can make the burned spot look like new. If the burn goes deeper, it will be necessary to take more drastic action.
Deep burns, places where a significant number of fibers have been removed, holes, and other plainly visible damages will require the use of carpet patches to make the area new again. Carpet patches are not difficult to make, especially if you have some remnants of the carpet leftover in your garage, basement, or storage shed. If not, you will have to cut a piece from your existing carpet. Should this be necessary, choose an inconspicuous area from which you can get your patch, such as the corner of a closet floor.
To patch your carpet you will need a utility knife and carpet tape. Measure the area that needs to be replaced, tracing a circle around it using a can or other circular object that can be pressed into the carpet. Make sure to measure an area slightly larger than the damaged area. Once the area has been measured, cut it out and use it to measure an area in your leftover carpet or carpeted closet floor. Cut out the patch from the newer looking carpet.
At this point you will need to put the carpet tape on top of the padding that has been exposed in the place where the damage was located. Put the patch on top of the tape and press it firmly in place, making sure the grain of the carpet fibers on the patch is going in the same direction as the surrounding carpet. You will want to trim any fibers that are longer than the others in order that the surface of the carpet will be even in the repaired area. Allowing books or other heavy objects to weigh-down on the patch for a few days will help it adhere permanently and stay in place.
Besides burns and holes, this carpet-patching method can be used to fix areas of the carpet that have suffered significant discoloration. In any case, a little patience and care can make it a cinch to patch a carpet, helping to keep homeowners from replacing all of the carpet in a room when just a small portion of it is damaged.
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