Why Do My Traffic Areas Look Bad?

 

As professional carpet cleaners, one of the most frequently asked questions we get is, “Why do my traffic areas look so bad?”  The short and simple answer is, because that’s where the traffic is! 

Carpet manufacturers have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research and development to make carpet last longer and great strides have been made.  But all that research cannot overcome the inescapable fact that anything that receives the most use will wear out the fastest.

 

The reason traffic areas look bad is twofold, but it comes down to abrasion.  As carpets are walked on repeatedly, the constant pounding of foot traffic causes not only wear on the fibres, but a condition called abrasive dye loss.  This is a condition where the colour of the carpeting has actually worn off, leaving a shade closer to the natural state of the fibre.

 

Picture what happens to your favourite pair of old blue jeans.   As the material ages the colour wears off in the seat and knees, leaving those areas a lighter shade.  This is exactly what happens with your carpets.

 

The other effect we see is the loss of reflectivity of the affected areas.  Since we see colour due to reflected light, as your traffic areas wear they become duller and less reflective.  This results in a greyed out appearance with a loss of sheen.

While it’s impossible to prevent this type of wear, two steps you can take to minimize this are frequent thorough vacuuming and regular professional steam extraction cleaning.  Carpet that is properly maintained will provide years and years of acceptable appearance.  Carpet that is not maintained will need to be replaced in a little as 3 to 5 years.  Follow these guidelines and also your carpet manufacturer’s recommendations to protect one of the single largest investments in your home.

For all your Carpet Cleaning Needs call What Mess? Cleaning Services