With any floor covering, the best maintenance is preventative maintenance. In the case of carpet, that means vacuuming and regular professional cleaning. You cannot vacuum carpet to often!

Exactly how frequently a carpet should be vacuumed depends on numerous use-related factors. As a general rule, we recommend that carpets be vacuumed twice per week, overall and daily in traffic or high-use areas. Upright vacuums have been proven most effective. Canister vacuums should be equipped with a separate beater-bar unit.

On cut pile carpets, (plush, velvet, saxony, frieze) your vacuum should be set low so that the brushes make definite contact with the carpet fibers. using a low setting will shake loose dirt particles and will "lift" the pile to help prevent matting and improve appearance. For loop style carpets (such as berbers) brushes should be set low enough to make sufficient contact to shake loose dirt particles.

Belts, motors, and beater-bar brushes should be checked and serviced frequently. Vacuum should never be allowed to become more than half full.

Frequency of professional cleaning also depends on numerous use-related factors. A good rule-of-thumb would be to have your carpet professionally cleaned every 18 months.

Use Entrance Mats
Place mats inside and outside entrances to trap soil before it can be tracked into your home.

Vacuum Regularly
You can't vacuum too often. Using a vacuum with a beater bar or rotating brush will loosen the dirt making it easier for the vacuum to remove soil.

• Vacuums with top-loading bags are preferred over bottom-loading bags.
• Change the disposable bag or empty vacuum often.
• Carpet with thick loop pile construction (berber) may be sensitive to brushing, rubbing, or scrapping of the pile surface which may cause fuzzing and pile distortion. It is recommended that vacuums with suction action only be used on these styles.
• Carpet sweepers and electric brooms are useful for picking up crumbs and surface soil, but it's important to know that they will not deep clean.

Beware of Color Destroying Substances!
The chemical ingredients contained in these substances can cause your nylon or nylon blend carpet to become permanently discolored:

• bleaches
• furniture polish
• oven cleaners
• plant food and fertilizers
• insecticides
• acne medicine and skin creams
• toilet bowl cleaners
• tub and tile cleaners
• drain cleaners
• bathroom cleaners

Clean Spots and Spills Immediately
For best results, give prompt attention to spots and spills.

• Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.
• Blot up liquid spills with a white towel.
• Never rub, scrub, or use a brush. This may cause damage to the carpet fibers.
• Use a cleaning agent and procedure appropriate for the type of stain being removed.
• Apply all cleaning agents to the cloth rather than directly to the stained area to avoid saturating the carpet when spot cleaning. Clean the fibers, not the backing.
• Do not rush. Deep stains might require repeat cleanings because they can wick back up after initial cleaning.
• Work from the outside to the center of large stains. This prevents spreading.

Dealing With Stains
Most household stains can be removed using the Scotchgard "Easy as 1-2-3" method. Oil based stains, however, will require the use of a dry cleaning solvent prior to using the "Easy as 1-2-3" cleaning method.

Use  the "Easy as 1-2-3" method  to remove these stain

Alcohol	Chocolate Milk	Food Stains	Graphite	Milk	Urine
Beer	Clay	Fruit Juice	Gravy	Soft Drink	Vomit
Blood	Coffee	Fruit Punch	Ice Cream	Soil Spot	Water
Candy	Cola	Furniture Polish	Jelly	Syrup	Water Colors
Catsup	Cologne	Water Base	Latex Paint	Tea	Whiskey
Chocolate	Cranberry Juice	Grape Juice	Liquor	Tomato Juice	Wine

Step 1: Detergent Solution
Mix 1 teaspoon of mild laundry detergent (non-bleaching brands such as Tide or Surf) with 2 cups of water. Stir the solution gently. Using a clean white cloth, dampen the fibers in the stained area with the detergent solution.

• If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain.
• Re-wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water.
• Cover the area with an absorbent, white towel and apply pressure to blot.
• Repeat the rinsing / blotting procedures until you are sure all of the detergent has been removed.
• If stains are removed place white paper towel over the stained area.
• Weight the towels with a heavy, color fast object, such as a plastic waste basket with a weight inside.
• Change the paper towels as stains wick up until the area dries.
• If stains remain (unless they are from coffee, tea, or urine) proceed to Step 2. For coffee, tea, and urine stains proceed directly to Step 3.

Step 2: Ammonia / Water
Note: Do not use on coffee, tea, or urine stains.

Mix 1 tablespoon of non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with one cup of lukewarm water. Apply this solution as outlined in Step 1, rinsing the area in the same manner.

Note: Even if the stains disappear after using the ammonia solution, it is necessary to use Step 3 - the vinegar solution- to neutralize the ammonia solution.

Step 3: Vinegar Solution
Mix Equal parts of white vinegar and water. Apply this solution as outlined in Step 1 and 2. Rinse and blot. Fold paper towels and place over stained area. Weight towels with a heavy color-fast object such as a plastic waste basket with a weight inside. Continue to change paper towels until area is almost dry. Gently brush pile to lift tufts. Allow carpet to completely dry before walking on carpet surface.

Note: You must use Step 3 if you used Step 2. It is important to neutralize the ammonia solution

Use Dry Cleaning Fluid to remove these stains

Butter	Grease (Black)	Ointment	Calamine Lotion	Gum**	Oil
Cooking Oil	Hand Cream	Oil Paint	Cosmetics	Ink	Rouge (Blush)
Crayon	Lipstick	Salad Dressing	Felt Tip Marker	Margarine	Tar
Furniture Dye	Mascara	Varnish	Furniture Polish (Oil Based)	Mayonnaise	Wax**
Glue**	Nail Polish

**Freeze and remove solids before cleaning with dry cleaning fluid.