When it comes to selecting the right carpet for your space, you need to think about durability and softness, plus maintenance and even pattern scale. Consider how you use each room on a daily basis. If it’s a high traffic area like a living room, you’ll want to select a carpet with maximum durability. For a bedroom, the way it feels beneath your bare feet might be the ultimate consideration. Is the room a hub for kids and pets? Make sure to select pet and kid-friendly carpet with spill-proof backing, so accidents and messes are easy to clean.

Nylon, Polyester, PTT and Polypropylene are the four basic carpet fibers used to manufacture today’s carpets and while there are sometimes blended fiber carpets, most are made with one specific type of fiber.

Nylon is the most commonly used carpet fiber and is used in both loop pile and cut pile styles. It’s no surprise that nylon is the most popular used carpet fiber since it’s also the most versatile of all fibers, providing excellent durability. While not naturally stain resistant, most Shaw carpets are treated with stain resistant technology to keep accidents from soaking through the nylon carpet fibers.

Polyester (PET) fibers, while not as versatile as nylon, perform very well! Polyester is also naturally stain and fade resistant while providing luxurious softness and color clarity to the carpet.

Shaw first introduced PTT or Triexta Polyester carpet fibers to the US market in 2001.  PTT fibers feature good resilience and excellent inherent stain resistance, but they’re not ideal in high-traffic areas. Oil-based stains are also extremely difficult to remove from these fibers, making PTT carpeting a less than ideal choice for dining rooms.

Finally, Polypropylene or olefin carpet fibers will not absorb water so color is actually built into the fiber when it’s formed, which means color will not fade. Exposure to intense sunlight, bleach and other harsh elements will not cause color to fade from these carpet fibers, making this a great carpet for sunny rooms and intense climates.

Also known as an underlayment, carpet padding is essential for your wall-to-wall carpeting. It’s an unseen comfort that makes your carpet look and feel great. Carpet cushion extends the life of your carpet while giving it a thicker, softer feel. Carpet cushion can also minimize noise, which is great for upstairs bedrooms, while bringing extra warmth to your room. Finally, carpet cushions helps keep your carpet cleaner by allowing for maximum airflow that helps with dirt removal during vacuuming.

Carpets are a great choice for homes with pets, especially since so many carpets from Shaw Floors and Anderson Tuftex feature waterproof backing and stain resistant fibers. With these carpet innovations, pet accidents don’t soak through or cause any unpleasant, lingering odors.

We recommend that a professional service be performed by an IICRC certified firm. Depending on the type and amount of traffic in your home, carpet cleaning should be performed every 12-18 months and at least once every 24 months. People who prefer a DIY approach to carpet cleaning should make sure that any and all recommended carpet cleaning products and equipment has a CRI Seal of Approval certification. To check, visit this website: www.carpet-rug.org