How to Choose Carpet for Busy Areas in Your Home

Love the idea of carpet but find yourself worrying about how it will hold up in the busy areas of your home? Worry not – we have compiled a few of our top tips for selecting the right carpet for your home’s high-traffic areas. So whether it’s entertaining you do or if you have a busy family, we have something to suit your needs.

So what is considered a high-traffic area in a home?

High-traffic areas are the parts of your home that are accessed the most. These include your hallways, entrance ways, family rooms, stairs – anywhere with high levels of activity. That’s not to say that other areas don’t get a lot of traffic (especially around furniture in living and dining areas). However, it is important to note that some parts of the home do in fact see a lot more foot traffic compared to other areas.

What Contributes to Carpet Wear and Tear?

So far we have only talked about how foot traffic can cause wear and tear. However, many other factors could also accelerate the rate your carpet is worn down. These include:

• Pets soiling/clawing at the carpet
• Accidental spills
• Direct sunshine which can cause fading

These factors can be avoided by dealing with spills immediately, closing curtains or blinds on extremely sunny days and regularly vacuuming to ensure dust and grime does not build up over time.

If your carpet is not taken care of properly, it will become prone to wear and tear including discolouration, flattening and pilling. When specific areas sustain high levels of wearing factors, spots will begin to form and look very different to the remainder of the room which could affect the look of the room.

So How Do I Choose A Suitable Carpet for My High-Traffic Areas?

For high-traffic areas, specific carpets designed to withstand wear and tear are highly recommended as they are not easily crushed (allowing it to stand up to feet & shoes), are generally stain-resistant and are also pet-friendly, allowing it to look great for years to come.

A simple way to choose your carpet is by seeing if it has a six-star rating on the Australian Carpet Classification Scheme label. These products have been made specifically to keep wear and tear to a minimum. It is also important to review carpet warranty and guarantees for soil resistance and abrasive wear as an additional caution.

Features to look out for

When choosing your dream carpet, there are a few features you must keep an eye out for. These include:

• Hard-wearing
• Crush Resistant
• Forgiving colour
• Twist or loop-pile
• Synthetics

Another important feature is whether or not the carpet repels moisture and light soiling naturally so that when accidental spills do happen, they primarily stay on the surface rather than seep deep into the carpet.

Carpets to Avoid

Plush piles that exude a luxurious and indulgent feel are more suited to quiet areas such as bedrooms, studies or libraries. However, these carpets are generally unable to withstand high-levels of traffic and they are very susceptible to crush.

The Best Colours for Busy Spots

With higher-traffic comes more dirt – which is why pale colours can be hard to maintain. Instead, mid-tones to darks are recommended, especially if you have children or pets as these shades show less dirt and dust.

The Low-Down on Ideal Carpet Materials

Material is also another important factor to consider when choosing your perfect carpet as they can determine many wear resistant features.

1. Wool:

Wool is incredibly durable, crush-resistant and stain-resistant. As an added bonus, wool looks extremely luxurious which can elevate your living space.

2. Solution-Dyed Nylon:

Synthetic carpet fibres have come a long way with technology – this material is not only durable, colourfast (meaning it will not fade or get washed out) and abrasion-resistant, but also extremely soft. Any spills can also be easily cleaned with water.

3. Triexta:

Triexta is another type of synthetic fibre which has grown in popularity in recent years. The eco-friendly material is made out of renewably sourced plant based ingredients, making it a very unique material in the market. The fibres are soft yet resistant to wear as well as fade-resistant, stain-resistant and able to withstand pile-crushing. It is an extremely low maintenance material that is very suitable for high-traffic areas.

One excellent Triexta carpet product is the Godfrey Hirst eco+ Carpet range which is extremely durable, allowing it to continue looking great over the years.

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Whether you have a large family, pets or live alone, there is a perfect carpet out there for you that will not only look great in your living space but continue to exude warmth and comfort for the many years to come, no matter how many feet or paws traipse through your home!

If you found this information useful but still want more advice specific to your home, contact our professional carpet team who can help you choose your dream carpet.