Shading and Pile Pressure Carpet Care

Through use and in time all carpets will flatten to a certain degree and as a result cut pile carpets will tend to shade in the same way that velvet curtains do. The degree of noticeable shading will depend on the amount of design in the carpet together with the depth of colour. A light open ground or plain carpet is more likely to show greater shading than a darker heavily patterned carpet. Shading is caused because the tufts in a new carpet are almost parallel with each other; any inclination being regular and in the same direction. After a period of time the tufts will gradually assume a greater slant in the areas of most use and thus expose their sides to the light. The sides of the tufts are now reflecting more light than the tops and will appear lighter in colour. This is known as pile pressure and there is no hard and fast rules as to when this will occur and to what extent, it is simply a natural characteristic of all cut pile fabrics. Daily vacuuming may help to alleviate this and restore a more uniform colour. It is important to vacuum against the natural lay of the pile which will lift the tufts upright again. The use of caster cups under heavy furniture will spread the weight over a larger area and minimise dents in the carpets surface.