Have you purchased a piece of furniture or decoration from the lookbook catalogue and got disappointed after placing them at home? More often than not, not all of us are blessed with the eye for curation. Decorating your home is an art and a well designed space versus a clutter is a thin line apart. Out of all these, the star of the room would be a single piece of furniture, such as your sofa, lighting and more often than not, your carpet.

What should you consider when carpet shopping online or in-store? Many of us feel overwhelmed with the wide selection of carpets in furniture malls and may end up buying a piece which we do not fall in love with. As a professional carpet cleaner in Singapore, Presto has the experience and will love to share with you – 5 things which you should consider when purchasing a carpet in Singapore.

1. Location

Most importantly, the location of where we want to place the carpet is key in determining the type of carpet which we can purchase. Essentially, location is separated into high traffic area and low traffic area. For instance, the living room is a high traffic area as it is a place where our family members gather, move around and even have our meals at. For that, we would need to have a durable and high stain-resistant carpet. In that scenario, one can consider getting nylon or Jute carpet. In contrast, for our bedroom, it is a low traffic area. For that instance, we can then consider getting more delicate carpets that are made out of silk or wool.

2. Our Cleaning habits

Next, we would recommend one to be cool-headed and avoid being hasty when carpet shopping. It is critical in thinking logically if we would be committed to cleaning and tidying our house. Different people have different cleaning routines and habits. Some would vacuum and clean their house once a week while others insist on tidying every day. For those who are diligent in cleaning, they can afford to opt for carpet that is more delicate which requires more effort in maintaining. As for those who place their priorities on other things than doing housework, it is recommended to get durable and low maintenance carpet.

3. Type of Pile: Loop or cut

Carpet pile refers to the surface layer of a carpet. When weaving a carpet, it involves looping the fibers back and forth through the back. Broadly categorised, there are 2 types of pile: loop pile and cut pile.

Loop Pile

Loop Pile refers to the fibers being left in their looped form. Using this weaving method, carpet created would be firm, low and tightly woven. As a result, loop pile carpets are durable, easy to maintain and resistant to stains. With these features, they are suitable for high traffic areas as they do not show indentations caused by footprints. Loop Pile comes in many forms. Some examples are berber, level and multi-level.

Cut Pile

As for the cut pile, looped fibers weaved to form the carpet are being trimmed in half, with only the end of the fibre attached to the backing. In that case, cut pile carpets usually have longer and looser fibers. They are soft to touch and comfortable on the feet. However, they are less durable and harder to maintain as the loose fibers cause dirt, dust, and liquids to be more prone to spreading into the carpet. Cut pile carpets can come in many variations with the loop being sliced at different angles, different treatment on the thread and different length and thickness of the thread used. Some examples of cut pile are saxony, textured and frieze.

4. Construction method

In general, carpets can be constructed using three methods.

Tufted

Tufted carpets are made by inserting loops of yarn into the cloth foundation. Using this construction method, they can be made into a loop file and cut pile carpets.

Needle-punched

Needle Punched carpets are made by punching yarn laid onto the backing through it using a dense array of needles. This forms a thick carpet that is comfortable to feet. This makes them suitable for areas with heavy traffic.

Woven

Woven carpets are made by weaving yarn into foundation strands. They can be woven in 3 variations,  knotted, flat-weave and braided. Woven carpets are also suitable for high traffic areas as the surface of the carpet is flat.

Different individuals have different preferences. Nonetheless, we need to know the construction method as these factors contribute to pattern flexibility, density, weight, durability and ease of maintenance.

5. Design and Colour of the carpet

Carpets are now available in almost any colour which one can think of. Aside from considering the colour which we like and the theme of the living space, it is more important that we choose the right colour for the right space.

As a guide, here are some tips which should be considered when choosing a carpet colour:

• Carpet colour should blend well with the rest of the room. This includes not just the wall colour but also the colour of other furnishing and ornaments.
• Do not place carpets with unique colours directly under the sunlight as they might fade
• Use visible floor space as a guide instead of room size when selecting carpet with patterns. Match rooms with larger visible room space with larger patterns. Match rooms with smaller visible room space with smaller patterns.
• Lighter shades for smaller rooms as lighter colour reflects light and creates a spacious perception. Darker shades for larger rooms as it would create a cosier feeling.
• Avoid purchasing black carpets as you will not be able to spot and clean stains accurately.

Essentially, choosing the right carpet would save one a lot of hassle in the long run to maintain the carpet. 

Thus, these are our five considerations for you to make a better decision about your house carpet.

No matter how low maintenance your carpet is, it is important to clean your carpets for professional cleaning at least once a year to ensure that it is clean for our family and pets. Presto Drycleaners is a professional carpet cleaner and you can find out more about our professional carpet cleaning service. To book a pick up, simply chat with us through our live chat, whatsapp us or drop us a call at 6354 3277 for us to assist you all your carpet cleaning needs!