Tell the truth: you’ve probably done just a little furniture rearranging during the pandemic. And now that many of us are easing back into entertaining in our homes, the urge to change things up is strong. But when we start moving furniture, we usually find dents in our carpet and rugs. These divots happen when furniture compresses the fibers of your carpet. But don’t panic: they’re easy to remove with a bit of effort or professional support.
Are Furniture Marks Permanent?
The good news is those annoying furniture divots are usually not permanent. We can get rid of them with DIY hacks or professional cleaning. That said, if you’ve had your carpet for decades and you haven’t moved the furniture in years, they may be nearly impossible to get out. In that case, it may be time for a new carpet.
How Can I Remove Dents In My Carpet?
We’ve come across some excellent (and surprisingly effective) DIY hacks for removing dents from your carpet. However, if you’re doing a big room refresh and have lots of marks to tackle, professional cleaning is the way to go. Here are some of our favorite DIY techniques:
- The ice cube trick is one of the most common and best-known hacks for getting rid of furniture dents and usually produces solid results. Place an ice cube on the divot and let it melt. As the ice melts, the water expands the carpet pile and raises it back to the same level as the rest of your carpet. Gently blot the excess water with a sponge. Then you can use a slim surface like a spoon or coin to rake and perk up the fibers.
- Another trick recommended by home improvement pro Bob Vila involves using water and a blow dryer. Gently wet the carpet, just enough to saturate the fibers. Then use a blow dryer while fluffing the pile with your fingers.
- Another technique is an at-home steam cleaning using a damp towel and an iron. Wet the area with the towel and then pass over the towel with a clothes iron set at medium. Follow up with a vacuum to lift up the fibers. Be aware of your carpet fiber content so you do not melt your carpet or rug, especially those that are of lesser quality or synthetic fibers.
Can A Professional Cleaning Help With Furniture Dents?
If you have heavier indentations from furniture that’s been in one spot for a while–or too many dents to DIY–a professional steam cleaning is the way to go. It eliminates furniture marks and also tackles dirt and wear. So it’s perfect for an extensive post-pandemic rearrangement or room refresh. Loudoun Carpet Care is one of the most recognized names in the region and offers truck-mounted equipment with ten times the cleaning power of portable units. Loudoun Carpet Care uses safe and environmentally-friendly products and provides both hot water extraction and steam cleaning. We also offer in-plant cleaning and dent removal for Oriental and area rugs.
How Can I Prevent Carpet Divots?
As with so many home maintenance tasks, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Let’s take a look at some approaches that can keep those furniture dents from forming:
- High-density carpet is more dent-resistant. Wool is second to none when it comes to resisting indentations. High-quality wool carpeting like Karastan is highly resilient and has a natural bounce that makes it less prone to divots. Wool carpet has a higher price point, but there are so many benefits. It’s also comfortable, easy to clean and environmentally friendly.
- A firm carpet pad can go a long way in preventing divots.
- Try furniture “coasters.” These are pads that go directly under the legs of furniture pieces to redistribute the weight of the piece and reduce denting. They’re often used to prevent scratching on hard flooring but also work well on carpet.
- Move your furniture regularly instead of letting your pieces get stuck in one place for too long. It doesn’t have to be a huge rearrangement. Just shift each piece a few inches from time to time.
- Invest in a carpet rake to give carpet fibers an occasional lift in addition to vacuuming.
- Schedule professional steam cleanings to lift those fibers regularly. It’s also a motivator to move your furniture.
Ditching The Dents With Loudoun Valley Floors and Loudoun Carpet Care
As we all return to social life and entertaining guests, it’s a great time to shake things up a little bit at home. If that includes rearranging the furniture, we’re here for you. Loudoun Carpet Care offers thorough professional cleaning that brings new life to carpets and rugs and can even get out pesky furniture dents. And when it’s time to replace your aging carpet, Loudoun Valley Floors can give you the best advice on products and materials that will resist divots and stay fresh and firm.