Axminster carpets are revered for their high-quality craftsmanship, long-established reputation and durability. If, like thousands of other people, you’ve chosen an Axminster carpet for your home or business, knowing how to maintain and clean it will be essential. As well as taking care of the carpet yourself, using a professional Axminster carpet cleaning company will ensure your Axminster carpet stands the test of time.
1. What is an Axminster carpet?
Before we delve into how to maintain and clean an Axminster carpet, it’s worthwhile talking a bit about what an Axminster carpet is.
Essentially, an Axminster carpet is a particular type of carpet that was originally made in Axminster, in the South West of the UK. The history of the Axminster carpet dates back to 1755, making it one of the oldest and most prestigious carpet types to be manufactured in the UK.
Traditionally handmade using locally-sourced wool, Axminster carpets stand out for their bright colours and distinctive floral patterns, geometric shapes, stripes and beautiful designs.
Modern Axminster carpets now tend to be machine-woven, yet are constructed to look like they’ve been made by hand, making them a popular option for someone who wants a carpet that resembles a handmade version, but without the expensive price tag. They are also constructed in a specific way, where the pile and backing are weaved together at the same time, making them much stronger and more durable compared to other types of carpet.
Axminster carpets are still made from natural fibres like wool and cotton, but also synthetic materials, making them versatile for use in different rooms and even high-traffic areas.
Thanks to the long history of Axminster carpets, they’re synonymous with high-quality and durability, and are a sought-after choice for both homeowners and many different types of businesses, including hotels and restaurants. The Axminster carpet is even the preferred choice for many Royal palaces!
2. Maintaining an Axminster carpet
Like any type of carpet, you should get into the habit of regularly vacuuming your Axminster carpet, especially if it’s located in a high-traffic area. Vacuuming will help to pick up loose dirt and dust particles, so they don’t sink deeper into the pile of your Axminster carpet.
If you have an Axminster with a woven or tufted twist cut pile, use a vacuum cleaner with a high suction, brush and beater bar. Use a cylinder vacuum cleaner if your Axminster has a tufted loop pile.
3. Cleaning up spillages
Spillages happen whatever type of carpet you have, so what should you do when something gets spilled or dropped onto your Axminster pile? The key thing is to act quickly to reduce the risk of it permanently staining your carpet.
Start by blotting up the excess liquid with a clean absorbent cloth, or use a blunt knife or spatula to scoop up any solid mess. Never rub at the spillage as you could inadvertently set the stain deeper into the carpet or make it bigger. Work from the outside edges of the stain inwards, when cleaning it, to prevent the stain increasing in size.
4. Identify the type of spillage
How you deal with a stain in your Axminster carpet largely depends on the source of the spillage. If things like wine, water, urine, vomit, pet accidents or ballpoint pen ink have ended up in the carpet, after you’ve blotted up any excess liquid, mix a teaspoon of wool detergent with approximately half a pint of water, and sponge onto the spillage. Rinse with warm, clean water, and blot until as much of the liquid has been removed as possible. Brush the pile in the right direction, and leave the carpet to dry.
5. Oily or greasy stains
If the spillage is oily or greasy, such as from cooking oils, cosmetics, nail polish, wax as well as blood, apply a household dry-cleaning powder onto the stain. Read the instructions carefully on the product label. For most oily or greasy stains, you can then add the wool detergent and water mixture to the spillage, as outlined above. After you’ve removed the stain, let the carpet dry naturally.
6. Drinks, juices and paint
For some drinks and juices, including milk, cola, tea, coffee as well as gravy, sauces and emulsion paint, mix together one part white vinegar with three parts of warm, clean water and gently sponge onto the stain. After around 15 minutes or so, sponge the area again with warm, clean water and blot until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Brush the pile to retain its original direction.
7. Expert stain assistance
Removing stains from your Axminster carpet can be tricky, so if in doubt, contact a professional Axminster carpet cleaning company if you don’t want to risk causing any damage to your carpet by attempting to remove stains yourself. This is especially important if you have a carpet made from wool or other natural materials, which can be delicate and sensitive to cleaning products, and aren’t as easy to remove stains compared to synthetic fibres. A wool safe carpet cleaning London company or other specialist local to you should be able to assist in this case.
8. Deep cleaning
Another key part of the maintenance of your Axminster carpet is to get it deep cleaned regularly, typically around once per year, even if it isn’t visibly stained. Deep cleaning can remove the ground-in dirt, dust, allergens, bacteria, odours and germs that can become trapped in the carpet pile as time goes by.
Experts recommend the hot water extraction method to deep clean Axminster carpets, in conjunction with a suitable carpet shampoo. It’s important not to overwet the carpet, however, which can happen if you use hot water extraction cleaning systems yourself, so it’s better to leave this to the professionals.
9. Use professional cleaning services
A professional Axminster carpet cleaning business will know how to safely deep clean your Axminster carpet using an industrial hot water extraction machine, and natural cleaning detergents that clean your carpet safely, whilst removing very high levels of deep-seated dirt.
At Carpet Bright UK, we are equipped and qualified to clean your Axminster carpets, and as a wool safe carpet cleaning London business, we can clean delicate wool materials and other natural fibres in your Axminster carpet.
