The appearance of a new carpet always improves the look of any room, but without regular cleaning dirt and grit will soon start to damage the new carpet.

The majority of dirt and grit that finds its way onto home carpets is brought in on the shoes of the occupants and unless a carpet is vacuumed regularly, will soon find its way deep into the carpet fibers. Modern carpet fibers are more resistant to wear and abrasion but eventually damage will be done to the carpet.

When the carpet is walked on, the dirt and grit acts as an abrasive and, like sandpaper, will start to rub, abrade and wear the individual carpet fibers. The appearance of the carpet depends upon the color and surface finish of the individual fibers, so as they become scratched and damaged by abrasion and wear, the carpet loses its attractive new look.

The action of dirt on carpets will be particularly evident at entrances and other heavy traffic areas where the gritty particles are frequently rubbed into the fibers and do most damage. Using entrance mats can help prevent damage to carpet fibers by trapping most of the dirt that is brought in on shoes.

Also, the carpet will simply become matted and discolored as the dirt gets rubbed into the fibers. The dirt eventually becomes embedded and difficult to remove. In particular, oily and greasy stains can be very difficult to clean when the oil and grease has become rubbed deep into the carpet. It can lead to the carpet taking on a yellowed and grimy appearance as the carpet fibers become impregnated with oily dirt.

The effect of dirt on home carpet fibers can permanently spoil the appearance of a new carpet when damage is caused by wear and abrasion. Regular cleaning and the use of entrance mats is the best way to avoid the damage to carpets caused by dirt and grit.