With the holidays coming up, there’s a good chance you’re probably in a panic trying to get your home to look nice for all of your guests. Of course, you could simply want to treat yourself to fresh carpets. No matter what the reason, you’ve probably discovered that having nice carpets could cost you a whole lot of money if you don’t look in the right places. Don’t worry yet though! There’s actually plenty of ways you can help your carpets look amazing while saving some major money. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a simple cleaning or you want all new carpets, these ten tips will help you find the savings you need this holiday season.
1. Vacuum Often
It doesn’t matter how dirty or clean your carpets get, one key way to keep them looking great is to vacuum often. Try to work it into your routine at least once a week, so you won’t have to deal with your carpet looking old and overly used. When you don’t vacuum often, it allows dirt to embed in the fibers of the carpet. The longer you go, the more comfortable the dirt gets, which means the dirtier your carpet is going to look even when it’s clean. This is especially bad when you have lighter colored carpets, so try to keep up with the vacuuming if you can or purchase a robot that will do all of the work for you. One of the key times to vacuum is when you’ve freshly deep cleaned the carpets or you purchase new carpets. This not only helps you get in the habit, but will also keep the fresh fibers from being plagued with dirt, dust and anything else that finds its way on your carpet.
2. Use Rugs
When it comes to keeping things clean, rugs are a great option and they don’t have to cost a whole lot of money. You can find a cheap rug at most department stores, especially if you’re only looking for a simple design or solid color. The best thing about rugs are, they can easily and cheaply be replaced in most cases. So, if they end up stained or develop a smell then you won’t have to worry about hiring professional cleaners or hiring someone to install new rugs. If you’re getting brand new carpet then you might want to consider buying a new rug to simply help out when it comes to avoiding stains, especially when it comes to the Thanksgiving crowd. Of course, if you’re looking for a cheap way to hide your carpet then a rug is also the answer.
3. Move Furniture
Believe it or not, but getting in touch with your feng shui side might help you keep your carpet looking nice and neat. Organizing furniture is a great way to help make any room look new and fresh, but it’s especially good for your carpets. After having your furniture a certain way in the home, only specific areas of the carpet are exposed to the spill ranges and other potential stains your home faces. By simply moving around the furniture, you can expose carpet that looks fresher than ever. Plus, if you’re strategic in your planning, you can easily cover up old stains that may be eyesores. Rotating furniture every few months may not only help make your home look and feel more appealing, but may also help bring convenience to your home during the passing seasons. So, you may want to check out what feng shui options you can utilize to make this option work wonders for your holiday celebrations.
4. Anti-Stain Spray
If you have kids then you’ve probably heard of the power of anti-stain sprays, such as scotch guard. This amazing spray actually helps protect all sorts of things from stains, which means your items will look good for a lot longer, even with toddlers in the home! Another great thing about scotch guard is it makes things a lot easier to clean up because the spray doesn’t allow anything to soak into the carpet. The best thing about this spray is it actually isn’t all that expensive, so you can probably get the scotch guard on your carpet before the guests arrive, despite the holiday budget. Of course, if your carpet already has lots of stains then it could lock them in and it certainly won’t hide them from your guests. However, if you’re worried about guests causing more damage than this is the route to go. Scotch guarding your carpet will probably do the best work when used on new carpet though. Don’t worry, you won’t have to hire someone to come install it either. In fact, it’s totally easy to do on your own!
5. Know Your Stains
One of the best things you can do for your carpet is understand how to remove a wide assortment of stains. If you’re already on top of what’s going on with the carpet then there’s a great chance that you can totally avoid the stain becoming a permanent part of your carpet. For instance, if you find your child’s craft time was a little too intense and they somehow managed to get glue everywhere then all you need to do is moisten cotton or fabric with a little rubbing alcohol. This will allow you to get rid of the glue without leaving a trace. If your manicure wasn’t as easy going as you expected then use nail polish remover to remove whatever polish ends up on the carpet. Also, wine can be one of the worst stains, especially around the holiday. This can easily be cured with a mixture of water and dish washing detergent. If you have kids then you will probably also want to know some of the more complex stain solutions. For instance, kool aid! This favored kid beverage is great to drink, but will destroy your carpet. Luckily, a bit of white vinegar and water will help get this stain out of your life for good.
6. DIY Deep Clean
When it comes to giving carpets a newer look, without actually replacing the carpet, one of the best things you can do is give the carpets a deep cleaning. Now, this can cost quite a bit of money if you pay someone to do it for you. Between the cost of labor, the machine and cleaning supplies, you’ll probably end up with a price tag that might mean a few less desserts and sides at the Thanksgiving table. There is one really easy solution to this problem though. Do it yourself! You can easily rent a machine from a wide variety of stores, so make sure to look around and see who has the best deal. Of course, if you think you’ll need to clean frequently then you may consider buying a machine. There’s lots of great refurbished models on the market, but you may also find a good newer model at a great price or on sale. You don’t even have to stress about the cleaning solution as there’s lots of DIY recipes online, or you can follow coupons and sales. Generally, the cleaning supplies won’t set you back too much though.
7. No Shoe Policy
With the holidays upon us, you’ll probably have a lot of feet coming in and out of your house. Not to mention, the weather isn’t exactly the nicest during this time of the year, so your guests are probably dragging in snow, mud, dead leaves and a wide assortment of other potential carpet stains. So, if you’re looking to save your carpet, or at least help keep it cleaner then you may want to institute a no shoe policy in the home. Simply set up an area for guests to store their shoes and everything should be good. Of course, you may want to put down something to help keep the mud and other potential stains off of the entry way area. A cheap shower curtain or even a trash bag could help solve the problem. To promote your no shoe state of mind you may want to add a fun touch to the concept. For instance, you can have a wacky sock competition.
8. Find a Special
It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on buying new carpet or just looking for a cleaning, because finding a special on your desired service is the best way to save some money. Luckily, around this time of the year, you should run into lots of special as everyone will be looking for an added boost during the holiday season. If you call up cleaners in your area and ask about their specials, you should be able to find the perfect deal for you. You may even be able to haggle a bit or have the business compete for your business. Carpet is the same story as many stores will host sales on new carpet. You may have to pay full price for some of the other materials and labor though, so if you’re not 100% satisfied with the deal try to hold off.
9. Know When To Buy
If you plan on actually buying carpet, you should keep in mind when to buy the product. There’s lots of times in the year when carpet is pretty pricey, so you want to avoid shopping at all in these peak periods. Even if there is a sale going on, the chances are you will save next to nothing in comparison to just waiting. Luckily, the holidays are a great time to shop for carpet. Most people have their budget going towards food, gifts and other items to celebrate the holidays. Thus, a lot of carpet stores are looking for the extra business to help keep them afloat during the dry season. If you plan accordingly, you may get a pretty amazing deal that will leave you amazed. Another great time to buy carpet is around Spring Break. While most people want to escape for the week, these stores will be lacking in business. Plus, with the weather a bit nicer, it might be a great time have your home installed with new carpet, so you can start fresh after the muddy winter months. You should avoid buying during the preholiday though. For instance, October and November are not a good idea because most people are in holiday preparation mode. Summer is also a terrible idea for new carpet as is tax season when everyone has an influx of money.
10. DIY Install
Of course, if you’re planning on buying new carpet, there’s one final step you can take to help keep the costs down. That is, install the new carpet yourself. This may feel pretty intimidating, but you don’t have to worry about it because it’s really not as hard as it looks. There’s plenty of tutorials online, so you can easily figure it out without having to go to great lengths. Plus, with video tutorials all over the place, you may find installing carpet is your new favorite, albeit expensive, hobby. All in all, this DIY project will help you feel like a bigger part of your home and will give you some major bragging rights over the holidays. Plus, you won’t have to stress over your budget as much.
Keeping your carpets fresh and clean is easier said than done. If you’re not careful then, before you know it, you could pour thousands into the carpets in your home. These ten simple tricks will help you on your way to keeping your home’s carpet looking outstanding whether it’s new or old!
