Carpet Care

In between professional cleanings, you may have to spot clean your carpet. If you have a spill or spot, you must act quickly to minimize staining. The longer the delay, the greater the possibility that the stain will become permanent. Complete removal of spills or spots may require a single solution applied repeatedly or the use of a combination of solutions. Follow these simple guidelines in sequence.**

Note: If your carpet is a Lees® carpet with the Ultra 25® Limited Stain Warranty, it is important to contact 3M at 1-800-352-6789 before you attempt any of the listed stain removal methods.

Blot liquids with a dry, white, absorbent cloth or white (no printing) paper towels. Do not scrub the area! Continue to blot until the area is completely dry. Gently scrape up semi-solids with a rounded spoon and vacuum. Do not add moisture.
Locate the spill on the spot removal chart below, select the first spot removal solution recommended, and follow the spot removal methods listed.
Pretest any spot removal solution in an inconspicuous area to make certain the solution will not damage the fiber or the dye. After applying several drops to the testing area, hold a white cloth on the wet area for 10 seconds.

Examine the carpet and cloth for color transfer, color change, or damage to the carpet. If a change occurs, another cleaning solution should be selected.
Apply a small amount of the selected cleaning solution to a white cloth and work in gently. Work from the edges of the spill to the center to prevent the spill from spreading. Do not scrub! Blot, absorbing as much as possible, and repeat, if necessary. Do not saturate the area as this may cause the spill to penetrate into the backing.

Continue using the first cleaning solution as long as there is a transfer of the spill to the cloth. It is not necessary to use all of the cleaning solutions if the first solution removes the spill.

Rinse the affected area thoroughly with cold water after the spill has been removed. Blot with a dry cloth until all of the solution has been removed. Some cleaning solutions will cause rapid soiling if the solution is not completely removed.

Place a ½ inch later of white paper towels over the affected are to absorb all the moisture, and weigh down with a flat, heavy object.

**Carpet made of natural fibers requires special care. See methods specifically recommended for those carpets..

We recommend the following solution for removal of spots and stains. If you have these on hand, you will be able to handle most common spills. Always use solutions in the concentrations recommended. See the chart below to find the best method for your stain. For assistance in choosing the correct solution, call your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer, and ask which is best for your particular type of carpet.

DETERGENT SOLUTION: Mix ¼ teaspoon of a clean, non-bleach, non-lanolin, non-optical brightening dishwashing liquid per one up of warm water. Allow the detergent to remain on the stain for eight to ten minutes. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. Never use an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that may destroy the carpet color and damage fibers. Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (fluorescent dyes) that discolor the fiber.

DRY POWDER CLEANER: Use powdered carpet cleaners such as Resista® Floor Care Cleaner or comparable product.

DRY CLEANING FLUID: Use caution when using a dry cleaning fluid. A non-flammable spot removal solution is preferred. Transfer solution to the spot with a damp towel-do not apply directly to the spot since direct contact may destroy the backing.

NAIL POLISH REMOVER (without conditioners): Two types of nail polish removers are available. One type contains acetone, a dry cleaning solvent. Use the same precautions as with other dry cleaning solutions. The second type contains amyl acetate, which is used in many paint, oil, and grease removers. Amyl acetate nail polish remover leaves residue that may cause rapid soiling. When using, always rinse the area thoroughly with a dry solvent, such as rubbing alcohol. Consult your warranty before using either of these products.

WHITE VINEGAR SOLUTION: Mix equal parts vinegar with equal parts water or use undiluted if instructed.

METHOD A
1. APPLY A DRY CLEANING SOLVENT – onto a damp towel
2. BLOT – don’t rub
3. REPEAT solvent application as above, do not apply directly to carpet
4. BLOT – don’t rub
5. WATER – apply with a damp towel
6. BLOT – finish with weighted pad of paper towels

METHOD B
1. SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill
2. APPLY DETERGENT SOLUTION – onto a damp towel
3. BLOT – don’t rub
4. APPLY WHITE VINEGAR (undiluted) – using a damp towel
5. BLOT – don’t rub
6. WATER – apply with damp sponge
7. BLOT – finish with weighted pad of paper towels

METHOD C
1. SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill
2. APPLY dry baking soda
3. SCRAPE and VACUUM
4. WATER – use damp sponge to rinse remaining baking soda – don’t over-wet
5. BLOT – don’t rub
6. APPLY DETERGENT SOLUTION – onto a damp towel
7. WATER – rinse as above
8. BLOT – don’t rub – dry well
9. APPLY DRY POWDER CLEANER
10. VACUUM

METHOD D
1. SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill
2. FREEZE with ice cubes
3. SHATTER – with blunt object like the back of a large spoon
4.VACUUM chips away before they melt

METHOD E
1. APPLY NAIL POLISH REMOVER (non-oily type) – use cotton swab to apply to the spill – don’t wet through to carpet backing.
2. PICK UP SOFTENED MATERIALS – use clean white paper towels and push towards the center of the spill each time to avoid spreading the stain.
3. REPEAT ABOVE – soften and carefully remove a layer of the spill each time – haste may spread the stain and/or damage the carpet

METHOD F
1. SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill
2. APPLY DETERGENT SOLUTION – use damp towel – leave on three to five minutes
3. BLOT – don’t rub
4. APPLY WHITE VINEGAR (undiluted) – using a damp towel
5. BLOT – finish with weighted pad of paper towels

METHOD G
1. SCRAPE off excess material
2. COVER with BROWN PAPER
3. APPLY WARM IRON until material is absorbed. Be sure paper is large enough to cover the stained area. Take care never to touch the iron to the carpet as the fiber may melt
4. CHANGE PAPER or ROTATE to clean area and repeat until all material is absorbed

METHOD H
1. VACUUM away as much as possible
2. LOOSEN the remaining material by tapping with a scrub brush or toothbrush – tap and brush – do not scrub
3. VACUUM
4. APPLY DRY POWDER
5. TAP with BRUSH to work powder into carpet tufts – do not scrub
6. LET POWDER DRY – one hour or more
7. VACUUM
8. REPEAT dry powder application, if necessary

Carpet flooring products with a Titanium, Platinum, or Gold SelectAFloor™ warranty carry The Beautiful Guarantee®. If after installation and during the terms of The Beautiful Guarantee® you wish to change your new carpet for a different SelectAFloor™ style or color, your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer will replace it free with another SelectAFloor™ carpet style or color of equal or lesser value. Should you wish to replace your flooring with a SelectAFloor™ carpet upgrade, you may do so by paying the difference in retail price. Any increase in cost due to industry price increases will be the consumer’s responsibility. No monetary compensation will be paid if a lower priced carpet is selected.

This is a one-time only replacement and does not include replacement of cushion. Simply call your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer within the time frame of the warranty and indicate you with to choose another SelectAFloor™ carpet under The Beautiful Guarantee®. This is a replacement warranty and does not apply to matters covered by other warranties.

Replacement includes material and labor. Labor to move furniture, permanent construction (built-ins such as cabinets and bookcases), equipment, or electronics is the responsibility of the customer.

No replacement will be made with respect to carpet that has been glued down, subjected to abuse, vandalism, alteration; or damage caused by smoke, fire, flood, wind, lightning, or any other casualty event. This warranty applies only to the original purchaser of a Carpet One Floor & Home® style carpet that has been professionally installed by a Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer or Carpet One Floor & Home® authorized independent installer.

Note: Custom installation of any carpet installed with inserts or a border are excluded from The Beautiful Guarantee®.
*Area rugs are excluded from this warranty.

At Carpet One Floor & Home®, carpets with a Silver or Bronze SelectAFloor™ warranty carry a No Questions Asked Replacement Warranty*. During the period of your warranty+ after your carpet is installed, you wish to change the style or color of your new SelectAFloor™ carpet, your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer will replace it with another SelectAFloor™ carpet style or color of equal or lesser value, or if the carpet has been discontinued, carpet of comparable quality will be substituted. Should you wish to replace the carpet with a Carpet One Floor & Home® SelectAFloor™ carpet upgrade, you may do so by paying the difference in retail price. No monetary compensation will be paid if a lower priced carpet is selected.

This is a one-time only replacement and does not include replacement of cushion, labor for carpet removal or labor for installation of replacement carpet. Simply call your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer within the time frame of the warranty and indicate you wish to choose another SelectAFloor™ carpet under the No Questions Asked Replacement Warranty. This is a replacement warranty and does not apply to matters covered by other warranties.

No replacements will be made with respect to carpet that has been glued down, subjected to abuse, vandalism, alteration; or damage caused by smoke, fire, flood, wind, lightning, or any other casualty event. This warranty applies only to the original purchaser of a Carpet One Floor & Home® style carpet that has been professionally installed by a Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer or Carpet One Floor & Home® authorized independent installer.

Note: Custom installation of any carpet install with inserts or a border are excluded from the No Questions Asked Warranty.

*Area rugs are excluded from this warranty.
+ The period specified by the warranty level of the product purchased. (See General Terms and Conditions for other conditions that apply.)

Your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer warrants that with proper care and maintenance the pile of your new carpet will not wear by more than 10% by weight from normal foot traffic for the period specified by the warranty level of the product purchased.

Wear is defined as abrasive fiber loss and not a change in appearance. “Shading,” sometimes referred to as ‘watermarking” or “pooling,” is an inherent characteristic of some fine cut pile carpets and is not considered a manufacturing defect. Should you feel that your carpet is not wearing properly, contact your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer. If your carpet suffers excessive wear (more than 10% by weight) during the warranty period, your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer will replace the affected area (the worn area and adjacent areas extending to the nearest wall, doorway, or entrance) with identical carpet; or if the carpet has been discontinued, carpe of comparable quality will be substituted.

Any charges for carpet disposal, new padding, or moving furniture, equipment, etc., are the customer’s responsibility. This Limited Wear Warranty does not apply to carpet installed on stairs and in high moisture areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, boats, etc. This limited warranty covers only abrasive wear resulting in loss of fiber. Wear of damage from tears, pulls, cuts, pilling, shedding, matting, crushing, shading or pile reversal, burns, pets, improper cleaning, improper installation, or defective construction is specifically excluded.

The Usage Fee will be determined as a percentage of the original purchase price, as follows:

0-20 YEAR PRO-RATED SCHEDULE**

1st-5th Year No Usage 8th Year 70% Usage

6th Years 50% Usage 9th Year 80% Usage

7th Year 60% Usage 10th-20th Year 90% Usage

Any Carpet One Floor & Home® carpet that has a Wear Warranty and is professionally installed as a Healthier Living installation will qualify for the Double Wear Warranty***. This warranty applies to Carpet One Floor & Home® styles and approved manufacturers only. Replacements carpet is on a pro-rated schedule which is outlined below. For those carpets without a Carpet One Floor & Home® warranty but is that of an approved manufacturer****, the manufacturer’s Wear Warranty and pro-rated schedule will apply.

*Area rugs are excluded from this warranty
** Except for Lees® carpet.
*** See Healthier Living Pro-rated schedule below for usage fee that applies.
**** See store for details.

Limited Stain Warranty

Most carpets have been specially treated to resist stains. Stain resistance means the ability of the carpet pile to resist (minimize or withstand) permanent stains. No carpet is fully stain-proof. Therefore, this limited warranty excludes stains from:

Non-food and non-beverage substances
Such food and beverages that contain strongly colored natural substantive dyes as found, for example, in mustard and hot beverages
Substances that destroy or change the color of carpets such as bleaches, acne medications, drain cleaners, and plant food/fertilizers
Vomit, urine, and feces
The fiber manufacturer provides most stain warranties. Contact the following fiber manufacturers for further information on care and cleaning and limited stain warranties for your specific carpet as specified by the warranty page.
Carpets made from fibers by:

ANSO®: Call Anso® Smart Lines Consumer Hotline at 1-800-441-7429
DUPONT: Call 866-476-7662
INVISTA®/STAINMASTER: Call 1-800-438-7668
SMARTSTRAND SORONA: Call 1-800-266-4295
WEAR-DATED®: Call the 24-hour hotline 1-800-367-9598

For all other fibers, call your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer. Should your carpet not perform according to this Limited Stain Warranty for the term of your warranty, the affected area will be repaired or replaced. “Life of Floor” means the length of the Limited Wear Warranty specified by the warranty level corresponding to the carpet you purchased. The usage fee will be determined as a percentage of the original purchase.

Note: Some manufacturer stain warranties differ. Please see store for details on your particular carpet.

Certain restrictions may apply. See your retailer for more specific information concerning the recommended cleaning methods for your specific carpet.

See pro-rated schedule above. For Lees® pro-rated schedule see below.

Over time, any carpet may change color due to the accumulation of dry soil from foot traffic. If after following the recommended carpet care and cleaning procedures as essential to minimize color change due to deposits of dry soil as a result of foot traffic from normal, indoor household use which cannot be corrected, your warranty includes repairing or replacing any area of the carpet that does not perform as warranted. “Life of Floor” means the length of the Limited Wear Warranty specified by the warranty level corresponding to the carpet you purchased.

To qualify for coverage under this warranty, you must have tried cleaning the affected area of your carpet. If the affected area remains unsatisfactory, then you must have the affected area professionally cleaned. If the affected area still remains unsatisfactory after professional cleaning, you must contact your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer where purchased within 30 days of the professional cleaning.

This warranty is limited to color changes due to deposits of dry soil as a result of foot traffic from normal indoor household use which cannot be corrected. Specifically excluded are: color changes from grease, asphalt, tar, paints, ink, rust, blood, cement, materials that permanently destroy dyes or alter color (such as bleaches, acne medications, drain cleaners, and plant food), urine, feces, vomit; appearance or color changes on stairs or due to burns, pets, tears, cuts, pulls, shading or pile reversal; furniture depressions; or athletic equipment.

During the first five years of the warranty, there will be no charge for replacement carpet. Replacement carpet is pro-rated based on the number of years it has been installed. The usage fee will be determined as a percentage of the original purchase.

A regular maintenance program extends the life of the original appearance of your carpet. Today’s carpet fibers are designed to hide dirt, reflect light and have the ability to resist soiling and stains. However, the lack of apparent soiling does not eliminate the necessity of regular cleaning. Give your carpet the normal protection from direct sunlight that you would give to any colored fabric to avoid color loss.

You will need to vacuum your heavy traffic areas, such as hallways, stairs, and exterior entryways at least twice a week. Vacuum less heavily used areas weekly. For best results, use a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar or rotating brush and with a strong enough airflow to penetrate to the carpet backing.

Carpet with thick loop pile construction, particularly wool and wool-blend styles, may be sensitive to brushing or rubbing of the pile surface and may become fuzzy. For these products, and those styles with a combination thick or thin or cable yarn, a suction-only vacuum is recommended or a vacuum with an adjustable brush lifted away from the carpet so it does not agitate the pile. A vacuum with a beater bar or rotating brush can be tested for excessive fuzzing in an inconspicuous location before regular use. Be aware of vacuums that have aggressive action which may damage the surface of your carpet.

Carpet One Floor & Home® does not recommend a vacuum brand. There are brands that offer adjustable beater bars or even a feature to turn the beater bar off in some cases. The Carpet and Rug Institute (www.carpet-rug.org) also offers information and ratings of vacuums.

Most dry soil has razor-like edges that abrade carpet fibers, causing light to reflect differently and give carpet a dull appearance. Soil can damage the fibers permanently if allowed to remain in the pile.

No matter how often you vacuum, your carpet will still need heavy-duty cleaning from time to time. Professional cleaning every 18-24 months is required to maintain your Carpet One Floor & Home® warranty (Unless there is heavier usage, in which case your carpet will have to be cleaned at closer intervals). We would be glad to advise you about which cleaning method is best for your particular carpet. Hot water extraction, either alone or in combination with cleaning, is require to maintain most warranties.* ** Some styles, however, must be cleaned in other ways. Be sure to check with your Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer for the recommended cleaning method for your particular carpet. A trained professional should perform this service at least every 18-24 months to refresh the texture and rejuvenate the fibers in your carpet. Have the cleaning professionals come to your home for a visual inspection, and obtain a written agreement before the work is started. You must retain your receipts for proof of maintenance service should a warranty claim arise.
When you and your cleaning professional choose a cleaning method, fiber content is the most important concern. Most carpet today is constructed with synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester, olefin, or triexta and may be cleaned with most cleaning methods. These warranties also specifically exclude any EverTouch® or ClearTouch® carpet which has been treated after installation with any silicone-based anti-soil treatments. Natural fibers such as wool, cotton, silk, and sisal may require specialized care. Use a cleaning method recommended by the carpet manufacturer to maintain their warranty, and if you should have any questions or concerns about your new carpet, just call you Carpet One Floor & Home® retailer.

*If you purchased the Everguard® Stain Protection Plan with your carpet, contact the 3M Service Center (1-800-352-6789) for spot removal instructions prior to using the following spot removal methods.

**The warranty requirement for hot water extraction of all Stainmaster carpet is once every 18 months.