Cleaning and Maintenance

Regular maintenance of your Helios carpet keeps it looking its best. The simplest and most frequent maintenance involves vacuuming, spot removal, and preventive measures.

Vacuuming
Regular and thorough vacuuming once a week (more often in heavy traffic areas) is an economical and effective way to remove soil and dirt particles before they become embedded into the pile of the carpet. For best results, empty your vacuum bag when half full.

• An upright vacuum with a beater bar/brush is best for cut pile carpet.
• A suction-only vacuum is recommended for loop pile Berber carpet to prevent excessive fuzzing.

Spot & Stain Removal
With spot and stain removal, speed is of the essence.

• Blot up liquids with paper towel or absorbent cloth. Scoop up solids with the end of a knife or spoon.
• Follow our spot removal chart, applying the cleaning agent to a white towel or cloth-- not directly to the spot. Use small quantities. Always work inwards from edge to prevent spreading. Do not rub, as this may cause the spot to spread or distort the pile. Do not over-wet the carpet pile.
• Afterwards, blot as dry as possible with clean towel.

Preventive Measures
A few preventive measures can go a long way in protecting your carpet.

• Place absorbent mats at entrances to your home; change or launder when these mats become dirty.
• Regularly change filters in your heating and air conditioning systems.
• Clean traffic lanes and in front of frequently used chairs periodically with an absorbent powder such as Host®, Capture® or Dri-Matic®.
• Do not apply stain repellent treatments that contain any silicone, because they tend to accelerate carpet soiling.

Interim Maintenance
Occasionally, more comprehensive cleaning is needed to restore color and appearance. Impregnated absorbent compound - inert powders impregnated with a mixture of cleansing agents and solvents - can be brushed into the carpet pile on an interim basis to absorb dirt from the carpet fiber.

Periodic Maintenance
Thorough cleaning is required periodically to remove the deepest soil. There are many deep cleaning methods you can use to ensure the beauty and life of a wool carpet or rug. Wools of New Zealand recommends using heat water extraction by a professional and reputable cleaner, whose references have been checked. There are two organizations- The Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (ASCR) and The Institute for Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) that train wool cleaners. You can find a Certified Wool Care Specialist by calling ASCR at 1-800-272-7012 or IICRC at 1-800-835-4624