What Are the Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Carpet?

May 24, 2022
worker removing old carpet

There’s no denying that the sight of an old carpet is a rather sad scene. Wear and tear take a toll on the whole thing, making the living space seem outdated and neglected.

Here, we’ll go over the signs that it’s time to replace your carpet that’s run its course and needs to be tossed, as well as some tips and tricks you need to follow to prevent this from happening too often.

What Are the Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Carpet?

Since you can never be sure when the carpeting was installed, you might be inclined to change it while renovating your place. 

However, no one likes wasting money, quite literally, on the ground, especially when you’re not sure it’s old enough to be replaced.

If you’re still grappling with the idea of replacing your carpet, read on to find out the signs that it’s time to do it.

Stains That Won’t Come Off

We all know that panicking moment when you realise a splash of red wine landed on the floor, let alone that floor being a beige or taupe carpet. 

After a few of these incidents, no number of rugs or house plants can cover up the stains, or splotchy attempts of cleaning them up.

Once you’re building an obstacle course on your living room floor to hide stains, it’s time to say goodbye to the carpet and install a new one. 

This time around, maybe opt for a darker colour that won’t stain as easily.

Mould or Damp

This is a particularly serious reason to change your carpet, especially if someone in your flat or house has asthma. 

Mould often grows in warm, humid areas and can infect your carpet after a leak in the walls, the floor, or the ceiling of the downstairs flat.

Mould produces spores that cause respiratory problems and can be life-threatening to people with severe allergies. 

So if you notice black, green, or white stains that change shape every few days, you need to address the leak, treat the mould, and then replace your carpet.

Ignoring this problem will only make it worse with time, and in some instances, the whole floor will have to be replaced, not just the carpet.

Musty Odour That Never Goes Away

The musty odour is usually a combination of dirty socks, mould, and, for those of us who have the pleasure to be pet parents, the dreaded “pet smell”. 

Cats and dogs are a lovely addition to the family, but before they’re properly litter-trained, they wreak havoc on the floors. Even with a thorough cleaning after every accident, at some point, the smell will prevail. 

It’s easy to find out for sure if your house has that odour if you spend a couple of days away, come back, and take a whiff as soon as you open the door. 

Our noses indeed get accustomed to certain smells after a while, and it takes a couple of days of fresh air to reset them.

However, if you have guests over, that smell can prevent them from ever wanting to come back. So for the sake of future company, change the carpet.

Wear and Tear

All good things come to an end eventually, even that groovy new carpet you had installed at the turn of the millennium. You’ll notice matting, bald spots, fraying around the edges, and areas where the padding has been completely flattened.

This is all normal wear and tear, and it’s a sign there was a lot of dancing, running, and cricket practice in the halls and living areas. Nothing to be sad about here!

Usually, carpets of good quality in homes with 2–4 people have to be replaced every 5–10 years. If you suspect the one you have at home is a shoddy polyester mess, then the figure drops to 3–5 years.

Allergic Reactions

Of all flooring options, carpets are the worst when it comes to holding on to allergens, such as dirt, pet dander, dust mites, and pollen. 

Eyes watering and itching, stuffy noses, sneezing, and sometimes even wheezing can be a sign your carpet needs replacing. 

While carpet floors are cosy and give off a homey feeling, when you or a family member of yours are suffering, it won’t make sense to hold on to it. 

Linoleum, hardwood, or even ceramic tiling can be safer, hypoallergenic options.

Aesthetic Choices

Fads come and go with interior design as with fashion. It’s hard to imagine yourself wearing the same thing you wore proudly back in the 80s, right? 

Apply the same thing to carpeting. Even if the carpet is in meticulously good condition, just the old patterns and colours age the place. This is especially important if you’re looking to sell and don’t want to devalue your flat or house.

So ditch the paisley and swirl patterns and embrace the bold, solid colours!

How to Keep Your Carpet in a Great Condition for Longer

Here are a few, easy steps to lengthen the interval between each carpet replacement:

  1. Opt for a darker colour, like navy blue or maroon, to disguise any possible stains that would otherwise show on a cream or beige carpet.
  2. Use a carpet stain protector, which coats the carpet fibres and makes them less absorbent to liquids. You’ll notice the liquids “bead” on the surface of the fibres.
  3. Fix any leaks in your kitchen or bathroom, and seek a professional mould remediation service if you notice any growths. This will protect the new carpet and keep it in great shape for longer.

Wrapping Up

Carpet flooring is a great way of making your home feel, well, like home. However, if the condition of the carpet is less than great, it will reflect negatively on the whole place. 

It could be the multiple stains that can’t be cleaned, the unpleasant odour that lingers around, or maybe the allergic symptoms that get worse when you’re home. All of these reasons are good enough to consider replacing your carpet as soon as possible.

You also don’t have to wait until the carpet is mouldy and matted to replace it, maybe a change of colour is all your house needs to look in tip-top shape!