Do Plastic Carpet Protectors REALLY Protect Carpeting?
You may be wondering, do plastic carpet protectors really protect carpeting? In this blog post from the Carter’s Carpet Restoration blog, we will try to answer all of your questions.
Carpeting plays a large part in how your home looks and feels. Obviously, you want to protect your carpet and take good care of it. But are frequent vacuuming and an occasional professional cleaning enough? For some, yes.
For others, more protection is needed. If you fall into that category, you may want to consider investing in plastic carpet runners to protect those high-traffic areas. The plastic offers a solid barrier between you and the carpet. This means that soil will not penetrate to the carpet fibers, but you won’t have the pleasure of plush flooring under your feet.
What Is A Plastic Carpet Runner?
Have you ever wondered what a plastic carpet runner is? A plastic carpet runner is made of a pliable plastic and placed on carpets to protect them. They are often used in high-traffic areas like hallways, stairs, or doorways.
Plastic runners come in many different colors and styles so they can match any decor! They are supposed to keep your carpets safe from dirt, debris, stains and heavy foot traffic too. Using plastic carpet runners can be a great way to cut down on vacuuming. However, we’ll need to take a deeper look into this matter.
Choosing The Right Plastic Carpet Runner
First, make sure you are investing in the right type of protective runner. There are two main types. For long term use, a thicker plastic with a textured bottom that secures the runner to the carpet is the best choice. This will give you a more stable surface, and the runner will be less likely to shift.
For temporary use (meaning less than 24 hours), select rolled plastic or a drop cloth that lays over the carpet. WARNING: It is best to avoid any carpet protector that has adhesive in it. Adhesive is a sticky substance that keeps the runner in place. The adhesive can transfer to your carpet. It is very difficult to remove and you run the risk of doing permanent damage to your carpeting. Select a disposable plastic carpet runner without adhesive. Having to deal with the runner shifting a bit is much easier than removing adhesive from your carpet fibers.
Carpet Care Is Crucial To Overall Protection And Longevity Of Carpeting
Even with a long term plastic carpet runner, proper carpet cleaning is important. A runner doesn’t eliminate the need for regular vacuuming. A plastic carpet runner offers protection, it doesn’t prevent soil from coming into your home.
When using a plastic carpet runner for an extended period of time (several years or more) be aware the uneven fading can occur. To protect against uneven fading simply roll up the runner when you will be gone for more than a few days at a time. This will ensure that your carpeting has regular exposure to sunlight and airflow.