Five easy steps to protect your carpet investment

1. 1

   Check your stain-resist warranty. Warranties run 5 to 20 years, and all of them require regular cleaning and immediate spot removal. Your retailer can provide a copy.

2. 2

   Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Once or twice a week at minimum. Sand in the soil cuts fibers and dulls the way they reflect light, and once that happens no cleaning brings back the original look.

3. 3

   Have carpet professionally cleaned every 12 months. That is the guidance from DuPont and major manufacturers. Heavy traffic areas need it more often. If you can see the soil, you have waited too long.

4. 4

   Remove spots immediately. Spots left alone become permanent stains. Use only a cleaner recommended by the manufacturer or your certified cleaner; store-bought products leave soap residue that makes spots return.

5. 5

   Re-apply carpet protector. Foot traffic and harsh cleaners strip the soil resistor built into stain-resistant nylon. Have protector such as Scotchgard reapplied with each professional cleaning.