What is the best carpet?
Carpet choice is based on your personal taste and the needs around your home or office. A clear understanding of your needs will help you choose a carpet that is best for you. By considering the following factors, you will be on the right path to making an informed decision.

	What is your style or décor theme?
	Do you want the latest colour options?
	Do you want a plain or textured effect?
	Do you want a functional, hardwearing carpet?

	Are the paths around your home or office sealed or unsealed?
	What is the likelihood of dirt and grime being tracked in?
	Do you entertain in some rooms more than others?

	Do you have a family that spends a lot of time at home?
	What are the high traffic areas around your home?
	What is the likelihood of staining (from mud, food, etc)?

	Do you want to create a certain style?
	In a business environment, does the carpet have to comply with any building regulations such as flammability?

This is one of the most important questions of all!

Which is better: wool or synthetic carpet?
Both fibres have great characteristics; neither fibre is better than the other. A quality carpet is made with superior materials through a well-monitored manufacturing process using the latest technology. This level of craftsmanship will produce a carpet that offers maximum performance.

When selecting a carpet to satisfy your needs, you should consider factors such as style and texture, colour, durability and carpet grading. To find out more about the characteristics and benefits of wool/synthetic fibres, please click here.

Do you need a special vacuum cleaner for different types of carpet?
It is important to vacuum your carpet thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high traffic areas. Vacuum cleaners fitted with micro filter systems ensure fine particles (such as dustmite allergens) are removed and stay in the collection bag, which is particularly important if you are dust sensitive.

We recommend that you use a different vacuum cleaner for different styles of carpet. For low cut pile carpets, we suggest a vacuum cleaner with a rotating brush that agitates the pile and loosens the soil for easier carpet maintenance. When vacuuming loop pile, cut-loop pile or berber carpet, we recommend that you turn the brush off or change the head to prevent excess fuzzing.

Ensure the vacuum is kept in sound mechanical condition and brushes are cleaned and replaced when worn. Regularly check and adjust the height of beaters (if fitted) to ensure the carpet is not damaged by excessive beating. Su ction efficiency of vacuum cleaners is reduced considerably when bags are half full. Change or empty dust collection bags frequently and replace filters as recommended by the manufacturer.

Do I need stain protection on wool carpets?
In a word, NO! Wool carpet has long been known for its natural ability to resist dirt, stains and spills. This means that stain resistance treatments are usually unnecessary. With its unique and complex structure, wool’s hard, microscopic external fibre scales give your carpet natural stain and soil resistance.

Wool is one of the most forgiving and easiest fibres to clean and maintain. As wool does not easily attract lint, vacuum cleaning is easier – in wet cleaning, fibres swell and release dirt particles.

Who will install my new carpet?
Usually your retailer will offer installation as part of the sales package or after-sales service. Installation should be discussed with your retailer during the sales negotiation.

All carpet should be installed on new underlay that is compatible with the quality, and proposed use, of your carpet and otherwise in accordance with Australian Standards Association Carpet Installation Recommendations AS2455-1995 and the Godfrey Hirst Carpets Recommendations for Installing Tufted Carpet (as set out in the Godfrey Hirst Carpet Maintenance and Guarantee booklet or www.godfreyhirst.com) unless otherwise specified.

Why does the colour of carpet look different at home?
Lighting can change your perception of carpet colour, making it look like particular areas are lighter or darker than others. The lighting environment between a carpet retail store and your home may also vary, therefore we recommend that you take a sample of carpet and view it in your home for colour before making your final purchasing decision.

Also, during use, pressure on carpet pile causes the pile to lie in different directions creating the effect of “shading”. This shading is a characteristic of cut-pile carpets (particularly solid colour). While affecting appearance, it has no detrimental effect on the performance of the carpet.