Everything you need to know about carpets

At Nordiska Galleriet we always advocate quality, which is also reflected in our ever-growing range. We also understand that people don't like to take chances when buying a rug, especially online. Therefore, we have now produced a comprehensive carpet guide that contains everything you need to know — so that you can make a wise purchase decision for you and your home.

Where should the carpet be used?

The type of carpet you should buy depends largely on which room it will be placed in. A carpet in the hallway may need to be both reversible and hard-wearing, while a carpet in the living room should be designed to create warmth and comfort.

We always recommend all our customers to buy an underlay for almost all our carpets. Even if you don't feel like spending more money than you already have, you will save it in the long run. You reduce wear and tear on both the floor and the carpet.

Advice: When you buy a new carpet and finally roll it out over the floor, don't forget to vacuum the floor thoroughly first. This is to eliminate the risk of any hard gravel or similar getting under the carpet. Despite its seemingly small size, daily friction can tear and damage the underside of the carpet over time.

The living room

The living room is the room where everything from Friday night chats with the family to late night parties with guests takes place. Both aesthetics and comfort therefore become a necessity. The living room doesn't need to be as sensitive to spills and stains as the kitchen, but it's still a good idea to keep this aspect in mind.

If you're looking for a carpet that gives your living room a soft and warm feel, while providing good resistance to dirt and stains, we recommend a tufted wool carpet. Keep in mind that our furry friends also appreciate comfort. So think about your choice of carpet colour. If you have a black dog or cat, a white carpet may be a less practical choice, at least for those who prefer not to vacuum at least once a week.

Rya carpets have become increasingly popular again, exuding a strong homely feel with a cosiness factor that is as much visual as physical. A disadvantage for the pedant, but advantage for the opposite, is that it is difficult to tell if the carpet is actually dirty and dusty. A film night can easily result in lots of chip crumbs making their way to the bottom of the long-haired carpet. However, these, especially the larger ones, have a good impact on the room's acoustics.

Advice: If you choose a Rya carpets, it should be turned over from time to time to knock out the dirt and crumbs that the vacuum cleaner never seems to bite. Then vacuum the floor thoroughly before turning it over. Read more about the care instructions for Rya carpets below.

The kitchen or dining room

The kitchen carpet is often exposed to both dirt and wear, as we move around a lot in the kitchen and both food and drink can easily end up on the floor. The obvious choice in most cases is a durable carpet that is easy to clean. Since we spend so much time in the kitchen, the carpet is exposed to wear and tear to a much greater extent than in many other rooms.

Kilim mats/woven carpets: These work great under the dining group in the dining room and kitchen as they are quite dense and in almost all cases reversible. Should one side start to look noticeably worn, you can always flip it over for a fresh new look. Often this can also be a lifesaver if you have a big stain that can't be removed.

Plastic carpets: For families with young children, a plastic carpet can be a practical and time-saving option. Its size makes it impossible to fit in the washing machine, but it's still much easier to clean than, say, a kelim carpet as you can use a floor mop or hand wash it in the bath.

In terms of appearance, a rya rug, or a knotted or tufted carpet, can look great under a dining group. However, this is a more suitable option if you have a dining room that is mainly used for dinner parties. For more frequent use, where you pull the dining chairs in and out on a daily basis, their durability is significantly reduced.

Advice: When placing a rug under the dining group, it is always worth thinking about the colour choice. If you are interested in a lighter colour such as white, beige or light grey, it should also be easy to clean.

The hallway

Just like in the kitchen, we also move around a lot in the hallway. Since the space is often both narrow and elongated, there are not many options when it comes to the placement of the hallway carpet. Maybe you forgot the lunch box in the morning and quickly run in without taking off your shoes, or maybe the toddlers happily stomp past the doormat after playing in the sandbox.

However, if you have a good doormat and avoid stepping on the hallway carpet with your shoes, you can choose quite freely among both types and materials. It can make everyday life easier if you choose a dirt-resistant material like wool, or cotton that is easy to wash.

Another possibility here is a plastic carpet. Not only do they tend to offer a wide range of colours and lots of different patterns, they are in most cases machine washable. That way, you don't have to go grey every time someone accidentally gets the carpet dirty. There is also often a wide variety of shapes, making it easy to find both a walkway carpet or something more square or round.

The bedroom

Not unlike the living room, we also like to create a cosy atmosphere in the bedroom. Therefore, the choice of bedroom carpet does not differ much either. With a strong rya rug or a slightly fluffy tufted wool rug, it immediately becomes much easier to put your feet on the floor in the morning, instead of directly on that cold winter floor.

Advice: If you have a dust allergy, or are just extra sensitive to dust, it's a good idea to choose a slightly smoother and thinner carpet. For example, you should avoid a long-haired rya carpet or a tufted carpet. They collect a lot of dust that can easily cause discomfort. The same is true if you have a dog or cat despite being allergic to furry animals, as their hair can easily get stuck in them.

The bathroom

As you probably already know, moisture and textiles are not always the best combination. At the same time, few of us like to put our wet feet directly on the floor after a shower or a nice bath. This is why a terry cloth mat, for example in cotton, is ideal. These have fantastic absorbency and dry quickly when hung up, just like a normal towel. You can also wash them over and over again.

Another, perhaps less environmentally friendly option is regular plastic carpets. Although their material is relatively resistant to moisture, constant machine washing will wear them out in a fairly short time. As we as a society become more environmentally conscious, it is also becoming more common to choose a terry cloth carpet. You won't have to constantly buy new carpets either.

Choose the right measurements

Dimensions have an incredible impact on both aesthetics and function. Here, it is extremely important that you carefully measure the size of the carpet you will need.

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Kilim carpets

Kilim carpets are beautifully woven oriental carpets that are often striped or come with a colourful pattern. The main advantage of these carpets is that they are almost always reversible. This doubles their lifespan, especially against wear and tear from sun exposure or dirt stains that won't go away.

Many people use kilim carpets in the living room because they create a very cosy atmosphere. One decorating method is to place several different kilim rugs together to form one large inviting carpet. This creates a very unique look where you can really put your personal touch on the room.

Hand-tufted carpets

Hand tufted carpets are often made from lovely natural materials such as wool with a beautiful, often cut pile. Models with a loop pile are also available. Whatever the method, the result is a really soft and cosy carpet.

Important: Never use a hand-tufted carpet on a floor with underfloor heating. This is because the heat tends to soften or even melt the glue to the extent that both the threads and the fabric on the back come loose. There is then no way to repair the damage and the carpet will not be accepted as a complaint.

Rya carpets

Together with hand-tufted carpets, Rya carpets share first place when it comes to enhancing cosiness. They therefore fit like a glove in both living rooms and bedrooms. The cosy look also takes physical form, making it wonderful to sit and stand on. If you have creaky floors or a slightly echoing room, a large rya carpet can also improve the acoustics.

However, the downside of a rya carpet is that they are a bit more cumbersome to vacuum. You have to follow the pile closely to avoid wearing it out, and you should also comb it regularly with a small rake to maintain its appearance over the years. Since a lot of dust is easily trapped in the long hairs, they can also be troublesome for allergy sufferers and the hypersensitive.

Material

Wool

Wool carpets are a popular choice for many reasons. As well as being durable and handling dirt very well, it is also naturally flame retardant thanks to its high levels of nitrogen. Together with the fact that wool carpets are usually dyed with natural pigments, you are therefore bringing significantly less harmful chemicals into your home.

When buying a wool carpet, you should always go for quality. Visually, they add a very exclusive, yet cosy and familiar feeling. When you spend a little extra money on quality, the lifespan of the carpet will also be longer, provided you take care of it properly.

Cotton

The benefits of a cotton carpet are that they are relatively easy to wash and keep clean, while also lasting a long time if you take care of them. Compared to other materials, cotton carpets fade quickly, which is appreciated by many as the tones are often softened in a nice way. However, this is a matter of taste.

Although most rugs shrink in the wash, the downside of cotton rugs is that they shrink about 5% per cent in width and 8% in length after a 30 degree wash. Therefore, when choosing your rug, it's a good idea to choose a slightly more generous size so that it doesn't shrink too much and ruin the harmony of the sofa or dining area.

Viscose

Many people have fallen in love with viscose carpets because of the elegant look of the fibres. The material is also incredibly soft and comfortable to put your feet on. Viscose carpets are also characterised by their visual properties, which are very similar to velvet, as they are highly affected by light at different angles.

Plastic

Plastic carpets come with great possibilities in terms of colours and patterns. It is also by far the easiest type to wash and keep clean. Stains are often quickly removed with a few quick strokes of a floor mop or cloth and smaller sizes can be run through a washing machine.

However, if you look at the more environmentally friendly part, it is a much worse choice. The material is neither natural nor particularly sustainable. If you compare a plastic carpet with, for example, a high-quality wool carpet, you can almost choose to call it a consumable. For environmentally friendly reasons, we at Nordiska Galleriet have therefore also chosen not to have any plastic carpets in our range.

Care instructions

When buying a carpet, you should always put a lot of thought behind your choice. If you choose a slightly more exclusive carpet of high quality, the price will naturally be higher. Then it is also obvious that you should take care of it to keep its lifespan as long as possible.

Vacuum the carpet regularly

As a rule, you should vacuum your carpet at least once a week. Many people wait until dust and dirt become visible before vacuuming. Although this is a very simple, albeit boring, household chore, there are actually some tips to keep in mind. Tips that will both prolong the look of your carpet and keep your home dust-free.

Make sure the vacuum cleaner bag is not full. If you vacuum a tufted wool carpet, you can expect the bag to fill up quickly — especially if the carpet is relatively new. Otherwise, there is a risk that you will just push the dust around and push it deeper into the carpet.

Finish cleaning on the carpet. If you dust the TV, window frames and coffee table in the living room, you'll stir up a lot of dust in the air. So it's a good idea to save the carpet for last when cleaning.

Always use the flat nozzle without a brush. Also, be sure to use the brushless setting, which is specifically designed for carpets. If you don't, you will expose your carpet to unnecessary wear and tear over time.

Don't vacuum as if you were mowing the grass. The texture of a carpet is rarely completely symmetrical, so it's easy to miss both dust and dirt if you don't move the nozzle back and forth from different angles.

Then, the vacuuming technique also differs between different types of carpets. A thin and tightly woven kelim carpet can easily be vacuumed anyway. However, you should be a little more careful with a long-haired ryan carpet, for example. Here, the nozzle should preferably follow the carpet so as not to wear it out more than necessary. You should therefore not vacuum across the carpet, but rather in smaller strokes. We also want to be sure to recommend that you don't whip your carpets, but instead rely entirely on your trusty vacuum cleaner. If you whip the carpets, there is a great risk that you will strain them to the point of causing tears.

Advice: If you have chosen a carpet with a natural material like wool or similar, they will always have an excess of fibres. By starting to vacuum it daily for the first few months, you will get rid of them faster.

Rotate the carpet regularly

Depending on the layout of the sofa group, for example, your carpet will wear out more in some areas than others. For example, if you have the coffee table over a large part of the left half, the right half will naturally see a lot more wear. By turning the carpet half a turn, you distribute the wear evenly.

Like upholstered furniture, carpets are also affected by sunlight. If you have a large window near the carpet, which is covered by half the dining table or part of the furniture in the living room, it will eventually differ in colour from the side that has been in shadow. Here we recommend that you both rotate the carpet and close the blinds in the summer if you are not at home.

Removal of stains

Depending on the type of food, drink or less appetising substances that have come into contact with your carpet, there are many different techniques and methods available to restore your carpet to its original condition. The common denominator for most of these accidents is that the sooner you act, the easier it will be to fix.

Dry stains: One method that we at Nordiska Galleriet usually use when it comes to old, dry stains is to carefully treat them with dishwashing liquid. From experience, we have noticed that Yes dishwashing liquid has worked best. To do this, foam the detergent with a little lukewarm water so that it is not concentrated. Then moisten a sponge and gently wash away the stain. Add a little more water if necessary.

Red wine stains: The biggest enemy of a light-coloured carpet. If you spill red wine on your carpet, quickly apply plain, uncoloured kitchen paper to soak up the stain. Don't rub and press too hard. Then pour some white wine over the stain and leave it for a while. The red colour will fade, or even disappear, and you can then wash gently with washing-up liquid as above.

Candle and chewing gum: To avoid smearing candle stains and chewing gum, simply cool them with an ice cube to solidify them. Place the ice cube directly on the stain, without rubbing or pressing too hard. Once it hardens, you can gently scrape and pick off the residue. Then treat with a little water and detergent.

Oils and grease: These can often be remedied with a pH-neutral detergent. However, remember that it should be free of bleach and be specially adapted to the type of carpet you have. Also make sure that you remove all residues of the agent, otherwise it can lead to allergies.

Other stains: If you spill food or if your dog is unhappy with your sleeping in the middle of the carpet, you can gently lift it off with paper. Remember to lift as straight up as possible to avoid spreading it out. Then use some lukewarm water and detergent. Finish cleaning with fresh clean water. This also works great for liquids like soda, juice and coffee.

Remember: When treating a stain with water on a wool carpet, it is important that the water is not too hot. Otherwise there is a risk that the carpet will shrink in the area you have washed and leave a deformation. You can counteract this by placing a weight on the carpet after it has been allowed to dry a little.

How often should you wash your carpet?

This is of course very individual, but most carpets should be washed very rarely or not at all. A carpet made from materials such as cotton, linen or wool loses its natural lustre from the fats in the fibres after the first wash. You should therefore vacuum your carpet thoroughly every week, and preferably more thoroughly about every three months.

Of course, the type of carpet you choose also matters, both in terms of the room it is placed in and how it is used. For example, a small bathroom carpet should be washed much more often than a large living room carpet.

Kilim rugs, rya rugs, hand-tufted and woven rugs: At Nordiska Galleriet we recommend that you take these rugs to a professional launderer. A flat wash using the extraction method should be used, taking into account both the temperature and amount of water in relation to the material of the rug.

Plastic mats: Most plastic mats can be washed in a washing machine, but it is often the size that determines whether or not this is possible. A smaller plastic mat for a hallway or bathroom will often go in the washing machine, while a larger version can be hand washed in a bathtub.

Important: If you have bought your carpet to a very precise measurement to fit under the dining or sofa group, you should bear in mind that cotton and wool carpets, but also other materials, often shrink slightly after washing. Shrinkage can vary between 3-8% depending on the material.

Advice: If you're planning to outsource carpet cleaning, it's extremely important that you choose a specialist - a professional and trained person who specialises in this. Also, pay attention to getting warranties for your carpet and check if the cleaner you are interested in has any bad reviews from previous customers.

Keep in mind: If your carpet has been impregnated with a flame retardant, this will disappear completely during washing. You will therefore need to re-impregnate it afterwards to restore the flame retardancy.

If you have chosen to wash your carpet yourself, it is important that you hang it up to dry properly. A striped rug should always be hung as in the picture above, to reduce the risk of the stripes rubbing off on each other. Similarly, you should hang the rug over several washing lines so that it dries properly from both top and bottom.