How to clean Cormar carpets and keep them looking new.

Cormar makes two broad families of carpet, and the cleaning method differs between them. Check the label or the sample book that came with your installation — it will tell you the fibre content.

• Polypropylene (100% or high content) — found in ranges such as Cormar Primo, Primo Naturals, Inglewood and Avebury. Fully bleach-cleanable, stain-resistant and family-proof. This is the easiest carpet to maintain at home.
• Wool or wool-blend — found in ranges such as Cormar New Oaklands, Apollo Plus and natural wool collections. Softer, warmer and more resilient, but it needs gentler cleaning and must never be treated with bleach.

If you are unsure which fibre you have, err on the side of wool-safe cleaning: no bleach, mild detergents only, and blot rather than scrub.

Regular vacuuming is the single most important thing you can do. Grit and dust are abrasive: every footstep grinds them into the fibres, which gradually dulls the carpet and flattens the pile.

• Frequency: vacuum busy areas twice a week and quieter rooms once a week. In the first month after a new carpet is fitted, vacuum twice weekly to lift the loose fibres that shed naturally during the settling-in period.
• Setting: use a medium-height setting so the beater bar just touches the pile. Too low and it will damage the fibres; too high and it will not pick up soil.
• Loop piles: if your Cormar carpet has a loop or Berber construction, switch to suction-only or raise the beater bar. Snagged loops can unravel.
• Edges and corners: use the crevice tool along skirting boards and under radiators where dust accumulates.

The golden rule for any spill is speed. The longer a liquid sits, the deeper it soaks into the fibres and backing, and the harder it is to remove.

1. 1. Remove solids. Lift away any food or debris with a spoon or blunt knife, working from the outside in to avoid spreading the stain.
2. 2. Blot immediately. Use a clean white cloth or kitchen towel to absorb as much liquid as possible. Press down firmly — do not rub.
3. 3. Work from the edge in. Blot the outside of the stain first and move towards the centre so it does not spread.
4. 4. Use water first. Plain warm water is often enough. Apply a small amount to the cloth, blot the area, then blot dry with a fresh towel.

Rubbing is the most common mistake. It twists the pile, damages the fibres and can set the stain permanently. Patience and blotting are far more effective.

Different spills respond to different treatments. For a Cormar polypropylene carpet, most water-based stains will lift with warm water and a tiny amount of mild washing-up liquid. For oil-based stains, use a dedicated carpet spot cleaner approved for synthetic fibres.

One of Cormar's biggest selling points is that many of its polypropylene carpets are fully bleach-cleanable. This means stubborn stains such as red wine, curry, coffee and pet mess can often be removed completely with a very weak bleach solution.

If the stain remains after one treatment, repeat once. Persistent marks may need professional extraction, but the bleach-cleanable fibre means the carpet can tolerate much stronger cleaning than a wool carpet can.

Even with regular vacuuming, carpets benefit from a deeper clean every 12 to 18 months. This lifts the soil that has worked its way down into the pile and refreshes the overall appearance.

• Hire machines: home carpet shampooers and hot-water-extraction machines can be rented. Use the manufacturer-recommended detergent and never over-wet the carpet. Excess water can damage the backing and cause odours.
• Drying: open windows, turn on heating and allow at least 4-6 hours for the carpet to dry completely. Walking on a damp carpet will push dirt back into the fibres.
• Wool Cormar carpets: use a wool-safe, pH-neutral shampoo and a lower-suction machine. Avoid high-alkaline products that can make wool fibres feel coarse or look yellow.

A few common habits can shorten the life of a carpet or leave permanent marks. Avoid these to keep your Cormar carpet looking its best.

• No bleach on wool blends. Bleach will permanently discolour and weaken wool fibres.
• No over-wetting. Too much water can loosen the latex backing and cause shrinkage, rippling or mildew.
• No harsh scrubbing. Vigorous rubbing frays the pile and can create a fuzzy, worn patch.
• No high-heat drying. Hairdryers and heaters held too close can distort synthetic fibres. Let the carpet dry naturally with good ventilation.
• No untested products. Always test a new cleaner on a hidden area first, even on a bleach-cleanable carpet.

For the very best result, we recommend professional hot-water extraction cleaning every 12 to 18 months. A trained technician will assess the fibre, choose the right cleaning chemistry and extract the water properly so the carpet dries quickly and evenly.

Tell the cleaner the exact Cormar range you have. If it is a bleach-cleanable polypropylene, they can use stronger chemistry on stubborn stains. If it is a wool or wool-blend carpet, they will switch to wool-safe, pH-neutral products.

At Cranleigh Carpet Warehouse we fit Cormar carpets across Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire every week. If you need advice on a particularly stubborn stain, or you are thinking about replacing a carpet that has seen better days, we are happy to visit with samples and give you a free, no-obligation quotation.