Top Reasons to Use Berber Carpet for Your Home’s Flooring
Top Reasons to Use Berber Carpet for Your Home’s Flooring https://www.carpetgurus.com/wp-content/uploads/Berber-Carpet-1024x680.jpg 1024 680 Rachelle Stone Rachelle Stone https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b903daecc57f726c767c59baf58630cd?s=96&d=mm&r=g- Rachelle Stone
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When you’re thinking about putting a new carpet in your home, there are lots of things you’ll need to consider to make sure it’s not only a great aesthetic fit but is also comfortable and something that will complement the rest of your decor well.
Knowing that there’s a plethora of different styles, materials, weaves, colors, and just about every little detail you can think of that you’ll need to weight into your choice – it can quickly become a pretty overwhelming endeavor for most homeowners.
However, out of all the different types of carpets that you can find in stores, there’s one type that’s been becoming increasingly more popular in recent years – the Berber carpet. And to help you on your quest to pick out the best carpeting for your home – we’ve put together an article to tell you all about the Berber carpet and the most important things that you should keep in mind.
What Is Berber Carpet?
Let’s start with the history behind the Berber carpet! This is a style of woven carpet that hails out of North Africa and was originally created by the nomadic Berber tribe that roamed across the Sahara desert. This unique style is distinguishable by the very particular knot-like pattern of the carpet’s weave.
While most people will automatically think that these carpets would generally follow a very traditional or rustic design ideology based on their history – there are actually plenty of modern styles and vibrant colors to choose from if you’re considering the Berber carpet as an option.
So having learned a bit about its history and what it is – let’s take a quick look at the biggest ups and downs when it comes to this style of carpet.
The biggest advantage of choosing this style over others has to do with the fact that it’s just so easy to clean!
Spilled some juice? Found a tea stain? No worries!
Because of how these tailored carpets are woven, any dirt and stains will all stay on the surface, and you can get them cleaned up with next to no effort. This makes them a wonderful option for accident-prone people and families with pets or kids.
However, while the unique weave makes them easy to clean and very durable – they’re just not as soft or comfy as some of the other conventionally popular styles. This, of course, has a lot to do with the material the carpet is made from. If you choose something like olefin, the texture will generally be pretty rough, whereas some of the softer materials probably won’t be any less comfortable than other styles of carpets you may be looking at.
Berber Carpet Vs. Plush – Which One’s Right For You
While plush carpets are very popular because of how soft and stylish they are, Berber carpets don’t lose much ground with their toned-down simple elegance that makes them a universally good option for practically any space.
Depending on how many people live in your home and how much foot-traffic the carpeted areas will receive, you may want to opt for a Berber carpet as it’s far more durable than plush alternatives. Many carpets woven in this style contain quite a bit of nylon, which prevents dirt buildup and can factor into your carpet lasting for many years on end, while plush carpets get matted and worn out after just a couple of years.
Another aspect to consider when comparing the two has to do with the aesthetic you’re aiming for. Before you make a decision, you should give some thought to how well either style of carpet will complement the rest of your home’s decor.
Plush carpets are practically a staple in bedrooms due to their elegant and posh look and feel. Just imagine the sensation of sinking your bare feet into a silky-soft plush carpet first thing out of bed.
On the other hand, Berber carpets are a very popular choice to put in basements and entertainment rooms. Though in some households, they’re starting to make the transition up towards the main living space such as dining rooms and hallways too. In fact, if you’re after a “simple luxury” type of look, these carpets can easily be incorporated into practically any room of your house to give it an understated and elegant feel.
While both of the styles above offer their own unique flair, you should definitely consider the maintenance factor behind either choice alongside the aesthetic appeal.
As we’ve already mentioned earlier on – Berber carpets are super easy to maintain and keep clean. By comparison, plush carpets would mean frequent vacuuming to avoid unhealthy dust buildup and possibly even regular shampooing to make sure no unwanted smells develop over time.
Of course, both of these styles have their own place in practically every household. And while some people try to compare one to the other in an effort to make one generalized decision – there’s nothing wrong with having both types of carpet, in different areas of your house.
Berber Carpet Vs. Pets
You may want to seek an alternative carpet option if you have cute, fluffy, four-legged family members. Sadly, the same loop-and-cut style that makes Berber so exquisite also makes it vulnerable to your pet’s claws and nails being caught and snagged. Learn what is the most suitable carpet type for pets here.
How To Clean A Berber Carpet
Now we’ve already mentioned the simplicity of maintaining one of these carpets several times, but how exactly should one tackle a clean-up job when it comes to getting stains and dirt out of a Berber carpet?
Regardless of whether you’re trying to remove a stain, or just get ready for visitors – the very first thing you should do is vacuum the carpet. This helps get dirt, hair, and other grime out of the carpet and is maybe all that you need to do to get it into a presentable state.
In the case of stains in particular, once you’ve vacuumed – you’ve got two main options available.
The first decision you’ll have to make is whether you should undertake a dry clean-up, or a wet clean-up instead. Generally, if the stain isn’t too bad – we recommend that you go with a dry clean-up approach as it helps you avoid mold and mildew down the line. This can easily happen with a wet clean-up if you don’t remove the excess moisture quickly and allow your Berber carpet to dry properly.
So, how does a dry clean-up work?
It’s pretty easy – grab your cleaning powder and gently work it into the carpet. Since, in our case, there are no long bristles to be concerned about, you just need to rub-in the powder and let it sit for a little while (generally around half an hour) before vacuuming it up. Keep in mind that depending on the type of weave your carpet has, you may also want to use a brush to really work the cleaning powder into the stain.
Now, let’s imagine that you’re dealing with a tougher stain, and a wet clean-up is inevitable. What do you do?
Depending on whether or not you have access to a carpet extractor or a steam cleaner, you can use a vinegar and water solution or a professional cleaning liquid to try and dab it out. Of course, before you jump into any of that – give water a shot to see if the stain can be gradually removed without the use of chemicals, which can sometimes alter the color of your carpet if used incorrectly.
Once you’re done, whether you went over it with a carpet cleaner or your own home-made cleaning solution – it’s important to vacuum the carpet again to remove any left-over water and make sure that it’s not too damp. This allows it to dry much quicker, which helps you avoid a number of future issues and help keep your carpet smelling nice and looking nice for many years to come.
How Long Do Berber Carpets Last?
Generally speaking, most people in the industry give Berber carpets a lifespan of between 10-15 years. Bear in mind that this largely depends on the materials used. Though, how much use and maintenance the carpet receives throughout its life also has a pretty significant role to play.
Today, it’s very common to find the Berber carpets sold in stores being made with a high nylon content. While you may be sacrificing a little bit on the softness and comfort factor, these carpets are incredibly resilient to heavy use.
Whether you put them in your basement or an office meeting room that gets lots of foot-traffic – nylon Berber carpets are sure to last for a pretty long time, given that they’re looked after and cleaned regularly.
Be sure to keep an eye on the condition of your carpet as the years go by. Take note of any odd odors and whether there’s any mold as an indicator for whether or not you need to have it replaced. However, generally, you won’t have to worry about most of these things for at least a few years.
Final Words
At the end of the day – Berber carpets are an amazing option when you’re looking to replace old flooring or even give your home a whole new flair. There are many advantages that come with choosing one of these carpets. And with so few downsides to consider, it’s easy to see why they’re steadily growing in popularity as time goes on.
But despite the fact that we’re so in love with them, ultimately it all comes down to your personal taste and preference.
We hope that in this article, we managed to shed some light on the history of this style of carpet and get you up to speed on the most important things you need to know about it.
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Rachelle Stone
Rachelle Stone has numerous years in the commercial construction industry as well as residential, taking pride in the relationships formed over those years & continue to thrive & make new connections everywhere. She focuses hard on turning them into "partnerships" that will last a lifetime. You can visit her at www.CarpetGurus.com
All stories by: Rachelle Stone
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