how to get dents out of carpet

How to Remove Furniture Dents in Carpet

How to Remove Furniture Dents in Carpet 1024 576 Rachelle Stone

A few weeks ago, my kids and I were playing on the living room carpet with their new toys. Suddenly, from under a couch cushion came a tiny squeak of terror as one of them noticed some dents in the carpet. When they leaned over to inspect more closely, they quickly discovered that there were at least three dents in the rug from an old sofa leg.

What do you do when your furniture is causing dents on your carpet? 

Don’t worry! There are ways to remove them.

Here are some tips for getting those pesky indentations out and help restore the beauty of your carpet.

For Small Dents

Method #1

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First, let’s look at the most widely used solution. You can restore life to indented areas of your carpet by simply using a vacuum cleaner.

Begin by massaging the fibers with your fingers. After that, connect the hose attachment to your vacuum cleaner and use strong suction on both the depressed region of the carpet and the surrounding carpet.

The vacuum might help with less stubborn indentations. If that doesn’t work, try method #2.

Method #2

ice cubes on carpet

You have a few options when it comes to removing carpet dents. One of the most budget-friendly methods is using ice cubes and some common household materials, but this takes time for each process, so be prepared!

Begin by clearing any obstructions out of the way. Next, cover the damaged sections of the carpet with ice cubes. As many ice cubes as necessary should be used to completely fill the depressions.

Now let the ice melt completely. If your dent is large and the rug is thick, you may have to wait from a few hours up to 12 hours.

With a towel, gently dab your rug to get rid of excess moisture.

As the carpet absorbs water slowly, the fibers will regain their original height as they swell back up.

To finish, fluff up the compressed fibers in the rug with your fingers, fork, or a coin.

In the event that you run out of ice cubes or just want a quicker method, take a look at method #3.

Method #3

blow dryer method

With a spray bottle filled with water, spritz onto the dented areas. Then use a hairdryer set at the hottest setting to create the necessary heat to help wool and nylon carpets rebound. Fluff up the carpet fibers with your fingers or a soft-bristle brush as it dries. It’s easy and convenient.

For Deep Dents

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One way to remove a deep dent is by using an iron. You should put some damp cloth over the affected area and apply pressure with light strokes on medium heat for about thirty seconds, or you could also use steam setting if that works better in terms of getting rid off dents quickly.

The carpet should now feel fairly hot and absorb enough moisture at this point. You can fluff the fibers up and vacuum to finish.

Warning: Make sure that the iron’s heating element does not make contact directly against the carpet as this may cause the fibers to burn, immediately ruining its look.

How to Get Indentations out of a Silk Rug

A silk rug is a beautiful addition to your home, but it can be easily damaged by an unfortunate accident. If you notice that there are dents in your precious silk carpet due to heavy furniture compressing the fibers, don’t worry!

In order to repair furniture dents in a silk rug, move the offending furniture, then use the rug normally. If the rug does not spring back over time, you might consider having it steam cleaned.

If you are unsure whether steam cleaning will damage the colors, it is best to take it to a rug specialist. Be sure to read the cleaning instructions that came with your rug. Some rugs require special cleaning methods that you should avoid trying yourself.

What to Do When All Else Fails

If all the above methods don’t work, you may need to hire a professional carpet cleaning company to help you. A complete carpet clean with an industrial steamer just might be enough to do the trick. However, keep in mind that sometimes dents can remain after a thorough steam cleaning due to old carpets that are too worn out.

Before giving up entirely, you might want to try fixing the carpet with a patch repair kit as a last resort, or it could just be time for you to get a new carpet or rug.

How to Prevent Carpet Dents

  • Choose carpeting with a shorter pile than the one you have currently. If possible, avoid carpets with longer and shaggier fibers. Caring for carpets with shorter fibers is easier since they don’t have as many of them, and they’re less prone to dents than carpets with longer strands.
  • Protect your carpets with the best rug pads available. Carpet Pads not only make it easier to walk on, but they also protect your carpet by absorbing any weight that comes into contact with them.
  • You don’t have to live with permanent dents on your carpet. Move your furniture slightly on a regular basis. Even after moving your furniture a few times, dents will still appear, but the dents won’t last, and the carpet will quickly re-puff back to its former condition.
  • One of the best ways to protect your carpet from denting is by using furniture cups or pads. These will help prevent scratching and balance the weight, which reduces the chances of leaving furniture marks on top of your carpet.

Cleaning up after furniture marks is now easy – just follow these tips and you can make your home look fresh again.

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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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