Guide

DIY advice: Cold shocking your carpet

Carolin Teufelberger
25.3.2019
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

I’ve rearranged my living room. The area finally seems roomier now that it’s filled out efficiently. There’s just one thing that bothers me: there’s pressure marks in the carpet as the living room table has also changed place.

Carpet fibres work similarly to human hair. You can lock, flatten, wash, blow-dry but also squash them. These dents in a carpet created by heavy furniture are harder to remove than you think. Simply using your hands often won’t work. The law of inertia will always flatten the fibres out.

This dent won’t be here for much longer.
This dent won’t be here for much longer.

To bring your carpet back to its former glory you’ll have to open your freezer. Ice cubes are the answer. The cold shocks the fibres and makes them immobile. When they thaw, the fibres get relaxed and return to their natural shape.

Good in drinks as well as on carpets.
Good in drinks as well as on carpets.

Make sure to thoroughly vacuum your carpet before getting out the ice. You’ll need some patience, as the cubes need to completely melt. The easiest thing is letting them melt overnight. Properly brush the affected fibres at the end and your carpet will look as good as new.

An old toothbrush does the job, but there are better options.
An old toothbrush does the job, but there are better options.

In case you don’t have ice cubes on hand, letting cold water leech into the carpet for a while also works.

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My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.


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