If you've bought a period home, you might just have been lucky enough to get one with the original carpeting still installed--making your floors a vintage piece or possibly even an antique in their own right. This is exciting, but it's also a big responsibility--and you need to know how to live up to it! Read on to learn more about how to ensure that the vintage or antique carpeting inside your new home will last for generations to come.

Make sure your carpet is in the best condition it can be in.

As soon as you move in--or even earlier before there's furniture to contend with--you should get a professional carpet restoration service in to have a look at your floors. They'll be able to tell you exactly when the carpeting is from, give you some specific advice on caring for it and deal with any patches that might need restoration or repair to ensure that you're starting life in your new home with a carpet in tip-top condition.

Be extremely careful about what goes on the carpet's surface.

The first and most obvious thing you need to do is ensure that nothing drags at or otherwise damages your carpet. This means that you need to avoid wearing high heels when walking or standing over it and that any furniture that is to be stood on that carpet has protective felt or rubber 'feet' covering any part that will be in contact with the floor.

Use the cleaning methods contemporary to your carpet.

If your carpet pre-dates vacuum cleaners, don't vacuum it--it won't be able to withstand the suction and you could easily damage it. Use a stiff-bristled brush to sweep up debris, and use salt to soak up any spilled liquids. Avoid soaking your carpet in water; many antiques used vegetable dyes that will run immediately! A carpet restoration firm can deep-clean your carpet for you once every six months to a year. It's important to be careful and to avoid methods and chemicals your carpet was never designed to take. A carpet restoration service can also likely give you general care tips.

It's not necessarily difficult or time-consuming to keep vintage and antique carpets looking good and in great condition--but you do need to do a little work to ensure they'll last for years to come. Consulting the experts is an important step so make sure you don't do anything untested.

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