Cleaning the dusty edges of a light-coloured carpet

DomSez · 21 July 2011 at 10:49PM

I saw a thread on here about using a Rug Doctor to clean carpets, and while my 4-year-old carpets aren't that bad yet, I've got dusty edges on my light-coloured carpets and it does my head in

Nothing I try gets rid of them. I've tried sellotape to get dust up, plus the Dyson attachments and a brush that should safely scrub any dust up but even after just 4 years, it looks fairly ingrained

I've also tried Vanish and Carpet Power, but to no avail.

There's also areas elsewhere on the carpet that have attracted dust as well in the shape of the floorboards below them because the carpet follows the contour of the edges of the occasional one which isn't quite flat.

Can anyone suggest a solution, please? Thanks.

MaggieBaking · 21 July 2011 at 10:57PM

A carpet shampoo really is your best bet unless you want to clean the edges manually? Will be easier to hire a carpet cleaner though - you'll be surprised at the muck!!

Then when clean, once a week go around the edges with the nozzle of your hoover.

DomSez · 21 July 2011 at 11:27PM

MaggieBaking wrote: »

A carpet shampoo really is your best bet unless you want to clean the edges manually? Will be easier to hire a carpet cleaner though - you'll be surprised at the muck!!

Then when clean, once a week go around the edges with the nozzle of your hoover.

Thanks for your reply.

Before I try the cleaner, can you recommend a brand of carpet shampoo, please? Thanks.

maman · 22 July 2011 at 12:21AM

It might be worth just wiping around the edges with a wet, cloth (well squeezed out). That can sometimes freshen them up and sort of lift the pile.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE · 22 July 2011 at 8:35AM

No tips on cleaning I'm afraid as they've already been said by the posters above,however having very pale cream carpets in my bedrooms and on the stairs coupled with living in a very old house where dust gets in everywhere I have a tip to AVOID getting those dirty edges in the first place.
Most of that dirt that you get ingrained on the edges of carpets is actualy what comes in through where the floor and wall meets not from daily life.
We found we avoided it by a cheap simple method.
Before you get the carpet laid seal all the joins between floor and skirting/wall with caulk,you'll be surprised at how big some of those gaps are when you start doing this and have reason to look properly.
Don't use silicone as it can't be painted over and caulk is more flexible which is what you want where there is a lot of movement.
We have'nt had that "grey" shadow round the edge's of our cream carpets since doing this.

alex21 · 22 July 2011 at 9:27AM

I manually remove dust by running finger along all edges whilst wearing a rubber glove as my so called edge to edge vacuum does nothing of the sort. You would be surprised at how much accumulates. It is a pain to do although quite effective. I don't do it too often, just when you start to notice it!!

MaggieBaking · 22 July 2011 at 8:42PM

DVDfever wrote: »

Thanks for your reply.

Before I try the cleaner, can you recommend a brand of carpet shampoo, please? Thanks.

I've only ever used the pink carpet stain remover thing from Tescos, can't think what it was called - and I've not used it very successfully either as it's only been on very stubborn stains. I'm lucky that my Mum has a carpet shampooer so I can borrow that to clean my carpets once a year, and I don't fuss about the little stains!

meritaten · 22 July 2011 at 9:36PM

its dust - so I use a dry scrubbing brush, and brush inwards so its picked up by the vacuum. I find the cheap wood and bristle brushes the best at this.

Uniscots97 · 22 July 2011 at 9:53PM

I use Xanto foam carpet shampoo from Poundland, spray it on and hoover it off. It works a treat.

vernony · 5 June 2017 at 4:23PM

Oh right I have that problem, it is not necessarily all dust it can be that your normal vacuum cleaner is wearing the carpet a little and it appears lighter where it has been constantly cleaned this leaves the edges looking darker as if they are uncleaned. However, some of the darker strip is due to some dust . What I use is Vanish Gold and go around the edges every so often (when I feel like it) with a sponge or cloth or even a light scrubbing brush. Then wipe it clean with another cloth. You probably will not be able to get the edge to look exactly the same colour as the used part of the carpet, but you will be assured that it is clean and any darker edges are the result of the inefficiencies of the designers of vacuum cleaners

flowrypot · 5 June 2017 at 4:42PM

I used to use one of these http://www.britemax-direct.co.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=19531249&AccID=118034&PGFLngID=1&gclid=CMnvwuWEp9QCFdYK0wod7KcMtQ, a rubber handbrush, it was quite effective . My eyesight isnt so good now so I just ignore it lol

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Cleaning the dusty edges of a light-coloured carpet

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