As the cost of fuel increases, so will the price of carpet

Rising fuel costs have made people avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store, and fewer lights
in their homes are left burning. But have you considered what’s going to happen to the price of
carpet?
All synthetic yarns used in carpeting—nylon, polyester, acrylic,
polypropylene (Olefin)—are byproducts of fossil fuels. Nylon is made from
coal. The others, from petroleum. So, as the cost of fuel rises, so will the
price of carpet, especially when the cost of fuel also impacts shipping
charges. It makes economic sense to take very good care of the carpet
we’ve got. The cost of replacing it is bound to increase more and more as
time goes by, which begs the question:
Have you Looked Down lately? Some months have passed since your last cleaning. Have you
examined your carpeted pathways? Are they beginning to look dull and dingy again? If so, then
it’s time to clean them. No. It’s not necessary to clean what’s not dirty. But if we don’t clean
what is, the ‘ugly’ can become permanent. Remember: Walking on soiled carpeting is like
walking on sandpaper. The grit scrubs the yarn, causing pathways to become permanently dull.
When this has happened, they’ll always look like they need cleaning, while no amount of cleaning
can clean the dull gray color cast—the wear damage—away.
How to evaluate the need for cleaning: Stand next to a wall that puts windows behind you and look down. Then
cup your hands on each side of your eyes to block the light. (Blocking glare, you can see better.)
Next, look for variations in carpet color: Compare the color of the carpeting where nobody
walks—like under tables and along the walls—to the color of the carpeting where people do walk.
If soil is present, you will notice that the color is duller. And that dullness says that you should
clean now. Don’t wait for wear damage to happen. Spending a little to keep high traffic areas
clean will save far more money in the long run.