Modern carpeting tends to have a lifespan of about 5 to 15 years, depending on how frequently it is walked on and how well you maintain it.

If you’re not ready to replace your carpeting but some areas are looking a bit tired, there’s a fairly simple solution. Rearrange the room to uncover the areas that have not been affected by foot traffic and hide those worn down spots!

The only problem with this solution? Carpets tend to have distinct dents from the legs and other pressure points of your furniture.

Read on to learn how to get dents out of carpet so you can feel free to rearrange however and whenever you want!

How to Remove Minor Dents in Carpet with a Vacuum

Smaller tables or lighter chairs may leave minor dents that are easy to get out. All you’ll need is a plastic card (like a credit card), a vacuum, and the vacuum’s hose or nozzle attachment.

First, run your fingers over the dent, digging lightly into the pile. If this doesn’t loosen the compacted fibers in the dent, use the pointed edge of the plastic card. You want to see some separation of the fibers and a less defined dent.

Next, grab your vacuum and attach the hose or nozzle. Start by running the hose around the outer edge of the dent and slowly make your way toward the center. We recommend moving in a circular motion, spiraling the hose around the dent until all of the affected pile is upright and fluffed.

After using the hose attachment, there may still be some sign of the dent left over. Remove the hose and use the floor vacuum setting to go over the entire surrounding section of carpeting a few times. Once you’ve created those nice vacuum lines, the minor dent should be gone.

The Ice Cube Trick: Does It Work?

Have you ever heard of using ice cubes on carpet dents? The idea is to place one or two medium-sized ice cubes in a carpet dent and let them melt. The idea is that as the meltwater slowly soaks into the carpet’s fibers, the fibers will loosen on their own.

According to ice cube trick enthusiasts, you are then to wait several hours before heading back for more treatment. At this stage, you can use a wide-toothed comb to brush out the damp fibers. Because they are wet, they will dry in the shape you’ve pulled them into, rather than falling back into that stubborn dent.

Does it work? The ice cube trick may work with newer, more resilient carpets, although we wouldn’t recommend it with older carpets.

Older carpets are prone to some dry rot of the backing material, which means you may not be removing all of the moisture when you treat the area. In effect, you may have created a puddle beneath your carpet that you can’t get to. It only takes about 24 to 48 hours for a wet carpet to start growing mold, posing unnecessary health risks and further damage.

How to Get Stubborn Dents Out of Carpet with Steam

When it comes to stubborn dents that won’t budge under the vacuum’s suction, we prefer steam over the ice cube trick. While steam does generate moisture, it is less direct and aggressive because the water has been brought to its gaseous phase. Plus, the added heat makes the fibers more pliable than the cold water melting away from ice cubes.

To perform a DIY steam treatment, you will need a lint-free cotton cloth and an iron. Dampen the cloth and fold it once or twice over the dent. Then, allow the iron to heat up before applying gentle pressure to the cloth.

Once you feel you’ve generated a sufficient amount of steam, turn your iron off and leave the cloth over the dent for a few hours. Then, remove it and use a wide-toothed comb or your vacuum to coax the fibers into an upright position.

Although you can attempt to steam your own carpet, you’ll have the best success if you get it steamed by a professional. Not only do professional steamers eliminate the risk of melting any plastic lining with your iron but they can tackle the entire carpet after getting rid of those dents!

Dents In Delicate Rugs: Now What?

If the dents you’re dealing with are in your wool or oriental rugs, you may want to step back from the DIY methods above. These rugs come with a combination of tough fibers and delicate weaves that are not always easy to manage. If the rug in question is an antique or of high value, it is even more inadvisable to go the DIY route.

Rather than steaming or vacuuming them yourself, opt for our rug pick-up service and allow us to tackle your dents with our specialized tools.

Ask a Professional to Handle Your Carpeting

Learning how to get dents out of carpet isn’t hard, but the solutions above are not one size fits all. Older or more valuable carpets should be handled with care. Stubborn dents may take more than just a home-steaming.

At Green Choice Carpet, we do more than take care of your NYC carpeting. We’ll even provide you with a proper upholstery cleaning to give your entire home that fresh, clean feel!

To get started, contact us and let us know more about your problem areas. We’ll provide you with a quote and begin cleaning as soon as you’re ready!