Berber Carpet - Modern Berber Carpet

Modern Berber Carpet

Today there are several types of modern Berber carpet made from a range of materials. Nylon, Olefin fiber, and wool are the most common materials, and the size of loops and cut pile varies for each manufacturer. Olefin is the most commonly used and most affordable material, and carpets with blends of the different materials are also available.

Berber carpet is highly durable and is often found in offices, schools, and other high traffic areas. It is stain resistant as well, and is more affordable than thicker plush carpets. The disadvantage is that it can be difficult to clean if dirt does get lodged in the fibers, and it may need dry cleaning or specialized service for deep cleaning. It is recommended by most professionals that Olefin Berber be cleaned using a low-moisture or dry cleaning process. Traditional Steam cleaning with high alkaline detergents can cause potential pH burns in the olefin. These appear as large yellow or brown splotches. Yellow or brown spots also may be tannin bleed from the sugars in natural fiber carpets that are drawn to the top by improper drying usually caused by over wetting. There are carpet chemicals that can eliminate most of this yellowing or browning but they are very expensive, and it would be better to not get the yellowing or browning. A better, but more difficult, method may be to dry the carpet from the bottom. This method usually would entail pulling up some of the carpet to install a carpet fan under the carpet, and using hot air, not just room temperature air. Regrettably, many of these stains can be permanent if not corrected quickly by a professional carpet cleaner. As with all carpets, Berber should be cleaned every 6 to 12 months to prevent permanent wear patterns.