As summer turns into fall, temperatures get cooler and leaves start falling. This is also the period you anticipate and prepare for a long holiday season. You may have guests during the holidays, and the last thing you want to worry about is stained carpets.

So, how do you ensure your carpets are clean and presentable during this season? You can count on our tips to get carpets ready for fall, helping you keep your carpet sparkling.

Ways to Prepare Your Carpets for Fall

Your carpet can easily get muddy and stained, which isn't the best sight for you or your guests. You want to leave a good impression, and a clean carpet can help you achieve that. To prepare your carpet for fall, you can implement the measures below.

1. Vacuum Regularly

During the fall season, you should vacuum your carpet more frequently than normal — especially if you often leave your doors open for dirt, dead leaves and other debris to get tracked indoors. Focus on high-traffic areas and the entrance of your house, and aim to vacuum those areas at least twice a week. If you have kids and pets, you may want to vacuum every other day.

Vacuuming regularly will reduce soil buildup, keep the carpet clean and preserve its appearance. Vacuum slowly to ensure all the dirt and dust is sucked up. Continue vacuuming frequently throughout the fall.

2. Use Baking Soda

Before vacuuming, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet to absorb odors. Avoid powdered carpet deodorizers — they can leave a residue on the carpet that can damage it over time. Use baking soda to remove any unwanted smells. 

3. Pretreat Stains

If you recently found new stains on your carpet, you should pretreat them before cleaning. Mix a drop of your preferred detergent with hot water in a spray bottle, and spray the affected areas of the carpet. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before you start cleaning the areas.

4. Use Doormats

Place doormats at every entrance to catch mud, dirt and leaves. Choose quality mats to help keep out the largest particles. Depending on the design of the doormat, you can place it inside or outside. An outdoor mat should have a wire rack underneath for catching mud. Encourage your family and visitors to wipe their feet or even remove their shoes when entering the house. 

You can also invest in protective mats to cover high-traffic areas of your home, such as foyers, dining rooms, living rooms and hallways. If you have children or pets on your guest list during the holidays, consider using protective mats in the rooms they'll be using. 

5. Invest in Shoe Racks

Fall is a season when it's reasonable to enforce a no-shoes-inside policy. The alternative is to have a shoe rack at the entrance to restrict mud and dirt to other areas of your house. The shoe rack next to your door is a silent reminder that no shoes are allowed inside the house. 

6. Rotate Furniture

Your carpet can wear out in specific areas, and you need to rotate it to access and remove dirt from these areas. Pushing all your furniture out of the room allows you to reach all the carpeting you normally wouldn't be able to.

Vacuum these areas slowly in gentle sweeping motions. If you notice any wear or damage on the carpet, you may want to call professionals to inspect it. And if you think the carpet is too worn out and you need a new one, you can get it from Carpet & Tile Mart. 

7. Schedule Carpet Cleaning

Sometimes, all you need for your fall carpets to be fresh, clean and presentable is professional cleaning services. Deep cleaning makes your floor visually stunning, softer and plushier, giving you the long-lasting comfort underfoot that you need during the cooler season. 

Why Fall Is a Great Time to Upgrade Your Floors 

Although you can clean your carpet during any season, cleaning it in autumn makes sense because you're tidying it up after a busy summer and preparing for the holidays and winter.

Ideally, you always want your carpet to be clean, but you may want to give it extra attention because of the upcoming festivities. You want your carpet to look clean, as you and your family will likely spend more time indoors during winter. Use our fall carpet care tips to get it clean for the season. 

Fall is also a great time to upgrade your floor. Whether you want to install tiles, vinyl or hardwood, fall is the perfect season to tackle these renovation projects before welcoming your friends and family for the holidays. Fall also offers the ideal mix of temperatures and humidity for installing hardwood. Newly installed flooring can crack or warp when the humidity levels are either too high or low.

Autumn also offers more time to attend to home projects. Summers can be busy, and winter is not ideal for such projects or renovations due to holidays and frigid temperatures. If you need to get people outside during floor material installation, the fall weather will likely be nice enough for playing, working or dining.

Besides the convenience that the fall season brings, upgrading your floor comes with the following benefits:

• Improved appearance: A new floor can transform your space completely. Whether you're buying a new carpet or installing new tiles, you can find a style that suits your taste and complements your home decor. 
• Increased durability: Old floors can be difficult to clean and maintain if they're worn and damaged. Installing a new floor allows you to enjoy increased longevity and durability. 
• Increased home value: Even if you are not planning to sell your home, adding a new floor can boost value. 
• Energy efficiency: Flooring options like hardwood and tiles are excellent insulators, helping you keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 
• Improved safety: Old, worn flooring that is uneven or slippery can be a safety hazard. You can improve the safety of your home and minimize risks of trips, falls and slips by installing a new floor. 

Shop Carpets at Carpet & Tile Mart 

Getting your carpet ready for fall ensures you're well-prepared for holiday visitors. If your current carpet is worn and damaged, you can buy a brand-new one for your home from Carpet & Tile Mart.

Find a Carpet & Tile Mart near you today to purchase a new carpet for your space.