Is it possible to lift carpet that as been laid down by years of traffic, or just as easy to replace and skip all the trouble? Stains are not an issue.
Of the prior owners of my home, the woman was ill for a long time. There was a hospital bed in the dining room and a crushed traffic pattern in the carpet, surrounding a large bed-shape. (Also, the carpet was from aprox 1989.) A professional carpet cleaner told me the damaged carpet fibers could not be corrected (stains were a problem too). So when I had the money, I replaced all carpeting with laminate. Have been very happy with it. (Except for the echo-effect. :allears
I have 3 custom made/size area carpets in my home that I played on as a child, and I am 53. My Grandmother custom ordered them from Mohawk in New York and they are 100% wool. A woman thats @80 years old told me she remembered playing in this house on rugs that were "very similar to these". Imagine her surprise when I told her they were one and the same. They are around 70 years old and still look very good! For a lot of things, it's true, they just don't make 'em like they use to!!!
I know that, my mom has a few of my grandmothers old oriental rugs that were in my grandparents finished basement. I remember them being downstairs in the TV Room when I was little, and I'm sure my mom can remember them from long before then.
Wool is the key to the longevity. Modern carpet is made from synthetic fibers. Recycled plastic bottles, nylon, etc. Just dosen't last.
