Frieze carpets are mostly synthetic, with the softness of natural ones, such as wool. They feature curled long fibres, which are tightly twisted - an effect typically achieved through steam procedures. Frieze carpets greatly resemble the shag carpets, which were widely popular in the 60s and 70s. The difference is that frieze carpets have a thinner and more elegant look, due to how skinny its fibre strands are.

Most frieze carpets are synthetic, with the cheapest options being nylon and polyester. Compared to other synthetic carpets, however, especially low-piled ones, they are not as affordable. Still, they've remained a very popular choice for many homeowners due to their appearance and tenderness.

What vacuum cleaner is best for frieze carpet

What are the advantages of frieze carpets?

  • Durability

Due to how tightly twisted the fibres of frieze carpets are, fraying is way less likely over time. This makes them suitable for high traffic areas. Additionally, frieze carpets lay on their side, not straight up. As a result, they're able to withstand pressure well and will not look crushed or too spread out.

  • Hides dirt

Dirt and dust particles are likely to get trapped to the bottom of the carpet, and chances are you won't notice. In reality, this is one of the main features of carpets in general. In frieze carpets, however, you're less likely to notice the entrapped debris. Some might argue that this is also a disadvantage as you're less likely to care for it frequently enough.

  • Hides seams

As previously established, frieze carpets are shaggy by nature and naturally hide seams very well. This will give your carpets at home a more uniform look.

  • Comfort

Frieze carpets are plush and relatively thick, making them an ideal option for bedrooms and even living areas. Furthermore, they are ideal for colder climates, as they retain heat quite well.

  • Insulating

Frieze carpets are very dense, which in turn provides a really nice natural insulation. Apart from retaining heat, as stated above, they also absorb sound very well.

Read also: Removing Red Wine Stains from the Carpet

Type of carpet

What are the drawbacks of frieze carpets?

  • Not stain resistant

High piled carpets are naturally more difficult to clean and get stains out of. Spillages run deep, which means the act of stain removal becomes very tiring. Moreover, it's difficult for a standard vacuum cleaner to remove the dust stuck deep into the carpet.

  • Can be pricey

Because of its key features, frieze carpets are in general more expensive than most other types of carpet. Of course, the majority of carpets are synthetic, so this doesn't say much, but it is important to point out. They're in the sweet middle spot, between high quality wool carpets and low pile synthetic ones.

Cleaning products for blood stains

How to remove stains on a frieze carpet?

Regardless of how careful you and your family are, accidents are bound to happen. Whether its a pet accident, a drink spill or just plain dirt, by using the below recipe you should be able to deal with the issue yourself.

Please note: For natural frieze carpets, only use lukewarm or cold water instead of warm or hot.

  1. If the stain is recent, a. k. a. the carpet is still wet, soak up as much of the liquid as possible with paper towels. Use blotting motions only, as otherwise the stain will spread.
  2. If the stain has already dried, mix some washing detergent with warm water and spray the stained area.
  3. With dabbing motions and a white clean cloth, start treating the issue.
  4. Continue spraying the affected area, and swap cloths whenever necessary.
  5. Once the stain dissapears, rinse with a cloth and cold water.
  6. Wait to air dry or place a towel and apply pressure by placing books on top, for example.

If the stain does not budge at all, you can either try with a commercial carpet cleaner or another home remedy. Just ensure you firstly test out the product on a hard-to-see area of the carpet. And if you're unsure of your chances of success and do not want to risk it, contact your local carpet cleaning experts.

What features should a frieze vacuum cleaner have?

A proper vacuum for a frieze carpet must have the following features:

  • Large wheels - the bigger the wheels of the vacuum cleaners, the less likely it is for the fibres to get trapped.
  • Adjustable vacuum height - to avoid entanglement of the fibres, make sure the vacuum head isn't too close to the carpet base.
  • Removable brush head - brush heads rotate in high speeds and could shred or even pull out the carpet fibres. If the brush head isn't removable, at least make sure the feature can be turned off.
  • Adjustable suction power - using your vacuum on max power entraps the carpet fibres and even damage them in the cleaning process. Due to this, vacuum cleaners with adjustable power settings might be your best go for frieze carpet.
  • HEPA filter - a filtration system, which filters out up to 99.99% of dust particles. These filters are also easy to wash.

Check also: Why to Use Professional Services for Carpet Cleaning

What is the best vacuum cleaner for frieze carpets?

1. The most suitable option for frieze carpets is the Shark APEX. The pricey upright vacuum cleaner has all the needed features to clean a shaggy carpet. Its advanced HEPA filter entraps allergens such as dust and pet dander within the actual dust cup. The power settings and height are adjustable, and the brush head (beater brush) is removable.

This cleaner is also very easy to use and its assembling process is very simple. It can also transform from an upright to a canister vacuum, allowing you to clean hard-to-reach areas. Lastly, the nozzle has built-in led headlights, which reveal hard-to-see debris.

2. Another option by Shark is its NV501 model. It's "lift-away" feature allows for above-floor cleaning of stairs and upholstery. It has a XL dust cup, LED headlights and a rotating head to deal with debris under furniture. The NV501 model comes with a 5-year limited warranty out of the box and is available in three different colours.

3. Another widely popular choice and a strong competitor in this list is Hoover's WindTunnel Air Steerable. Same as the Shark NV501, this Hoover product also has a rotating head allowing you to deal with hidden debris. It's light-weight and extremely compact.

The key feature of this model is its Wind Tunnel technology. There are three active channels of suction, which clean the carpet from the surface and the embedded dirt. Of course, this vacuum cleaner is also suitable for hard floors, but most importantly, its brush roll can be turned off.

Vacuum cleaner

What is the cheapest vacuum cleaner for frieze carpets?

The Hoover WindTunnel 2 is a budget friendly option with a 25 ft long cord and adjustable floor brush. It, of course, has the necessary standard HEPA filter - a great plus for a relatively inexpensive product. Its dirt cup capacity is 1.3 litres - not too large, but will still do the job for one house clean.

The WindTunnel 2, same as Shark APEX by the way, is also successfully able to clean hard floors. It comes with all your standard vacuum attachments, like an upholstery tool, a nozzle extension and a mini turbo brush. The mini turbo brush is a great staircase cleaning tool, which does a great job at removing pet hairs.

How much should you prepare to spend?

In truth, the listed options above are more or less within the same price range. We don't recommend spending any less than about a £100. If you want for your vacuum cleaner to tick all the boxes, however, you should be prepared to pay about £300. That way, you will be certain you're properly equipped for a long time.

Are robot vacuums suitable for frieze carpets?

Assuming your robot vacuum is "smart" enough, it might do well with frieze carpets. What we're looking for is for the robot to be able to lift itself up and properly clean high piled carpets. We would also want for the robot to have enough suction power, so it actually copes with the entrapped dirt. Any other smart feature would be more than welcome, so let's not waste time and get right into it.

Our recommendation would have to be the iRobot's Roomba j7+. Apart from its steep price, this robot vacuum really doesn't have any pitfalls. A list of its key features are:

Carpet detection - the robot is able to determine on its own what type of surface it's cleaning. Ideal for those of you who have mixed flooring types at home.

AllergenLock bags - Situated in the actual "Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal" are bags which trap even the finest dust particles. And yes, that is correct - the robot disposes of the waste on its own. You'd only have to occasionally clean the actual disposal station, roughly once every 2 months.

PrecisionVision Navigation - thanks to its brand new infra-red sensors, the robot is able to avoid obstacles in real time. It even is able to picture the specific object and send the photo to you! That way you're always in the loop should any accidents occur.

iRobot Genius - simply the name of the product's mobile application. It's easy to connect to and sends you notifications when it believes more cleaning is necessary. For example, it will suggest more frequent cleaning during pet shedding season and during allergy season. The app will also tell you the approximate clean time and will let you select the power mode.

How often should I professionally clean my frieze carpet?

By far the safest way of cleaning a frieze carpet is to let the experts do it. Apart from weekly hoovering, all carpets should receive their fair dose of professional care. The recommended frequency is two to three times per year. Ocasional spot removal services should also be considered for stains from red wine, curry, ketchup and others.

And why exactly should you have your carpets deep cleaned? There are a few well-known benefits of steam extraction cleaning, the first of which being disinfection. Commercial steam carpet cleaning machines deal with dirt and dust stuck deeply inside frieze carpets, which normal vacuums can't reach. This improves indoor air quality, and helps prolong the life of the carpet.

The removal of stains and smells is the other reason why you should have a carpet cleaner's number handy. No home remedy or store-bought chemical is as successful in stain and smell removal as steam cleaning. The actual method itself doesn't just involve the use of water as some may think. All carpet cleaners arrive at your doorstep with an arsenal of cleaning products and the needed knowledge to use them.

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