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Just moved your sofa and found mysterious crater-like marks in your carpet? Welcome to the furniture dent club – population: everyone who’s ever owned heavy furniture.
Those annoying indentations happen when furniture sits in one spot for ages, gradually squashing your carpet fibres into submission. The good news? Your carpet isn’t ruined. The better news? You can fix it with stuff you probably already have at home.
This trick sounds bonkers but works brilliantly on polyester, nylon, and olefin carpets.
What you’ll need:
- Ice cubes
- Old towels
- Your fingers or a small brush
Here’s how to do it:
- Move your furniture – You need clear access to the dented areas
- Protect your floor – Lay towels under the carpet to catch melting water
- Fill the dents with ice cubes – The melting water will make the fibres swell back up
- Wait it out – Leave the ice overnight or for at least a couple of hours
- Blot away excess water – Use a clean cloth to remove as much moisture as possible
- Fluff the fibres – Use your fingers or a brush to restore the carpet’s texture
Always test a small hidden area first to check how your carpet reacts to water.
Cotton, wool, and sisal carpets respond brilliantly to steam treatment.
What you’ll need:
- Steam iron
- Towels
- Water
Here’s the process:
- Clear the area – Move furniture and place towels under the carpet if possible
- Fire up your iron – Fill it with water and set to the highest heat setting
- Apply steam – Hold the iron 10-15cm above the dented area (never touch the carpet directly)
- Steam until wet and hot – Keep going until the fibres are properly moistened
- Let it dry overnight – In the morning, fluff the fibres back to their original shape
No steam iron? No problem.
- Spray the dents with water – Make sure they’re properly damp
- Blast with hot air – Hold your hair dryer 10-15cm away and heat the wet area
- Keep going until warm – The carpet surface should feel properly heated
For stubborn dents, try this extra step:
- Soak a tea towel in warm water and wring it out
- Place it over the dent
- Run a medium-heat iron over the towel with light pressure
- Remove and let dry overnight
Silk carpets are proper divas and need gentle treatment. Your safest bet? Just keep using the carpet normally – the fibres should gradually bounce back with regular foot traffic.
If that doesn’t work, steam cleaning might help, but leave this to the professionals. Silk is expensive and easy to damage if you get it wrong.
Sometimes carpet dents are too stubborn for home remedies. If you’ve tried everything and those marks are still staring at you, it might be time to call in the cavalry.
Professional carpet cleaning services use hot water extraction – a fancy way of saying they blast your carpet with pressurised water and special detergents, then suck out all the dirt and moisture. The result? A carpet that looks brand new and completely dent-free.
Qeeper’s carpet cleaning experts can tackle even the most stubborn furniture marks while giving your entire carpet a thorough deep clean. Why spend your weekend wrestling with ice cubes when the professionals can sort it in no time?
Prevention beats cure every time. Here’s how to keep your carpet dent-free:
- Invest in Carpet Pads. These cushioning layers sit under your carpet and absorb furniture weight. Choose pads between 6-11mm thick with a density of about 2.7kg per cubic foot.
- Use Furniture Cups. These small plastic or wooden discs spread furniture weight evenly across your carpet. Just slip them under furniture legs – no installation required.
- Move Your Furniture Regularly. Shift heavy pieces about 2.5cm every couple of months. Not exactly convenient with a massive sofa, but it works.
- Choose Short-Pile Carpets. If you’re buying new carpet, go for shorter pile. These carpets resist denting and are generally easier to maintain.
Synthetic carpets (polyester, nylon, olefin): Ice cube method works best Natural fibres (wool, cotton, sisal): Steam iron technique is your friend Silk carpets: Patience and professional help when needed Short-pile carpets: Any method works, but they’re naturally more resistant
Different carpet materials need different approaches – what works for synthetic might damage natural fibres. Always check your carpet’s care label before starting.
Be extra careful with steam irons – never let them touch the carpet directly. When using ice cubes, protect your subfloor with towels to prevent water damage.
Short-pile carpets are naturally more resistant to furniture marks, and protective cups are brilliant for preventing future problems.
Your carpet takes a lot of punishment from daily life. Show it some love with proper maintenance, and it’ll keep your home looking smart for years to come.