How to Remove Furniture Dents From Carpet

Heavy furniture on carpet over prolonged periods causes dents, or surface impressions.

Regular vacuuming and occasional shampooing keeps a carpet looking fresh and in optimum condition. Having furniture sit in one area of the room over a long period of time seems like no big deal until you move the furniture. The weight of these items leaves dents in the carpet that vacuuming will not remove. The crushed fibers will have to be manually straightened to make these marks disappear. Rotating furniture frequently will make this chore a quick one.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum cleaner
• Quarter
• Cotton rags
• Steam iron

1. Move the furniture in the room to the location of your choice. Vacuum the entire floor to pick up any debris that had been trapped beneath the furniture.

2. Grip a quarter in one hand and run the edge of it along the smashed carpet fibers. This will begin to lift them.

3. Plug in a steam iron near the area where the carpet is dented. Set it on a medium, cotton blends setting. Dampen a small cotton rag with water and wring it tightly to remove excess liquid.

4. Place the rag over the area of squashed carpeting. Run the heated iron over the damp rag. This will make the individual carpet fibers spring back up.

5. Let the carpeting dry and run the edge of the coin over the spots again. Vacuum a second time, and the areas should be undetectable.

Tips & Warnings

• Move furniture items regularly to avoid the risk of permanent indentations from heavy objects.

• Do not use chemicals to remove dents. The best results come from simply using heat and water.

• Do not turn the steam iron too high. Some carpet compositions will begin to melt at high temperatures.

References

• Rodeo Carpet Mills: Removing Dents

Resources

• The Carpet Company: Carpet Care Tips