It is a simple fact that the carpets in an average rental home are likely to become damaged and in need of replacement long before it actually has time to wear out. Let’s face, a year of dirt, coffee stains, juice stains, etc. that cannot be removed can take a big bite out of any profits you might make when you have to pay for new carpets. There are a few things you can do to help reduce this wear and tear as well as help to reduce the frequency at which you have to replace the carpets.
One of the best things you can do to help reduce the damage to the carpets is to take steps to reduce the amount of outside dirt and debris that gets spread into the fibers of the carpet. To do this, consider installing hard surface flooring inside the doors. Something like a 5 x 5-foot area should give everyone space to get in the door and take off their shoes. Adding doormats outside for your tenants can also make a big difference.
One of the best ways your tenants can do their part to make the carpet in their rental unit last is to keep it regularly vacuumed. While many of your new tenants may already have their own vacuum cleaner, an equal if not larger number probably don’t own one. This is the perfect time for you to show your tenants you care even if you are actually trying to protect your investment. You can buy a decent vacuum cleaner for $50 to $100, but you can bet your new tenants, as well as your carpeting, will appreciate the gesture.
Consider having a professional carpet cleaning service go to each of your rental properties. You can opt for once or twice a year depending on each renter and how well they take care of the carpets. Steam cleaning lifts far more dirt out of the carpet than vacuum cleaning. It also helps to break up crushed fibers and helps to restore the nap. If you don’t bother doing this, the carpet will eventually reach the point at which they can no longer be revitalized, leaving you with no other choice but to replace the carpets at significant cost.
One more way to prolong the life of any carpet you plan to install in a rental unit is to think very carefully about where you decide to install carpet. For example, since all most people do in the dining room is eat, why would you want to put carpeting in an area that is very likely to see more than its fair share of food and drink being spilled.
If you are not one hundred percent sure what types of flooring to use, how to use them, and where each type should be installed, consider talking to a local flooring expert. They can help you come up with best solutions to help you get maximum life out of the carpet and the rest of the flooring in your rental units.
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