Some carpet repairs easy, some not

Q: Our carpet is a little worn, but we’re not ready to replace it. However, there are some unsightly areas on it, including stains and a scorch mark where a candle was dropped. It also is pulling away at one of the seams. Can we fix these problems without replacing the entire carpet? — Joyce in Omaha

A: Small stains and loose seams can be repaired fairly easily without too much cost, so dig out those spare scraps of carpeting that your mother always told you to save, and head to the home-improvement or carpeting store. If you didn’t save those scraps, or they are just too old, dirty or worn to use, you’ll have to bring a small piece of the existing carpet to the store to match up the replacement.

Scorch marks in carpet fiber can sometimes be removed by carefully clipping away the burned fibers with a small pair of scissors. However, deeper burns can’t be removed this way. In addition, permanent stains are usually too deep to be disguised. In these cases, you’ll need to cut away the damaged area.

Loose seams can be reglued, but not with household glue. You’ll need special heat-activated seam tape and a tool called a seam iron, which safely heats the glue without damaging the carpet edges.

So, once you’ve assessed the extent of the damage, head to the carpeting store. Ask for a cutter tool (which looks like a shaped cookie cutter) to cut out segments of carpet, double-face carpet tape, and liquid seam adhesive. Rent a seam iron, and pick up a roll of heat-activated seam adhesive. You’ll also need a wooden board and a couple of weights to hold down the seam while it dries (lumber scraps and a couple of bricks should work).

Use the cutter tool to cut away the scorched carpet. Then, use the tool on the replacement carpet to cut out a patch the same size. Turn the patch over and lay double-sided tape across it, overlapping the seam a bit, and press the patch into place, making sure the pattern or nap matches the rest of the carpet and tucking the overlap under the surrounding carpet. Apply liquid seam adhesive to the patch edges to keep the carpet from unraveling.

Now to the loose seam. Carefully pry up the carpet edges on both sides and remove the old tape (a putty knife may help scrape it away). Cut a new strip of heat-activated seam tape the length of the repair area and slip it underneath the carpet edges, so that the center of the tape is aligned with the seam. Heat up the seam iron.

At this point, two people should work on the repair: one to work the iron, the other to follow along, pressing the seams into place. Start at one end of the seam. The first person should hold back the edges of the seam, while the second person presses the hot iron squarely on the tape for about 30 seconds. Once the glue melts, slide the iron down about a foot to the next section of tape.

Meanwhile, the first person should quickly press the edges of the carpet together over the heated tape, using the thumbs to separate the carpet fibers and make sure none are sticking to the glue, while ensuring a tight seal. Finally, place a weighted board directly over the seam to keep it flat until the glue sets.

HOME TIP: Do you hate the static charge that builds up after walking across a carpet? Try spritzing the carpet with a solution of one part liquid fabric softener to five parts water. Let it dry for a few minutes before walking on it.