You just bought new carpet for your home, so how do you maintain its fresh, new look long after the installers leave?

To help maintain your carpet's appearance and ensure complete satisfaction with the services performed, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends you receive a written contract or estimate confirming the total price and any statements or guarantees the cleaning company offers prior to any services being performed.

To learn more about the IICRC or how to care for your carpet, you can write to the Institute at 2715 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661.

To keep your carpet clean, it's necessary to vacuum regularly with a strong, well-functioning vacuum cleaner. Unfortunately, due to traffic, children, pets and normal use, carpet fibers inevitably become soiled, and a dull appearance results. And no matter how much you vacuum, eventually you will need to call a professional carpet cleaner.

Regular professional cleaning by a certified technician is as important to your carpet as having a trained mechanic perform routine tune-ups on your car. While your carpet may appear clean on the surface, periodic cleaning by a certified technician can remove what you can't see and help your carpet retain its fresh appearance.

Trained, certified professionals can help restore your carpet's appearance and offer simple suggestions to maintain a clean and healthy environment. These tips often include:

Programmed carpet cleaning every 6 to 12 months so soils are removed before they build up or become embedded.

Entry mats to trap soils outside the home.

High-efficiency vacuum filter bags that trap small soil particles and keep them out of the breathing zone.

High-efficiency electrostatic filters in forced air heating and central air conditioning systems to remove up to 99 percent of allergy-aggravating pollutants.