Tips on caring for natural fiber carpets Natural fiber carpets are growing in popularity, but they require special care when cleaning. Natural-fiber carpets, which offer consumers new textures and styles, are spreading in popularity, and are being used both as area rugs (particularly over hard- wood floors) and as wall-to-wall carpet. Because these carpets are constructed of natural fibers, however, they require special care. Natural fibers are very absorbent, so permanent discoloration can occur. Knowing how these carpets respond to cleaning can be very helpful in deciding the most effective way to clean them. Here are some tips on caring for natural carpets from carpet cleaning experts at Racine Industries Inc., manufacturer of a dry extraction cleaning system called HOST. 1. Vacuum First - use one with a brush and beater bar. If any texture change occurs, immediately switch to suction only. 2. Use HOST Cleaner - it's a soft, natural product that is environmentally friendly, and contains all the necessary cleaning ingredients. Carpet is clean, dry, and back in service as soon as the cleaning is done. It is best, in fact, to use minimal moisture when cleaning these fibers. 3. Less is more - in the case of natural fibers only, apply less cleaner than instructed on the package and do more brushing. 4. Clean spots immediately - quick action is critical to proper cleanup of spots and spills before they become permanent stains. Absorb excess moisture from spills with a white towel and cover the spill overnight with the absorbent HOST cleaner, then vacuum. For dry spots, brush the cleaner through spots, and then vacuum. Use minimal moisture in cleaning And for these specific types of natural-fiber carpets, the dry extraction cleaning experts also offer this advice for use and cleaning: Sisal, coir and jute - Do not place where spills are likely to occur; color may be affected by any cleaning. In addition, water spills can remove color on some jute rugs. Oriental, Chinese and Persian - Often made with wool fibers, but some of these rugs are also made with silk. When brushing a silk rug, be aware of the texture; do not scrub aggressively. Also be careful when vacuuming near the edges, to avoid catching the fringe. Wool and wool berbers - Shedding of the wool pile is natural, but aggressive brushing can cause a carpet to fuzz. Extra care is needed for wool berbers that have very fat yarns, because they can be more susceptible. Cotton - Be careful brushing a cotton carpet, as fuzzing can occur. For more information about cleaning natural fibers, call 800-558-9439 or visit the Web site at www.hostcarpetcleaning.com.