The Differences Between Pile Carpeting

Low pile carpeting has a relatively flat feel and appearance. The generic gray wall-to-wall carpeting installed in some office buildings would be deemed "low pile" carpet because they are composed of tightly woven fibers and their height comprises less than 1/4''. They are durable, easy to maintain, and cleaning is a breeze. The tight fibers and lack of height make it tough for pet hair, dust or dander to embed itself into the carpet. With that said, it is ideal for living rooms where children play and dining rooms where people eat. Turbo nozzles are recommended for cleaning low pile carpet, but the same cannot be said for vacuums with automatic height adjustment.

Medium pile carpeting shares characteristics of both low and high pile carpeting. Their fibers are not the tightest in the world, but they are not longest either. Dirt and debris can still get stuck in them, but not to the degree of a high pile carpet. Their height reaches 1/2 inches at most, and a motorized brushroll would work best for regular maintenance. Vacuums with automatic height adjustment are not recommended for medium pile carpeting.

High pile carpets are softer, fluffier, and have a "heightened" appearance. These carpets have long threads that are practically magnets for dirt and debris. With that said, having one by your front door where there is a lot of foot traffic is not a very good idea. To properly maintain, you should get a canister vacuum cleaner that has height adjustment and an electric power nozzle that performs agitation. This is a fancy word to describe how the brushroll spins and lifts up dirt and debris embedded in high pile carpets.