Carpeting lasts longest when high density rubber pad is installed beneath. Since rubber costs twice that of rebond recycled foam pad, budget often controls this decision. When buying rebond pad, make sure the foam is memory foam from the furniture industry, and accept nothing less than 8 pound density. Watch out for rebond products that have been recycled more than once in efforts to be ‘green.’

Select the fiber in your carpeting according to its use. If your home is full of children and pets, nylon is still the most stain resistant choice. Stainmaster nylon has a distinctive fiber shape engineered to lengthen the life of the carpeting, and Antron nylon has internal channels that hide the appearance of soil. Corn has been blended with other polymers to make a cost-effective non-petroleum based fiber called Smartstrand that is reasonably crush and stain resistant. Wool carpeting has innate soil resistance due to lanolin on the outside of the fiber, and the yarn blossoms back after cleaning making it look brand new.