How to Get Wrinkles Out of Carpet

After a while, all carpeting tends to show signs of wear. Wrinkles in carpeting are very common. Reasons for wrinkles in your carpet can be that excess carpet was originally laid down, the carpet has been stretched from foot traffic, vigorous vacuuming or that heavy furniture has been pushed around on it. To get wrinkles out of carpet, you will need various tools, many of which are available to rent. The process is pretty straightforward, but it requires a great deal of care and attention to ensure that your carpet is stretched properly and reattached.

Power stretcher
Knee kicker (smaller stretcher for tight corners)
Carpet cutter
Utility knife
Heavy-duty stapler with staples
Pry bar
Chisel
Pliers
Tack strips (enough to replace the ones you will have to pull up)
Thick rubber gloves

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the area of carpet that needs to be stretched.
- 2
  Pull up a corner of the wrinkled carpet very gently, and slowly pull it free of the tack strip beneath it. Be careful not to pull too hard or fast to avoid fraying the carpet fibers or ripping a carpet seam.
- 3
  Pull out all the staples from the pad underneath the carpet before lifting up the pad. Do not pull the pad up through the staples; this will most likely tear the pad.
- 4
  Put on your rubber gloves and very carefully, using the pry bar, pry up the tack strips on the perimeter of the floor.
- 5
  Replace the tack strips with new ones by hammering the pre-set setting nails into the floor. Make sure that the carpet-grabbing tips of the nails are pointed towards the wall so that they can hold the carpet in place after you stretch it.
- 6
  Trim the carpet pad using a carpet cutter or a utility knife so that it rests just along the tack strips. Smooth it out, and staple it into the floor every three inches or so, using your staple gun.
- 7
  Roll the carpet down flat until it hits the wall, and trim all but three inches of excess carpet. Cut from the underside of the carpet, using the carpet cutter.
- 8
  Brace the end of the carpet stretcher against the wall, and allow the head of the stretcher to dig into the carpet.
- 9
  Push the end of the carpet into the tack strip, directly in front of the head of the stretcher.
- 10
  Adjust the dial on the power stretcher to allow the teeth to dig deeply into the carpet. The deepest setting is best for most carpets.
- 11
  Push down on the lever firmly. You should feel the carpet start to stretch and the wrinkles disappear.
- 12
  Cut the excess carpet off after it has been satisfactorily stretched. Cut with the carpet cutter to ensure that your cut remains straight and even.

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