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The carpet in your home is subject to a lot of abuse. Because of that abuse and because of the characteristics of carpet it can develop a number of problems. One of those problems is Traffic Lane Gray.

Traffic Lane Gray is a condition where the traffic lanes in a home start to look darker than the rest of the carpet. It is different from regular soiling because the darkness is not caused by soil but by scratched carpet fibers that no longer reflect as much light as the rest of the carpeting. So if you have had your carpets cleaned and the carpet still looks dark or gray in the traffic areas you probably have Traffic Lane Gray.

So how do you correct it? Well you can't. Unfortunately the damage is permanent. When carpet fibers are designed, they are designed with edges that reflect light and hide soil. When these edges are worn down, through normal use, they do not reflect the same amount of light. You will probably notice that the carpet looks fine up close but when you look at it from a distance it appears dark. This is because of the fibers not reflecting as much light.

The only way to treat this condition is to prevent it. To prevent it you must limit wear on your carpet. To do that have it cleaned often, use entry rugs and rearrange your furniture regularly to spread out the wear. By doing those three things you can prevent or at least delay the condition know as Traffic Lane Gray.