# Removing furniture dents from carpetting **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502 "2007-12-10T17:58:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/1 "2007-12-10T17:58:18Z")
We’ve been moving around a lot of furniture, and you can now see exactly where everything used to sit, because of dents in the carpetting. Book shelves, table legs, sofas. All nicely outlined. I’ve rubbed at the indents, getting the carpet threads to at least stand up, but it’s still noticable. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/2 "2007-12-10T18:12:13Z")
In my experience they go away in time without interference. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/3 "2007-12-10T18:14:26Z")
[QUOTE=essell] In my experience they go away in time without interference. [/QUOTE] Vacuuming might give them a jumpstart. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/4 "2007-12-10T18:17:36Z")
Put some water in a tea kettle and bring it up to a boil, then carefully pour just a small amount on the indented area. The hot water will make the carpet fibers swell back up. Blot gently with a towel to soak up excess water. **Don’t vacuum until the area is completely dry!** ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/5 "2007-12-10T18:18:55Z")
A damp towel and an iron can help: place the damp towel over the dent and then iron it. Of course, check the carpet with the iron in a hidden spot first - some carpets will melt under the heat. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/6 "2007-12-10T18:26:05Z")
I’ve used ice cubes instead of hot water. Stick one in each dent, vacuum the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/7 "2007-12-10T20:16:25Z")
“Heloise” (as in “Hints from”) recommends letting an ice cube melt in the dent, and then “fluffing” the carpet with a fork. I’ve never tried this, as I’ve never had carpets nice enough that I gave a shit about furniture dents. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/8 "2007-12-10T23:03:27Z")
[QUOTE=Scarlett67] “Heloise” (as in “Hints from”) recommends letting an ice cube melt in the dent, and then “fluffing” the carpet with a fork. I’ve never tried this, as I’ve never had carpets nice enough that I gave a shit about furniture dents. 😃 [/QUOTE] Fluff with a fork, huh? Sounds like something I’d hear on the cable TV Food Channel. Maybe for mashed potatoes. Usually I don’t bother either, but the furniture got moved because we’ve just put the house up for sale. I’m officially bothering with the weirdest stuff. Thanks for the ideas folks. I’ll be the one wandering around my house with a hot kettle of water, ice cubes, a damp towel and iron and a fork. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/9 "2007-12-11T03:37:01Z")
Bah! Forks and hokey potions. Do this: Use soapy warm water, about the am’t you’d use from a carpet cleaner or from carpet cleaners that foam. Never **scrub** a rug…or use a fork! Go ahead and vaccuum up the foam. Very kind to the carpet. Feel free to give the dent a little hand swishing with a warm soft rag to prop up the fibers, but keep this action far from rubbing/scrubbing. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-furniture-dents-from-carpetting/429502/10 "2007-12-11T03:43:27Z")
**Potential Buyer:** So what did you do? The rooms are so bright and cheery! What did you do to the carpet? **Seller:** Oh, we just forked in every room. We forked in the living room all day yesterday.