Carpet is an excellent choice for home floors because it’s durable, soft underfoot, helps reduce sound and provides insulation. However, it’s prone to damage, which can be expensive to repair.

The good news is that you can save yourself a lot of money carpet repair kit and keep your carpet looking its best by patching small sections. If the damaged area is less than a square foot, it’s easy to do yourself, and the process takes about half an hour.

First, you’ll need a new piece of carpet that matches the color and pile of your existing rug. These pieces are called donor carpet, and you can typically find them under sofas or in closets. You may also want to look for remnants left over from your original installation, since they’re likely to be the closest match possible.

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If you can’t find a remnant, you can use the following method to identify and replace the donor carpet: Rub your hand over the damaged section of carpeting, and note which direction the fibers stand up. This will help you set the donor piece in the correct direction next to the damaged area.

Once you’ve found the right donor piece, use a cushion-back cutter to slice out the damaged area and cut an identically sized replacement patch. You can also glue the two together with a patching adhesive.

Then, place the new piece over the damaged area, and carefully blend the seam with a star wheel carpet seam roller or brush made with natural fibers. Do this on the entire seam, including the edges, to ensure the repaired area looks as seamless as possible.