Paint and carpet don’t mix very well, if you splash paint on flooring it’s a nightmare to remove. So we looked at paint protection at Carpets Direct and investigated ways to keep your carpet looking pristine even if you to have to redecorate a room.

• Cover floors before you cover walls: Dust sheets made from cloth or plastic sheeting are a good idea if you are painting a room. Cover the carpet with a ground sheet next to and below the area you are painting and that should catch any paint that you spill. Dust sheets are good for protecting other items of furniture too and they’ll prevent them from being covered in paint splashes after DIY projects.  
  
• Use newspapers: Old newspapers and magazines are handy if you are painting small areas. Place them along the edges of the skirting board and they’ll be ready to collect any paint that falls from a roller or a brush. You could tape a few sections of newspaper together to form a formidable barrier and prevent your carpets from getting a glossy makeover!
• Try an edging tool: Plastic edging tools are great for skirting boards and doors. You can get up close and personal with woodwork when you use an edging tool and it’ll protect the carpet underneath.
• Don’t go crazy with the roller: It’s easy to get carried away when you are ‘rollering’ a wall or a ceiling but spare a thought for the carpet and the objects that are around. Nice smooth strokes are best, don’t attack the wall like a maniac because you’ll have splatter everywhere!  
• Stop drips with brushes: Overloading is a killer when it comes to painting. Put too much paint on the brush and you can’t complain if there are the odd drips here and there. Simply put a moderate amount of paint on the brush, wipe off any excess and you’ll reduce the chances of dripping on your Axminster and you bursting into tears.