The toothpick tuck-back fix

You will need

• Small sharp scissors (nail scissors or thread snips) · Already in your bathroom cabinet
• Blunt tapestry needle or a bobby pin · Spotlight or Woolworths craft section, ~$3 for a pack
• Clear-drying fabric glue (e.g. Selleys Kwik Grip Fabric Fix or similar) · Bunnings or Spotlight, ~$8 a tube
• A toothpick · Any supermarket, basically free

Step 1

Don't pull the loop

Step one is actually to do nothing hasty. Pulling a snagged loop tightens the distortion and can unravel a whole row of carpet, so resist the urge and leave it exactly as it is while you grab your tools.

Step 2

Assess the snag

Look closely at whether the loop is still attached at the base or has been pulled free. If it's still anchored and just sticking up, you're in luck — this is a 5-minute fix. If the loop has snapped and left a frayed end, you'll handle it slightly differently in the next step.

Step 3

Trim a broken loop flush (if snapped)

If the loop has snapped and is sticking up as a loose tuft, use your small sharp scissors to snip it flush with the surrounding carpet pile. Cut just at the level of the surrounding loops — don't dig in. A small snipped end is far less visible than a loopy bump.

Step 4

Tuck an intact loop back down

If the loop is still attached, use the blunt end of the tapestry needle or the rounded tip of a bobby pin to gently push the loop back down into the backing. Work from the edges of the snag toward the centre in small nudges so it seats back into its row.

Step 5

Secure it with a tiny dab of fabric glue

Once the loop is back in position, use a toothpick to apply the tiniest amount of fabric glue right at the base of the loop where it meets the backing. Hold it in place for 30 seconds and let it cure for an hour before walking on it. This stops it popping back up.

The stop point

If you can see more than 3–4 adjacent loops have unravelled, or the carpet backing itself is torn or separating from the underlay → stop, you need a carpet repair specialist (search 'carpet restretching and repair' on Google or hipages.com.au).

Mendy calls tradies for you. Your first booking is free, then $3.50 a booking.

Get quotes instead