Cut-pile carpet
A carpet construction in which the loops are cut at the top, leaving upright fiber ends that produce a soft, plush surface — the most common residential carpet style.
Also known as: plush carpet, saxony carpet, frieze carpet
Cut-pile carpet is the dominant residential carpet construction. The yarn loops are sheared at the surface, so what shows is the cut end of each fiber standing upright. Depending on how tightly the fiber is twisted and how densely it is set, cut-pile styles range from smooth plush and saxony to textured frieze and shag. Fiber choices — nylon, polyester, triexta, wool, and blends — determine most of the cleaning behavior; construction determines the visual behavior.
Cut-pile carpet shows traffic and soiling more readily than berber loop because the upright fiber tips catch light and reveal any darkening at the exposed ends. This is what produces the visible traffic-zone darkening in hallways, doorways, and pivot points near sofas even when the carpet has recently been cleaned. Residue reactivation is more visually obvious on cut pile for the same reason: soil bonded to leftover residue clings to the exposed fiber tips.
Cleaning cut pile with hot-water extraction is straightforward when the water temperature, cleaning solution, and dwell time are matched to the fiber. The main practical concern is pile lay: post-extraction grooming with a carpet rake in the direction of the pile helps the fibers dry standing rather than matted, which materially affects how the finished result looks after the appointment.