The Real Dirt on How Often Should You Clean Your Home’s Carpets

 

Although you might have guessed 3, 6, or even 18 months, there are several frequencies of cleaning carpets suggested. Here’s why.

In almost every home, carpet is one of the common features. They help a room feel cozy adding texture and warmth.

Carpets promote the growth of dirt, dust and allergens, however. But while regular vacuuming dredges up surface debris, only deep cleaning can get rid of bacteria and unpleasant stains.

So, when should you be vacuuming your carpets?

The answer depends on a number of factors: how much foot traffic gets into that room, whether anyone in your family suffers from allergies, and whether you have a pet that sheds.

Carpet manufacturers generally recommend that carpets be surface cleaned weekly and have a deep cleaning at a minimum of once every 12 to 18 months. Featured below is the bottom why

How Often to Clean Carpet

For a small house or family that is seldom home during the day, you might find a weekly pass, along with a decent vacuum for carpets, does the trick. But twice a week is best for high-traffic areas and homes with pets, children or allergy sufferers.

Professional cleaning of carpets should be done every 12 to 18 months. To rid a carpet of dirt and grime, deep cleaning can help. The three methods of deep cleaning are hot water extraction or steam cleaning, absorbent pad cleaning and rotary shampooing.

Whether cleaning it yourself or having the carpets professionally done, the trick is to take the time to work in the corners and crevices, and to be patient enough to allow the carpets to dry thoroughly before resuming normal use. You do not want to walk around on soaked carpets as you will just re-soil them and the fibers need to dry completely.

What Determines How Often A Deep Clean Should Take Place?

There are several factors that determine how often you should clean carpets. They include:

• Foot traffic: If your home or everyone in your home has allergies, you may want to clean more frequently, every 6 to 12 months if possible.
• Pets: Furry four-legged companions tend to track dirt and germs from the outside world. Indoor pets can also have accidents. Besides the deep clean every 6 to 12 months, spot cleaning, whether it be pet urine accidents or spills, is key in keeping your carpets from getting stained and smelling bad. Perfectly clean pets also shake off dander and hair that can accumulate over time. So, think of a vacuum that’s meant for pets. It will come with better features to deal with hair and hair fall.
• Allergies: Dirty carpets can aggravate allergic diseases, asthma or hay fever. HEPA filter vacuums are effective in keeping allergens at bay. However, regular dry vacuuming can send allergens into the air, making reactions worse before they improve. If members of your household have allergies or respiratory problems, you might consider shampooing or steam cleaning carpets every three to six months. For allergy sufferers, trapping dust mites and allergens in a water receptacle (as opposed to a dust or air filter) can be more effective.
• Smokers: If you or a member of your family smokes, then you must steam clean your carpets regularly and use air filtration. Household hacks like sprinkling baking soda, using fabric sprays and plug-in air fresheners may not actually remove the smells of lingering smoke. Consider running an indoor air filter Industrial fan regularly and limiting smoking to outdoor spots away from windows and doors. The carpet is best cleaned professionally every 3 to 6 months but if the stain is deep and heavy, you might have to replace the carpet altogether.
• Piling, Fibers, & Color: And Material alone can require frequent cleaning. Light-colored carpets easily show dirt. On the other hand, dark-colored carpets resist stains. The type of carpet fiber, for example, can also affect the amount of dust it draws. There are certain specifics to every carpet or rug, and you may realize that your carpet may need to be cleaned more frequently than many other carpets available in the market.

Get Weekly Carpet Cleaning Today!

With professional cleaning and proper care, carpets can lasts anywhere from 5 to 15 years, experts say. However, excessive wear, matting, fraying, pet urine and irreparable stains likely call for a replacement sooner.

When carpets age, a professional cleaning can only pull up surface dirt, allergens and stains, and water and allergens, if they’re encased in the padding, where they continue to breed mold and mildew, replacement becomes the only real alternative.

Dirty carpets can accumulate dirt, bacteria and germs if not cleaned regularly. Even if you don’t see damage, you’ll probably smell it.

Worse still, you’ll feel it. Carpets can feel greasy or sticky underfoot, or people with respiratory problems can be more prone to other health issues. Regularly cleaning and sanitizing carpets can prolong the life of the flooring and enhance the quality of life for the entire family.

Though 3-12 months is a big range for deep cleaning, you’ll know what is right for your carpet and home. Weekly dry vacuuming with a robot vacuum can allow carpet maintenance to be minimal.