How often should you clean your carpet? The answer depends on your living space. If you have many people and a lot of foot traffic on your carpet, you should vacuum and shampoo more often. Other factors, such as pets, allergies, and even the color of your carpeting, can affect how often you need to clean it.
How Often to Vacuum Your Carpet
For simple vacuuming of your carpets, consider tackling this chore at least once a week for a family that is rarely home. However, in busy families or high traffic carpet areas, you want to vacuum at least twice a week, if not more. Cleaning daily can cut down on the dirt and allergens, especially if you have pets or children running around or allow shoes to be worn in the house.
| Household Factors | Vacuuming Frequency |
| Light traffic | Weekly or less |
| High traffic | 2 times a week |
| Pets | Daily; at least twice a week |
| Children | Daily; at least twice a week |
How Often Should You Shampoo Your Carpet?
You should clean your carpet at least every 12 months to remove dirt, grime, and allergens. However, this schedule can vary depending on several factors in your household. If you have children or pets, you might shampoo your carpets more regularly.
| Household Factors | Shampooing Frequency |
| Light traffic | 12 months |
| High traffic | 6-12 months |
| Pets | 3-6 months |
| Children | 6-12 months |
| Light colored | 6 months |
| Family with allergies | 2-3 months |
| Smokers | 3-6 months |
How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets With Kids?
Kids are dirty! Young children, older children, they all have a propensity to get dirt and germs on them. And some kids are much better at this than others. Therefore, to clean up those muddy messes or spilled Kool-Aid, you need to vacuum at least every few days, if not daily. Shampoo or steam clean your carpets at least every 6 months and consider having a professional cleaning service come in every 12-18 months to make sure your carpets stay fresh.
How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet With Pets?
Furry children are even worse than their human counterparts. Besides muddy paws and accidents, they are also shaking off pet dander all the time. Therefore, you want to vacuum at least twice a week to keep up with your four-legged friends. It can help to use a vacuum designed for pets, like a Miele. Clean your carpets yourself with a carpet cleaner or steam cleaner at least every 3-6 months. However, call the professionals every 6 months if you want to make sure everything is gone. This is especially true for high-traffic areas and for animals prone to accidents. Clean up messes as soon as they happen to avoid lingering odors.
When to Clean Light Colored Carpets
Another beast to tame in your lovely abode is the light-colored carpet. While these carpets can bring life to a room, they show the dirt. While this will require more cleaning, on the plus side, the dirt is not hidden to build up. Therefore, you want to be diligent in your cleaning routine for white or light carpets. This means you need to vacuum at least twice a week and shampoo them once every 6 months. Shampoo them more often if you notice dinginess.
How Often to Clean Carpets When You Have Allergies
Carpets are great for filtering out dust and allergens. But not so great when they build up. If you are vacuuming your carpets with a HEPA filter, you are one step ahead in keeping those allergens at bay. However, despite your best efforts, these allergens build up over time. Therefore, shampoo your carpets every two months to make the air breathable again. For bad allergies, consider bringing in a professional every three months.
How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets With Smokers?
When you have smokers in your home, all that nicotine and tar need goes right into your carpet fibers. To keep up with tar and nicotine stains, shampoo your carpets at least every 3-6 months. More often for heavy smokers and less for light or moderate smokers. It will not hurt to do it more often.
Tips for Cleaning Your Carpets
Shampooing your carpets is essential, but there are a few tips you need to remember.
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Avoid over-wetting carpet since the moisture can stay in the pad and cause mold or other issues.
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Allow the carpet to fully dry before moving your furniture back.
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Take your time vacuuming before shampooing.
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Go slowly when doing weekly vacuuming to ensure you get all the particles.
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Follow all the instructions when doing home shampooing to ensure a proper clean.
How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet?
Carpeting is a great floor covering that's warm and cozy when you walk around. However, it also takes some work to maintain, especially when you have children and furry friends. Next, keep your carpets pristine by following a few tips for cleaning shag rugs.
