How Often Should You Get Your Carpets Cleaned?
Frequently used carpets should be professionally cleaned by a qualified technician at least annually – perhaps a little longer interval for infrequently-used carpets, and even sooner for carpets in homes of respiratory-sensitive or allergic persons, or in homes with indoor pets.
The following is information from the IICRC S100 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning. According to the guide, factors to consider carpet cleaning frequency include: traffic, soil level, vacuuming schedules, spot cleaning schedules, professional interim cleaning schedules, and restorative cleaning schedules.
Remember: It’s important to follow the carpet manufacturer’s recommended cleaning schedule to maintain your warranty.
Residential Carpet Cleaning Frequency Guide
If you have:
Light Soil
- Vacuuming: 1x per week
- Spot Cleaning: Daily or as soon as spots are noticed
- Heavy-Use Area Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Traffic areas every 12 to 18 months
- Restorative Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Every 2 years or per manufacturer warranty
Normal Soil (families with children, elderly)
- Vacuuming: 1 to 2 x per week
- Spot Cleaning: Daily or as soon as spots are noticed
- Heavy-Use Area Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Traffic areas every 6 to 12 months
- Restorative Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Annually
Heavy Soil (families with pets, smoking)
- Vacuuming: 2 to 4 x per week
- Spot Cleaning: Daily or as soon as spots are noticed
- Heavy-Use Area Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Traffic areas every 3 to 6 months
- Restorative Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Semi-annually (2x annually)
Extreme Conditions (large families, multiple pets)
- Vacuuming: Daily
- Spot Cleaning: Daily or as soon as spots are noticed
- Heavy-Use Area Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Traffic lanes every 2 to 3 months
Restorative Cleaning (Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer): Quarterly (4x annually)
Keeping Your Carpet Clean During the Muddy Winter is Tough – But Salt is Even Tougher on Your Carpets
Clean carpet is something most homeowners strive for while each new season presents new challenges and obstacles to maintain that clean carpet. A good rule of thumb is that wherever there is snow and ice there is also salt. The salt mixtures we use for snow contains calcium chloride and in some instances also sand. While the salt and chemicals work wonders for keeping ice off of our walkways and driveways, they wreak havoc on our carpet.
When left unattended, salt and calcium chloride not only stain the carpet but also lead to discoloration and damage the carpet fibers. The salt penetrates the carpet fibers, typically nylon or wool, and causes them to breakdown much faster than what is considered normal wear and tear. The longer the salt stays in the carpet, the more salt damage occurs. Salt and carpet simply do not mix.
Keep your carpet clean by using a simple solution of white vinegar and warm water. Before you begin to clean the salt stains, make sure you thoroughly vacuum the area to remove any freestanding particles of dirt and salt. If not removed, the salt and dirt will simply dissolve when exposed to the water mixture leaving you a bigger stain to clean up than when you started.
Combine equal portions of white vinegar and warm water in a bucket. Keeping the carpet as dry as possible is key, so avoid using a spray bottle to apply the mixture. Dip a sponge in the water and vinegar mixture so it is wet rather than soaked, and scrub the stain. Let the homemade cleaning solution sit on the salt stain for approximately 15 minutes then use a clean towel to press against the carpet and remove any excess water.
Repeat the sponge and towel technique again to remove the remaining stain if necessary. After the carpet stain is successfully removed, simply press a dry, clean towel on the area to continue removing the moisture. Getting as much moisture out as possible is important to avoid additional carpet stains.
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