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.
Rug Doctor experts recommend deep cleaning your carpet at least once every 12 months.
Most carpet manufacturers recommend that you get your carpet steam cleaned professionally, every 12-24 months to maintain appearance, however there is more to consider than just the appearance of your carpet. Carpet acts like a filter and helps trap air borne contaminants, which is great for your air quality.
We recommend deep cleaning your carpets and rugs at least twice a year, however, if you have pets, kids or a smoking habit, we recommend deep cleaning every quarter.
Anything with fabric or upholstery needs frequent vacuuming. Dust settles deep into the fibers, holding onto pollutants, bacteria, and unwanted smells. Plan to vacuum carpet and area rugs at least twice per week, even if they don't look dirty.
In addition to vacuuming, it is advised that you clean high-traffic areas every 3 to 6 months and professionally clean it twice per year.
When choosing between steam cleaning and shampooing your carpet, you really can't go wrong with both, but steam cleaning would be the better option. It removes more unseen pests and dirt, and can handle heavy-duty cleaning without making you wait long for drying.
Steam cleaning is a really effective and efficient way to lift build up from the carpet fibers, including mold and pet scents. It also is effective at improving the appearance of carpets that have been neglected over time.
Carpets that still look dirty or have stains reappear after cleaning is a result of something called wicking. This is due to over wetting the carpet, the backing, and pad which causes them to return back to the surface once dry.
Don't wait until your carpet is dirty to get it cleaned. Instead regular professional cleaning is best. Spring and autumn are arguably the best times because the weather is better, less mud and debris is being brought into the house and drying times can be accelerated.
Yes, you should keep cleaning the carpet until the water is clear. This will ensure that your carpets are clean and free of dirt, dust, and other allergens. However, you should be careful not to scrub too hard or use too much water. Doing so can damage the carpet and lead to more stains in the future.
Age: If carpet is more than 12-15 years old, and hasn't been professionally cleaned at regular intervals, it most likely will need replacing. Conditions such as filter soiling, crushing, and traffic patterns will have taken their toll on the carpet, and a single cleaning will not undo decades of wear.
With time, dirt will break down the fibers that make up your carpet, causing irreversible damage. Every step, spill, furniture rearrangement on dirty carpet leads to more damage. Professional carpet cleaners are trained in preserving your carpet and increasing its lifetime.
“A dirty carpet will feel rougher than usual and matted down,” says Bowen. “Also, if you rub your hand across the carpet and feel grit or other particles, you're likely feeling a host of dirt, sand, pet hair, and other debris that needs to be cleaned up.”
Most carpets typically need 6-10 hours to dry completely. However, it could take up to 24 hours to dry depending on the time of year your carpets are cleaned, and the air circulation, humidity and temperature in your home.
Even if you vacuum regularly, dirt, grime, and stains can sink into carpet fibers deeper than a regular vacuum can reach. Thus, it's a good idea to shampoo your carpet once or twice a year, especially if you have pets in the home.
The best method of cleaning carpets is usually steam cleaning, which removes over 90% of dirt and bacteria from carpeting. Dry cleaning carpeting is also effective for ensuring carpets are ready for foot traffic as quickly as possible.
Steam is perfect for carpets, as it is often capable of delivering results without a reliance on caustic cleaning chemicals. Superheated steam is directed exactly where it is needed. And the latest steam cleaners use the optimum amount of water, ensuring your carpet isn't completely drenched afterwards.
That being said, because the Self-Clean process is longer and a little more in depth, it does clean the oven better when it comes to tough grease spots and caked on debris and requires little to no wiping or elbow grease compared to Steam-Clean.
If you're serious about making your carpet look like new again, deep cleaning with a carpet cleaner is your first step. Whether you rent a carpet cleaning machine or call in a professional for help, shampooing your carpet with a high-quality carpet cleaner will make an immediate and highly visible difference.
Vacuum Carpet Frequently
According to Shaw Floors, manufacturer of carpet, vinyl, hardwood and laminate flooring, you should vacuum the traffic lanes in high-traffic areas daily and the entire area twice a week. For rooms with light traffic flow, vacuum the traffic lanes twice a week and the entire area once.