Tips and Considerations When Deciding How Often You Should Clean Your Carpet
You’re spending a lot of time on the floor these days with your baby. As you sit on the carpet in the nursery during tummy time, it dawns on you that you can’t remember the last time you had your carpets cleaned.
These days time is a blur. The smell tells you too long, but how often should you clean your carpet?
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the factors to help determine how often you should clean the carpet in your house. We’ll discuss why it's necessary and some tips on how to get the job done.
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How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet in Your House?
Most manufacturers recommend cleaning your carpet every 12 to 18 months. However, the frequency of cleaning depends on several personal and lifestyle factors. Regular vacuuming can help prolong the duration between professional cleanings.
5 Factors To Help You Determine How Often To Clean Your Carpets
No two houses are the same, and neither are the owners! Many factors go into how often you should clean your carpets. Some households, like those with small children or pets, may need more frequent cleaning, while others can go longer between carpet cleanings.
Let’s take a closer look at the factors that determine how often you should clean your carpets.
#1: Foot Traffic
One important lifestyle consideration for how frequently you clean the carpets is foot traffic. There are two important components when it comes to evaluating foot traffic:
Number in your household: A family of 6 will naturally have more foot traffic than a person who lives alone. However, beyond the number of people living in your home, you should consider other factors, such as how frequently you have visitors and how often you host friends in your calculation.
Location of carpet: You should consider where the carpet in your home is located. Your living room, for example, will be more heavily trafficked than your guest bedroom. You may consider adjusting your carpet cleaning schedules differently for different areas in your home.
#2: Allergies
While carpets are cozy and bring a lot of warmth to your home, there is a downside when it comes to allergies. Studies have found a higher concentration of dust and other allergens in carpets compared to other flooring choices.
Consider the people living in your home. Does anyone struggle with allergies? Are they severe? Does anyone have any breathing problems? Does anyone suffer from asthma? If so, carpets may need to be cleaned more often.
#3: Pets
While everyone loves their furry friends, pets inherently come with more cleaning.
So, how often should you clean your carpet with pets?
Consider the lifestyle of your pets. Do they come in and out? Or do they stay strictly indoors? How much do they shed? Do they have any occasional accidents? How much time do they spend in the carpeted areas?
While keeping up with regular vacuuming can help, you may need to clean the carpets more frequently to combat the hair, dander, and pet odors.
#4: Smoke
Smoke odors — whether from smoking cigarettes, pipes, or from using a fireplace or buck stove — can be another reason to clean carpets more often.
Tobacco smoke can linger in the carpet fibers even after smoking has stopped, making it very difficult to remove the odor. Beyond professional carpet cleaning, other professional odor removal services may be necessary.
#5: Carpet Color, Material, and Type
The durability of carpets and the frequency of which they need cleaning depends on three factors:
Color: Unsurprisingly, lighter color carpets generally show stains more prominently and may need more frequent cleaning.
Material: The material of your carpet can impact its durability. For example, nylon carpets are more resistant to staining and are best suited for high-traffic areas.
Type: The pile refers to how the carpet is constructed. It can vary in length and density. For example, loop pile carpets trap materials and dirt, making them harder to clean, as compared to a low-cut pile carpet, which is easier to clean.
Why Is It Necessary To Periodically Clean Your Carpets?
There are several reasons and benefits to cleaning your carpet regularly, including:
Lengthening the lifespan of the carpet
Cutting down on bacteria
Reducing allergens
Removing stubborn stains
Removing unpleasant odors
How To Clean Your Carpet
Like most home maintenance projects, you need to weigh the pros and cons, as well as the cost, of carpet cleaning yourself versus hiring professionals.
Professional Cleaning
The average cost of professional carpet cleaning is about $165. However, the cost depends on several factors including:
Square footage
Severity of stains
Type of carpet
Material of carpet
Where the carpet is located (stairs or standard room)
Geography
Before hiring a professional cleaner, you should find out the preparation you will need to do (if any) before they arrive. This can include vacuuming, moving furniture, etc.
DIY Cleaning
If you’re interested in cleaning your carpets yourself, you can rent machines from Home Depot and other stores which cost on average $40 per day plus the cost of cleaning solution.
While the cost is generally lower than professional cleaning, you should consider the time, effort, and learning curve that comes with carpet cleaning. The incorrect product or using too much force can be a costly mistake and cause damage to your carpet.
Tidy Up Portland! Helps You Keep Your Home and Floors Clean and Maintained Between Deep Cleaning Carpet Treatments
If the coffee stain on your carpet from when you dropped your coffee mug last year is still bugging you or the odor of the pet dander is starting to get to you, it may be time to clean your carpets.
While you can deep clean your carpets on your own or hire a professional floor cleaner, Tidy Up Portland! is there for you, too! Between deep carpet cleanings, we are here to help you with regular maintenance including vacuuming.
Unlike other cleaning services, you can book directly online through our easy-to-use booking portal. Fill out a contact form and schedule a cleaning.
You can also select from our other services including:
Oven cleaning
Fridge cleaning
Inside windows
Laundry services
And more!
Looking for the best house cleaning in Portland? Book with Tidy Up Portland! today so you can stop worrying about if your carpets are clean!
