How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets? A Guide for Homeowners | New Way Carpet Cleaning & Restoration

Ok so the majority of us probably don't clean our carpets as much as we should. But, how often are you supposed to clean them anyway? How much is necessary? The answer is going to depend on different factors. In this article we'll go over how to keep your carpets beautiful and hygienic based on your circumstances.

While this guide is for homeowners, we haven't forgotten about business owners! Stay tuned for a future article to help business owners determine the best carpet cleaning schedule for their business.

Your guide to determine how often you should be cleaning your carpets!

Why is Carpet Cleaning Important?

Keeping clean carpets is important for reasons other than aesthetics. Your carpets can hold onto months worth of pollutants that could make you sick! Pet dander, dust mites, pollen and bacteria can trigger allergy flare-ups.

Carpets also like to hold onto anything you spill on them. So the longer you leave spills and stains, the more damage and odor you'll have to deal with. Cleaning your carpets regularly can prevent permanent damage and prolong the life of your carpets!

But, how often should you actually be cleaning your carpets? Let's get into it.

How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets?

The frequency of carpet cleaning depends on a few different factors. We need to consider the type of carpet, the amount of foot traffic, and the level of indoor air pollution. Here's some general guidelines:

1. Do You Have Pets In Your Home?

Let's be real. Most people don't start thinking about deep cleaning their carpet until theres a reason to think about it. One of the biggest reasons you may have started doing research is because you have pets.

Pets that shed can wreak havoc on your carpets. The pet hair just piles up, and soon the vacuum doesn't seem to cut it. If you have allergies, pet hair and carpets are the perfect recipe for a flare up. If your pets go outside, they're constantly bringing in dirt, pollen, and other allergens. Additionally, if your pets ever have accidents in the house, bacteria can start to grow in those spots. No matter how much you've scrubbed, sometimes only a professional cleaner can remove those stains.

So, it's recommended that residential carpets be professionally cleaned once a year. If you fit into the catagory of pet owner with carpets and allergies, you might consider an extra cleaning in addition to that.

A good deep cleaning will hopefully improve your health, and remove stubborn odors and stains.

2. Do You Have High-Traffic Carpeted Areas?

Discoloration in carpets is hard to get rid of. It's the most common in areas that get more traffic like hallways, entryways, and staircases. If you have a larger family, your carpets might get a lot more wear and tear. Like we mentioned above, pets can contribute to that wear and tear as well.

To prevent stains from setting in, you might consider getting these areas cleaned more often. Instead of getting a cleaning for the entire house once a year, maybe break it up! You could schedule a cleaning every three months for just the high traffic areas of your home.

If you have a large family and areas that pick up more traffic, opt for more frequent cleanings. Like we said, you might not have to get the whole house cleaned every couple months. But it could be a smart move to have busier areas cleaned on a regular basis.

3. What Type of Carpet Do You Have?

The type of carpet you have in your home will effect how often you'll need to clean it. Low pile carpets (picture) will require less cleaning since they can't trap as much dirt. High pile carpets like shag trap the most dirt and allergens in their fibers. If you have this type of carpet, you'll need to invest in more maintenance to keep them looking good for longer.

You might not have the one who picked out the carpet that was installed in your home. Maybe you've moved in to an apartment or house with carpets already installed. If you're not sure which kind of carpet you have, here's how you can figure out:

Low-pile carpets have tight loops and shorter fibers. You can tell it's carpet from looking at it, but it doesn't sink beneath your feet when you step on it. This type of carpet is more popular where foot traffic is heavy. When you see carpet in a store oor restaurant, it's almost always going to be low-pile. The picture below is our carpet technician cleaning a restaurants low-pile carpets.

High-pile or deep-pile carpets have tall and loosely woven fibers. The popular shag carpets from the 70's are a good example of this. High-pile carpets will sink beneath your feet when you step on them. They're plush and softer than low-pile, so they're more common in living rooms and bedrooms. High-pile is generally more common in area rugs than carpeting for a full home.

If you have low-pile carpets, cleaning will be easier. Low-pile doesn't hold onto debris quite as strong as high-pile does. Low-pile is usually best for people with allergies and pets since it's easier to keep clean. Low-pile will still need a good deep clean every year at least. This will make sure no odors, stains, or discoloration ruin the carpets.

If you have high-pile carpets, you may need to invest in more regular cleanings. Since high-pile holds onto so much pollen and pet hair, deep cleanings should be more frequent. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to schedule a deep cleaning more than once a year.

Do What Works For You

There's no getting around it. Carpet cleaning is essential to maintaining a healthy home and extending the life of your carpets. By considering the points in this article, you can come to your own conclusion. How often you clean your carpets is going to depend on your own personal circumstances. On top of scheduling a deep clean, make sure to regularly vacuum and spot treat your carpets. This'll keep you from needing to spend any extra money on carpet maintenance.

If you have any questions or concerns about carpet cleaning, don't hesitate to consult a professional cleaner. They can help you choose the right cleaning method and a schedule that works for you.

New Way Carpet Cleaning & Restoration has been serving the Parkersburg WV area for over 40 years! Our experienced carpet technicians use the highest quality equipments to bring your carpets back to life. Give us a call at (304)-902-2687 to schedule a cleaning appointment or get a free estimate!