Proper vacuuming is the easiest and most effective way to keep your carpet clean and remember these few easy tips:
- Always vacuum slowly, quick vacuuming does not get the dirt out.
- When vacuuming your carpets, don’t overlook those corners and behind furniture where dust builds.
- “Top-down” cleaning saves you the step of vacuuming again after dusting. Dust blinds, windowsills, and furniture first and then vacuum.
- Remember to always replace or empty vacuum bags when they are half full.
How Often Should You Vacuum?
As a rule of thumb, you should vacuum at least once a week with a quality vacuum cleaner. However, the more foot traffic over your carpet, the more you need to vacuum. The general formula is:
- Vacuum daily in high-traffic or pet areas.
- Vacuum twice weekly in medium-traffic areas.
- Vacuum weekly in light-traffic areas, using attachments at carpet edges.
Get on a Cleaning Schedule
If carpet is cleaned before it becomes too unsightly, the cleaning chore will be easier and more successful. Carpet in a typical household should be cleaned every 18 months, depending on the number of residents and amount of activity.
Choosing the proper cleaning system is important. Some systems may leave residues which accelerate re-soiling and defeats the whole purpose of cleaning.
Carpet warranties require that the homeowner be able to show proof of periodic cleaning by hot water extraction (commonly called “steam” cleaning) by a professional cleaning service.