What Carpet Cleaning Schedule Is Right?
You love the beauty and sense of comfort that carpet gives your home, and you know that vacuuming is one way of keeping them looking clean. However, things you can’t see like dirt, grime, pet hair, and pollutants are lingering in the carpet fibers. While vacuuming is the best for daily care, your carpets require a deep clean. But do you know how often you should have your carpets cleaned professionally?
Having your carpets cleaned before they show signs of soiling will help you get the most out of them. Dirt and soil can actually cause carpet fibers to break down, making it look old and worn before its time. Therefore, carpet manufacturers recommend annual steam cleanings. Having your carpets professionally cleaned regularly removes the soil that you can’t see, helping to minimize unnecessary wear and tear.
So how often is “regularly”?
There are several factors that need to be considered when deciding how often to have your carpets steam cleaned:
Warranty
Have you recently installed a new carpet in your home? If so, you’ll want to check your warranty and make sure you follow the cleaning regimen it specifies in order to keep it in good standing. Most warranties require a professional cleaning at least once or twice a year. You should also hang onto the receipts for those cleanings in case a warranty issue should arise. You may need to provide proof that you followed the manufacturer’s instructions for proper care and cleaning frequency.
Children
Do you have young children living with you? Kids are almost synonymous with smears, spills and spatters. From random food spills to dragging mud in from outside, parents and caregivers often struggle with keeping a carpet clean and looking new. Babies and young children often spend a lot of time playing on the carpet, so you want it to always be fresh and clean. Hiring an eco-friendly professional cleaning company will help to ensure that your kids safe from toxins and irritants.
Pets
If you share your home with pets, you should have the carpet professionally cleaned every 6 to 12 months. Aside from tracking outdoor grime into your home, they can distribute urine, feces and vomit on your carpet as well as shedding dander and fur on the fibers. You can extend the time between professional cleanings by vacuuming at least 3 to 4 times a week, but more frequent carpet cleanings help neutralize the biological stains and smells produced by pets.
Allergies
Carpet fibers act as a filter, eventually collecting much of the dust and allergens that float around in the air. As the months pass, these allergy-inducing particles can build-up in the carpet fibers. If allowed to accumulate, these particles will become airborne again whenever someone walks across the carpet. Only a thorough cleaning can remove these allergens to restore a healthy living environment. Plus, if allergies are chronic, frequent cleanings are often necessary to help alleviate recurring symptoms.
Foot Traffic
Generally speaking, the more people that live in your home, the more often you should clean the carpets. A home with minimal traffic can go 2 or more years between professional carpet cleanings where as large family may need a cleaning every 9 months or so. The frequency of cleanings also depends on if you allow shoes to be worn indoors. Shoes not only track in dirt; they also bring in small particles of grit which can cause the carpet fibers to wear. Unless this dirt and grit is periodically removed, it will eventually lead to permanent wear patterns on your carpet.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming at least once a week removes the loose particles on the surface of the carpet, before they settle deeper into the fibers. Regular vacuuming can allow you to go longer between professional deep cleanings. However, eventually you will need to call a professional carpet cleaner to get the deep dust and dirt removed from your carpet. And if you rarely vacuum, now is probably the time to schedule a professional cleaning to preserve the quality of your carpet.
Carpet Color
Light-colored carpet is notorious for revealing dirt and stains. So, it comes as no surprise that maintaining the appearance of a light-colored carpet will require more frequent cleaning than a dark-colored carpet. The one advantage to this is that the lighter color helps you to see when the carpet is in need of a more thorough cleaning.
Maintaining Your Carpet Makes It Last
The carpet in your home is a huge investment, and you want it to maintain a pristine appearance for many years. You also want your carpet to be free of dust and odor for a more hygienic home. It is recommended by The Carpet and Rug Institute that having your carpet professionally deep-cleaned every 12 to 18 months will help to keep it looking and performing at its best. Of course, this frequency is only a guideline only and can vary based on your particular circumstances.
Each home is different, and unless you have a carpet warranty to adhere to there isn’t a science to the length of time that should pass between professional carpet cleanings. Always use your best judgement to determine when you should have your carpet professionally cleaned. When considering how often you should schedule your carpet cleaning, keep in mind how much traffic and who is contributing to the traffic in your home – people or pets, or both? And if you notice your carpet begins to look soiled, it’s probably time to have it cleaned.
Locally owned and operated, Magic Touch Carpet Repair And Cleaning is a top-rated carpet cleaning company in Scottsdale. Our number one concern is the satisfaction of our customers, and our friendly staff strives to provide the best in customer service every time. Give us a call or fill out the contact form to schedule a cleaning now!