Your home carpet is probably the largest décor item in your living space, as such its condition has the biggest impact on the appearance of your interior. Naturally, you would want to keep it looking pristine and free of dust, odor and other forms of allergens. In addition, your carpet is a considerable investment, so you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
You might say my carpets look clean. Perhaps, but carpets are designed to hide soil from your eyes, keeping it trapped below the surface, where it does the most harm. Not convinced? Do a little test. Place a new bag inside your vacuum, thoroughly vacuum all your carpets. When done remove the bag and cut it open and look at what was inside your visually clean carpet Now considering that all this disgusting stuff is in your carpet, and more is being brought in everyday, eventually the carpet will become full. As you walk across your full carpet you re-distribute the dust and pollutants back into the air that you and your family breathe. As a result of being full, your carpets will also begin appearing visibly dirty. This visual soil may take upwards of 1 to 2 years before it finally shows itself, by then it has done a lot of damage to your carpet and has contributed greatly to having poor Indoor Air Quality.
But how often should you clean your carpet?
Well, this varies depending on several factors. Some homes will need carpet cleaning every 3 to 6 months, some 6 to 12 months and yet others will only need professional deep cleaning every 12 to 18 months. So, if you’re wondering how often you should have your carpets professionally cleaned, here are some factors to consider.
Do you regularly vacuum your home?
Regular vacuuming –about once per week –will increase your carpet’s durability. Vacuuming removes particles that settle loosely on the surface of your carpet before they settle deeper and start abrading the carpet fibers. Regular vacuuming can allow you to go longer before needing professional cleaning.
However, no matter how often you vacuum, you will still need professional deep carpet cleaning sooner or later. So, if it’s been long since you hired a professional to clean your carpet, now is probably the best time to do so.
Does someone in your household have allergies?
In many ways, your home carpet acts as a filter, so it ends up collecting allergens and dust that float around your living space. Over time, the dust and allergens built-up in your carpet fibers and will become airborne again anytime someone walks across the carpet. So, if your household has someone with allergies, you will need regular professional carpet cleaning to restore a healthy living environment and minimize the reaction symptoms–every 4 to 6 months should do.
The most common household pollutants are; dirt, dust, pollens, hair, pet dander, asphalt, sand, smoke residues, hydrocarbons, mites, fleas, dead skin, dead mites & fleas, bacteria, foods, drinks, fungus, and sometimes viruses. Quite a few, the hydrocarbons come from outdoor pollution and your gas appliances, the smoke residues come from cooking food. How many of these common, everyday pollutants would you say are not in your carpets and upholstery this very minute? Not a pleasant thought is it.
If You Allow Pets on the Carpet
If your home has pets, you already probably know that regular cleaning is a wise move. Other than bringing dirt from outside, pets can also distribute feces, vomit or urine on your carpet. Even the best-trained pets can occasionally make a mess. Sooner or later, your carpet will start showing unsightly stains and producing unbearable odors. Thankfully, frequent carpet cleaning will help neutralize the odor and get rid of the stains.
Do You Have Children?
Kids are amazing and cute, and we all love them, but to be honest, they can make quite a mess on your carpet. How often you should clean your carpet when you have kids all depends on how strict you’re when it comes to allowing them to take food and beverages on the carpet. Additionally, if you allow your kids to wear shoes or color and paint in the house, you might need to have your carpet professionally cleaned every 6 months.
Consider the color of your carpet
If you have a light-colored carpet, you probably already know how notorious they’re at revealing stains and dirt. Keeping your bright-colored carpet looking clean will require more frequent cleaning than does their darker counterparts. You, however, don’t have to necessarily avoid dark light-colored carpets, after all, they’re great at brightening up living spaces and revealing an increasing level of dirt before it really builds up.
Do you allow shoes on your carpet?
Shoes bring in dirt and small particle of grit that can cause your carpet fibers to wear much faster. The more people you have in your home, the more traffic and dirt your carpet will have to endure. To prevent permanent wear patterns, this grit and dirt should be removed periodically –and professional carpet cleaning every 6-12 months is recommended.
Bottom line
So, how often should you have your carpet professionally cleaned? You guessed it –the frequency of cleaning will depend on the above-mentioned factors. While the general recommendation is 6-24 months, you might want to have it professionally deep cleaned more regularly if your living space is prone to dust, allergens, dirt, and stains.
Call the team at Spotless for all your carpet cleaning needs. We proudly service Pleasanton and surrounding areas. We offer free consultations and guarantee to exceed your expectations!