Here's How Often You Need To Clean Your Carpet

The carpets in your home are victim to spills of every kind, stains from children or pets, and constant foot traffic, so it's no surprise they need to be cleaned regularly. Your rugs collect dirt, bacteria, and other allergens that can cause stains or odors in your carpet and can make your home feel (and sometimes smell) dirty. It is necessary not only to vacuum the carpets in your home regularly but also deep clean them using carpet shampoo or carpet cleaning machines.

Vacuuming your carpet is essential, and you should be vacuuming your carpet as often as every day or as little as once a week. How frequently you deep clean your carpet depends on several factors, according to Love to Know. If your carpet experiences light traffic, you can get away with doing a deep clean once a year. High-traffic areas should be cleaned twice a year, and you may need to clean them more frequently if you have children or pets. With pets, it is recommended to clean your carpets quarterly, and with children, you should clean them twice a year. If your family suffers from allergies, make sure to clean your carpets every two to three months. Cleaning your carpet can be a bit of a hassle, but it is necessary to ensure your carpet's longevity and keep your house smelling and looking clean.

Apartment Therapy provided a step-by-step explanation about how to deep clean the carpets in your home properly. The first step to deep cleaning your carpet is to remove all the furniture from the room you are cleaning and vacuum your carpets. Make sure to vacuum in two directions, back and forth and side to side in the room, to pick up as much debris as possible. After vacuuming, spot clean any stains in your carpet using a stain remover and cloth to rub the stains out gently.

Finally, it's time to deep clean your carpets using a carpet cleaner. You can rent carpet cleaning machines from most home improvement stores or hire a service to come and deep clean your carpet for you. If you are cleaning your carpet yourself, make sure to test the carpet cleaning product or shampoo on a spot of carpet that is easily hidden in case it stains or dyes the carpet. Carefully read and follow the instructions on the carpet cleaner for the best results. Let your carpet dry for 24 hours after cleaning before vacuuming again and moving your furniture back.

If you cannot use a carpet cleaner or hire a carpet cleaning service to deep clean your carpets, there are a few DIY methods of carpet cleaning that you can use after spot treating your carpet, per The Spruce. The first is to mix a 1 to 3 parts mixture of distilled white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it on your carpet, letting it sit for a few minutes. Then blot away any remaining moisture using a cloth. When finished, allow the carpet to dry before moving furniture back in place.

Another DIY carpet cleaning method is to mix equal parts baking soda and salt and sprinkle it over your carpet. Then spray the carpet with water and use a brush to scrub in the baking soda mixture. After you scrub the carpet, wipe away any debris with a cloth, and when the carpet is dry, vacuum to pick up any leftover baking soda mixture. No matter which method you use, deep cleaning your carpet is essential for a long-lasting and fresh carpet.