Carpet is one of the most expensive items in your house. Plus, when you need to replace the carpet, it’s a total hassle! You have to move everything out of the house, be gone for a couple of days, etc.
However, we seem to really take carpet for granted and even ignore it somewhat. With just a few simple steps, it’s easy to prolong your carpet’s looks and it’s life.
How to keep carpet clean
1. Take off your shoes. You’ll track less dirt through the house if you don’t wear shoes on the carpet. While it’s not always feasible, this is a good start to keep carpet clean.
2. Vacuum regularly. Yep. While this sounds like a no-brainer, a lot of people don’t think about it. It’s recommended that you vacuum high-traffic areas twice a week and the rest f your carpets once a week. This keeps the everyday debris from getting ground in to the carpet’s fibers. This will also help to cut down on allergens in your home.
3. Spot Clean. Did you get something on the carpet? Clean it up immediately! This will help prevent the stains from setting. Use a clean towel or paper towels to blot the area, not rub. Use water or club soda, too, before reaching for the chemical removers. You can keep carpet clean easily.
4. Have you come across an older stain? Mix a concoction of dish soap and warm water. Shake well, and squirt the foam on the stain. Rinse the foam with a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar. There’s a good chance that the stain will break up.
5. Have your carpets professionally cleaned. For my household, it’s recommended that I get a professional carpet cleaning every 12-18 months. For a normal family, it’s a professional cleaning is recommended every 6-12 months. Depending on the circumstances of your home environment, you may need professional area rug cleaning on a different schedule.
With simple upkeep and maintenance, your carpets can look newer for years longer.
Consult this handy chart for recommended practices to keep carpet clean in your own home.
| Traffic Soil Rating | Carpet Owner | Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer | ||
| Vacuuming | Spot Cleaning | Interim Heavy-Use Area Cleaning | Restorative Cleaning | |
| Light Soil | 1x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic areas every 12-18 months | Every 2 years or per manufacturer’s warranty |
| Normal Soil (families with children, elderly) | 1 to 2x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic areas every 6-12 months | Annually (once a year) |
| Heavy Soil (families with pets, smoking) | 2 to 4x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic areas every 3-6 months | Semi-annually (2 times a year) |
| Extreme Conditions (large families, multiple pets) | Daily | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic lanes every 2-3 months | Quarterly (4 times a year) |