The answer is a resounding – YES, VACUUM! Besides professional carpet cleaning, vacuuming is one of the single most important things you can do to maintain your carpet. Much to our surprise we have found that many people do not vacuum regularly and when they do, their goal is to only remove the larger soil that they can see. As much as we love seeing all of clients as often as we do, we want to help you protect your investment and for it to last longer – possibly increasing the amount of time you may need before cleanings.
Dirt and Soil – The big bully
Dirt and soil enter our homes in numerous ways and there are many types of soiling as well. It all ends up in our carpet and as we live day to day we are pushing that soil, dirt, and particulate further and further into our carpets. There are thousands of sharp edges on every piece of soil particulate and these sharp edges cut away at the carpet fibers. Over time, if this soil is not removed it will cause the carpet to discolor, cause it to prematurely wear, and need replacement. Once this damage is done it will never go back to how it was when your carpet was new. But you can be your carpet’s superhero and help its battle against the bullying soil and dirt by vacuuming regularly.
How to be a Vacuuming Super Hero
Before you being vacuuming you want to ensure your vacuum is working properly. Make sure the brush or beater bar isn’t full of hair and lint and make sure you have a clean bag that isn’t overflowing. It is also a good idea to make sure that the belt isn’t broken – a very common problem as to why many vacuums do not work. Another common is that the attachment hose is clogged, you can detach it and flush it out with your garden hose just be sure it is COMPLETELY DRY before attaching it back to your vacuum and running it. For those of you with a bagless vacuum most of the filters are washable but we caution you to ensure they have had a proper amount of time to dry before you re-install them in your vacuum and use it. Note: Any time we clean your carpet and you would like us to check out your vacuum to ensure it is working properly, please let us know and we would be happy do to so!
How often to vacuum?
There has always been a lot of debate about this, so we made a chart. We’ve also included recommendations by the EPA for carpet cleaning frequency.
| Residential Environment | 2 PersonsNon-Smoking | 2 PersonsSmoking | Young Children | Young Childrenw/ Pets |
| Vacuuming Frequency | 1-2 week | 1-2 week | 2-3 week | 3-4 week |
| Normal Conditions | 6-12 months | 4-6 months | 6 months | 3-6 months |
| Contaminated Outside | 2-3 months | 2-3 months | 1-2 months | 1-2 months |
| Extremely Cold Weather | 4-6 months | 3 months | 3 months | 2 months |
| High Humidity | 4-6 months | 4 months | 3 months | 2 months |
When you’re vacuuming, we recommend you concentrate on the traffic lanes, but don’t forget the wall edges either. Over time dust and dirt settles along the edge of your carpet because the HVAC system pulls the air toward the walls. These are called filtration lines and they can be extremely stubborn to remove and at times can leave a permanent discoloration on light-colored carpet. Stay ahead of the battle by going along the edges of your rooms once a week your the vacuum attachment.
We hope you enjoyed our tips and they will help you to keep your carpet lasting longer while protecting your investment. Help us to stop the dirt and soil from bullying your carpet by being a vacuuming superhero. Call us today at 859-381-7468 to schedule your carpet cleaning appointment.