How Often Should I Clean My Carpet?
This is a commonly asked question. I have had people say that they have not had their carpets cleaned in 10 years or more because they have relied on myths and misconceptions. The fact is that cleaning extends the life of your carpet and saves you the tremendous amount of money required to replace prematurely worn carpet. Carpets cleaned on a regular basis provide a healthy, safe living environment for you and your family at the same time adding years of life to one of the larger investments in your home. So the question is, how often should they be cleaned? The answer can depend on several factors. The chart below taken from the IICRC Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning can assist you in answering this all important question.
RESIDENTIAL CARPET CLEANING FREQUENCY CHART
LIGHT SOIL
VACUUMING: 1X PER WEEK
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC AREAS: EVERY 12 TO 18 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: EVERY 2 YEARS OR PER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY
VACUUMING: 1X PER WEEK
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC AREAS: EVERY 12 TO 18 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: EVERY 2 YEARS OR PER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY
NORMAL SOIL (FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, ELDERLY)
VACUUMING: 1X PER WEEK
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC AREAS: EVERY 6 TO 12 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: ANNUALLY
VACUUMING: 1X PER WEEK
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC AREAS: EVERY 6 TO 12 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: ANNUALLY
HEAVY SOIL (FAMILIES WITH PET AND SMOKING)
VACUUMING: 2 TO 4X PER WEEK
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC AREAS: EVERY 3 TO 6 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: SEMI ANNUALY (2 X ANNUALLY)
VACUUMING: 2 TO 4X PER WEEK
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC AREAS: EVERY 3 TO 6 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: SEMI ANNUALY (2 X ANNUALLY)
EXTREME CONDITIONS (LARGE FAMILIES, MULTIPLE PETS)
VACUUMING: DAILY
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC LANES: EVERY 2 - 3 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: QUARTERLY (4 X ANNUALLY)
VACUUMING: DAILY
SPOT CLEANING: DAILY AS SOON AS SPOTS ARE NOTICED
HEAVY-USE AREA CLEANING TRAFFIC LANES: EVERY 2 - 3 MONTHS
RESTORATIVE CLEANING: QUARTERLY (4 X ANNUALLY)
Did you know that according to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) you should have your carpets cleaned AT LEAST 1 TIME PER YEAR depending on the amount of traffic? The IICRC is a professional association that trains & monitors cleaning technicians throughout the United States. To help you decide how often your carpets need to be cleaned, I have included a graph from the IICRC S100 book.
