Carpets make for a stylish and practical addition to any space, but it’s inevitable they’ll pick up bits of dirt and grime over time, especially those that get a lot of use. With this in mind, most of us understand the importance of getting carpets cleaned, but just how often should we call in the carpet cleaning pros?
Timing it right
Even if your carpets don’t look visibly dirty, experts reckon that you should get them cleaned professionally at least once a year. This will help to remove all the visible dirt as well as those particles hiding deep inside carpet fibres that you can’t see. But, before you pencil anything into your diary, bear in mind that this timescale is only a rough estimate.
Crucially, how often your carpets need some expert TLC usually depends on a number of different factors. In particular, some carpets may need cleaning more frequently than others, even within the same premises, so take each individual carpet into account when working out its cleaning demands.
So, what should you consider when deciding the cleaning frequency of your individual carpets?
Pets
If you own pets, your carpets are likely to need cleaning more often than those households that are pet-free, even if animals are well-trained. This is because your furry friends will shed hair, microscopic flecks of skin, dried saliva and even dried faeces into carpet fibres, which you might not be able to see. As your carpets get walked on, these tiny particles can be transported back into the surrounding atmosphere, where they may be inhaled by anyone in the room.
Pets also have a habit of leaving visible marks in carpets, such as mud stains, urine and vomit, as well as odours, which will require prompt cleaning attention.
As well as daily vacuuming, carpets used by pets should be professionally cleaned at least twice a year, or whenever any accidents or stains occur.
Children
Keeping carpets looking spotless is always going to be a challenge with little ones around, with spillages and smears likely to be frequent occurrences. Children enjoy playing on the floor, so it’s understandable that carpets used by kids will become unclean quickly. But, more worryingly, children are prone to being exposed to any nasties that may be trapped inside carpet fibres, such as germs or bacteria, which could get picked up on their hands and transferred into their mouths. In fact, researchers have found that, because youngsters spend a lot of time on a carpet, they’re far more likely to come into contact with carpet pollutants than anyone else.
By getting carpets used by children deep cleaned every six months or so, you can enjoy pristine carpet cleaning results as well as the reassurance that little ones are being kept safe from harm.
If you have both pets and children at home, then carpets may need professional cleaning even more often, such as every 3-4 months, depending on how soiled they are.
Smokers
If smokers regularly come into contact with your carpets, you should look to get your flooring professionally cleaned every 3-6 months, depending on the levels of smoke exposure. This is because noxious particles from tobacco settle into carpets and can be re-released back into the atmosphere when carpets are walked on, forcing both smokers and non-smokers to breathe them in. By deep cleaning carpets regularly, these toxic substances can be eliminated from deep within a carpet.
Allergies
Allergy conditions, such as asthma or hay fever, can cause unpleasant symptoms for adults and children alike, and often having unclean carpets can trigger or worsen such conditions. If anyone in your household or workplace suffers from allergies or respiratory complaints, it would be wise to get your carpets deep cleaned by the experts around every six months or even less. This will help to remove dust and other particles that may be responsible for exacerbating allergy symptoms.
Warranty
If you’ve purchased a carpet that comes with a warranty, usually you’ll need to get your carpet professionally cleaned periodically to ensure the warranty remains valid. This can be as frequently as every six months or up to two years, but check the terms of your warranty for the individual stipulations. You may also need to keep cleaning receipts in the event you need to action the warranty.
Footwear
While a general rule of thumb is to give your carpets an annual detox, to ensure great carpet cleaning results, you might need to do this more frequently if your carpets come into contact with outside footwear. This is because shoes worn outside bring in bits of dirt on the soles, as well as airborne pollutants that have settled on the ground, which are then transferred to the fibres in a carpet.
Carpet colour
While light-coloured carpets are favoured for their ability to brighten and lighten up a room, the downside is that they readily show up dirt and stains compared to their darker-toned counterparts. The upshot is, if you have a carpet light in colour, it will need cleaning more frequently than darker ones, typically every six months or so. That said, just because you’ve got a dark-coloured carpet that does a great job of hiding dirt, don’t put off getting it cleaned, as those invisible germs, dust and other pollutants can still cause harm to you, and your carpet! In fact, studies have shown that in just one square metre of carpet, there can be as much as one pound of dirt hidden inside carpet fibres.
Location matters
Even after taking all of the above aspects into account, you’ll also need to factor in the location of a carpet when deciding how often it needs cleaning. Those carpets situated in high-traffic areas will need more regular maintenance than those placed in rooms that don’t get as much use. In particular, hallway carpets at home, reception carpets in offices and shop entrances will be repeatedly under attack from dirt and grime, and may need cleaning as often as every three months, or whenever they start to look below par.
After spills and stains
There are certain situations where a carpet might need cleaning urgently, rather than waiting for scheduled maintenance. For example, as soon as something gets spilled, dropped or walked into a carpet, which can’t be easily removed yourself, it’s vital that you contact a professional carpet cleaning company immediately. The sooner a carpet is treated, the easier it will be to remove any blemishes from it, without them setting into the pile and causing permanent fabric damage.
It’s also a good idea to get a carpet expertly cleaned following heavy use, such as after a party or family gathering, or even ahead of an important workplace meeting, if you’re hoping to create a positive impression! Many people also get their carpets cleaned when they move into a new house, or at the end of a tenancy agreement.
Even if you’re still unsure how often you need to get your carpets individually cleaned, speak to our carpet cleaning London experts who will happily provide you with all the professional guidance and advice needed to keep your carpets looking pristine.
