How Often Should You Vacuum Carpet?

Vacuuming is not only essential to keeping your carpet clean, but also for limiting your family’s exposure to dust and allergens.

So, how often should you vacuum? Everyone has their own opinion, but there are some rules of thumb you can follow.

Here’s how often you should vacuum your carpet.

At Least Once a Week

The minimum amount that you should vacuum your carpet is at least once a week.

Even in a home that receives little use, or that’s only lived in by a single person, a large amount of dust will accumulate in just a week’s time.

More Frequently in Certain Circumstances

There are dozens of circumstances where you should vacuum more often than just once a week.

 Most common is in a home with children or pets.  Chances are that your children or pets track in a lot of dirt and other debris.

Consider vacuuming two or three times a week, depending on how much your pets shed and how much dirt your children track in.

At the very least,  consider vacuuming entryways, especially mudrooms and living rooms , more frequently than bedrooms and other areas of the home.

Simply put, keep your eyes open. When the carpets start to look dirty, it’s time to take out the vacuum.

When dealing with a shag carpet you can flip the carpet over and vacuum the bottom part with beater bars. This can help with loosening dirt from pile. Vacuum cleaners designed for shag are easier to handle with bigger wheels that help you move easier.

Make the Most Out of Vacuuming

You can lower the frequency at which you must vacuum by ensuring that you use the right vacuuming techniques.

The most important tip is to go slow. Move the vacuum slowly across carpets to gather up all the debris.

Start at the edges of each room.  Use an attachment, such as the crevice tool, to suck up any debris hiding out in these edges and corners .

Next up is vacuuming the center of each room. We recommend making two passes over the carpet, once from each direction (horizontal and then vertical) to pick up as much of the dirt as possible.

Consider Deep Cleaning on Occasion

Vacuuming certainly does a lot to keep your carpets clean – but you’ll occasionally need to do some heavier cleaning.

 Consider deep cleaning, such as with a carpet cleaner, on occasion.  Pair this heavy-duty cleaning tool with regular vacuuming to keep your carpets spic and span and greatly increase their lifespan.