Carpets are a wonderful feature to have in any home. They’re aesthetically pleasing and can add layers of comfort and insulation to your floors. However, they’re also pretty high maintenance as they require regular cleaning and care. But how much care is required?
So, should you vacuum your carpet every day? In most cases, you can vacuum your carpet every day if you wish. However, you should ensure that you’re doing it carefully, gently, and are using the correct settings on your vacuum cleaner.
The rest of this article will discuss all you need to know about vacuuming your carpet:
- How vacuuming can impact your carpet
- The benefits of vacuuming your carpet
- Can you vacuum your carpet too much?
- When should you vacuum your carpet every day?
- When shouldn’t you vacuum your carpet every day?
- How to protect your carpet when vacuuming it
- A step-by-step guide to vacuuming your carpet correctly
How Can Vacuuming Impact Your Carpet?
To better understand whether you should vacuum your carpet every day, it’s helpful to consider how a vacuum cleaning impacts your carpet and the carpet’s fibers.
Vacuum cleaners use suction to pull up dirt and debris from surfaces. They can remove dust, mud, fur, hair, and plenty of other small particles of dirt that may otherwise be hard to remove. As well as on carpets, vacuum cleaners can clean upholstery, floors, mats, and curtains. It’s understandable why they’re an important appliance in most household cleaning cupboards!
The benefits of vacuuming your carpet
Because they are walked over so often, carpets tend to accumulate dirt and soil quickly. There are two types of soil which carpets collect:
- Oily soil: Oily soil is typically debris that comes from indoors and can include pet messes, food, and drink spills, cooking grease, human skin cells, and hair.
- Non-oily soil: This is soil and dirt which comes from outdoors and can include sand, mud, and dirt. While preventing this type of soil is easy by asking visitors to take off shoes, it will still get in your carpet via other means.
Both types of soil are bad for your carpet’s health. Oily soil traps non-oily soils and holds them close to the surface of the carpet, making your carpet look discolored and dirty. Meanwhile, oily soil penetrates deeper into your carpet, causing the fibers to break down – this will eventually make your carpet look threadbare.
In addition to this, a build-up of soil and dirt can be a breeding ground for bacteria and mites. It can also aggravate allergies and breathing problems.
So, what’s the solution? It’s simple: vacuum your carpet!
Here a few reasons vacuuming your carpet is beneficial:
- Vacuum cleaners can lift both oily and non-oily soil.
- Vacuuming is easier to do than other methods of carpet cleaning like shampooing and encapsulation. It doesn’t involve you having to move furniture or allow your carpet drying time.
- Vacuuming can also help extend the lifespan of your carpet. This is because regularly lifting dirt and build-up from your carpet will prevent its fibers from breaking down.
- Vacuuming can lift bad smells. When certain types of dirt accumulate like food waste, it begins to decompose, causing a nasty smell. Vacuuming picks up the waste before it can decompose.
Can I Vacuum My Carpet Too Much?
Despite the benefits of vacuuming, some people are concerned that vacuuming their carpet every day can cause the carpet’s fibers to break down.
It’s a valid concern – vacuuming does create suction which pulls at the carpet and may cause slight wear and tear. However, this causes much less damage as compared to leaving your carpet dirty and filled with soil.
Most carpet cleaning experts find that a carpet is only adversely affected by vacuuming if it is being vacuumed in the same spot for a couple of hours at a time. If you vacuum your carpet once a day, or even a few times each day, it won’t harm your carpet’s fibers.
When Should You Vacuum Your Carpet Every Day?
Of course, just because you can vacuum your carpet every day doesn’t mean you necessarily should. Vacuuming takes both effort and time! However, there are a few situations where you should vacuum your carpet every day.
If your carpet is in a high traffic area
Carpets that are in bedrooms and studies need less cleaning than carpets that are in living rooms, kitchens, and hallways. This is because carpets in high traffic areas have more people and animals walking over them each day and are more likely to accumulate dirt.
If you have pets
Pets like dogs, cats, and even hamsters shed fur, skin cells, and possibly mites that float into the carpet. They also track in dirt from outside and may vomit or urinate on the carpet. If you want to tackle the messes they cause, it’s important to vacuum every day.
Vacuuming your carpet every day can also help protect your pet’s health. Because they spend most of the time close to the ground, they can inhale dust and dirt from the carpet leading to breathing problems.
If you have young children
For similar reasons, it’s important to vacuum your carpet every day if you have toddlers. Toddlers also spend a lot of time close to the ground while they’re playing and crawling. Giving your carpet a thorough clean can help ensure that your little one is playing in a clean, allergen-free space.
If you have allergies
You should also try to vacuum your carpet daily if you or someone in your house has allergies. Allergic attacks are often triggered by dust, dust mites, and fur, all of which can be picked up by a vacuum cleaner.
When Shouldn’t You Vacuum Your Carpet Every Day?
There are some situations when it’s not necessary and even inadvisable to vacuum your carpet every day.
In low traffic areas
If you have carpets in rooms which just one or two people use, there’s no need to vacuum them every day. Instead, vacuum them once every three days or even once a week.
If you have delicate carpets
While vacuum cleaners don’t impact most carpets, some materials may be vulnerable to damage. For instance, light wool and silk carpets should not be vacuumed too frequently as their fibers can break down more easily. Wool and silk carpets should only be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Similarly, do not use a vacuum cleaner over an antique carpet as its fibers will already be weak from years of wear and tear.
If you have delicate or antique carpets, it may be worth calling in professional cleaners to assess the best way to clean them.
How Can You Protect Your Carpet When Vacuuming It?
Most carpets, however, can be safely vacuumed every day or once every few days. But, it’s understandable if you’re wary – carpets can be expensive, and you want to make sure you’re taking all the steps possible to protect them. There are several things you can do to make sure your carpets don’t get damaged when you vacuum them.
Choose the right vacuum cleaner
There are hundreds of vacuum cleaners available on the market which cater to different budgets and needs. When you look for a vacuum cleaner, do some research about which ones will be the most gentle on your carpet. Here are some of the best vacuums for cleaning your carpet.
Bissell 9595A CleanView Bagless Vacuum with OnePass
Bissell is a popular vacuum cleaning brand that is known for its carefully designed vacuum cleaners.
The Bissell 9595A CleanView Bagless Vacuum with OnePass (available on Amazon) is particularly great for carpets. It uses OnePass technology that uses a powerful, cyclonic motor to suck up dirt; you only have to run your vacuum up a spot once to clean it!
This vacuum is also popular amongst pet owners as it can quickly pick up pet fur, dander, and other allergens.
Miele – Complete C3 Marine Canister Vacuum Cleaner
The Miele – Complete C3 Marine Canister Vacuum Cleaner (available on Amazon) works across different types of flooring. It has six-speed settings that impact the suction power, allowing you to adjust it as you transition from hardwood floors to carpets. This ensures that your carpets are protected as you won’t be using a vacuum that’s too strong.
This vacuum cleaner also has a one-touch rewind option, which means you can clean a 360-degree radius while standing in one spot. This cuts down on your cleaning time!
Shark – Navigator Upright Vacuum for Carpet
Shark is another popular vacuum cleaner brand, and their Navigator Upright Vacuum for Carpet (available on Amazon) is also a great option for cleaning carpets. It’s lightweight, easily maneuverable, and comes with a detachable canister that can be used to clean hard to access spots like under couches or beds.
This machine is gentle on your carpets and traps up to 99% of dust and allergens in one go. It has a HEPA filter that targets dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. This is especially helpful if you or your household members have allergies.
iRobot – Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum with Wi-Fi Connectivity
The day where robots do your work for you has arrived! The iRobot – Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum (available on Amazon) is a disc-shaped vacuum cleaner that is completely hands-free. It is controlled through an app or through Alexa; simply send it commands about where it should go, and it’ll do your vacuuming for you.
This option is great if you want to vacuum your carpet every day as you can direct it to do its thing while you’re reclining on your couch.
The machine has a three-stage cleaner system, which picks up large as well as minuscule dirt particles. It has an automatically adjustable cleaning head that changes based on what kind of surface it’s cleaning. Because of this feature, you can be sure that it will be gentle on your carpet.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on January 30, 2020.
This vacuuming machine runs for 90 minutes before it goes back to its dock to recharge.
Soniclean – Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The Soniclean – Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner (available on Amazon) is designed to gently but thoroughly clean carpets. The machine runs 200 sonic vibrations per second, which vibrates the carpet’s fibers, loosening dirt. It also has soft, nylon bristles that gently lift dirt from the carpet.
It has large wheels that allow it to glide over even the softest, plushest carpets. It can be folded flat, allowing it to access carpet under couches, beds, and other furniture.
The machine comes in two different modes:
- Quiet Mode used for regular vacuuming
- Deep Cleaning Mode used for heavily soiled carpets or carpets in areas where there’s lots of traffic.
Another great feature of this machine is its built-in fragrance dispeller, which immerses your carpet with the scent of freshly cleaned laundry.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on January 30, 2020.
Use the right settings on your vacuum cleaner
Having the right vacuum cleaner is one step to take to protect your carpet. The other thing you need to ensure is that you’re using the right vacuum cleaner settings. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Get the right height. Some vacuum cleaners have adjustable heights, which impact the way they clean. When the cleaner has more height, it will have less suction, while when it is lower and closer to the carpet, it has more suction. More suction is useful when cleaning heavily soiled areas, while less suction is important if your carpet is delicate.
- Check the brush. Many vacuum cleaners operate using beater bars, which rustle carpet fibers to bring up dirt that is nestling deep in them. While beater bars work great on pile carpets, they can be harmful to wool and looped carpets as they tug at their fibers, causing them to come undone. Turn off the beater bar setting when you are vacuuming delicate carpets.
It’s helpful to look at any manuals that came with your carpet to understand the best vacuum settings to use when cleaning it. Some manuals will also recommend specific types of vacuum cleaners, which will help you narrow down the best cleaner to buy.
Use a carpet protector
Finally, to protect your carpet from a powerful vacuuming, you can spray on a carpet protector. Carpet protectors create a barrier over carpets, protecting them from a build-up of dirt. If you use a carpet protector, you will likely have to vacuum your carpet less.
It’s also sometimes helpful to use a carpet cleaning solution on your carpet before vacuuming it. Sprinkle a carpet cleaning powder or even baking soda over your carpet half an hour before vacuuming. These powders will soak up dirt and deodorize your carpet. Because they have already gathered the dirt, you can use a less powerful vacuum setting, which will be gentler on your carpet.
You can also spray on the following homemade cleaning solutions before vacuuming:
- Equal parts of warm water and white vinegar.
- One cup of warm water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
- Three to four drops of lemon essential oil with a cup of warm water.
Spraying on these solutions will make it easier to lift dirt from the carpet when vacuuming.
Steps to Vacuuming Your Carpet Right
Once you understand how a vacuuming can impact your carpet, you can go ahead and start the vacuuming process! Here are the steps for best practice vacuuming:
- Dust the furniture in the room that has the carpet you are vacuuming. Doing this will ensure that you are clearing off the dust which would otherwise fall onto the carpet and settle – ruining your vacuuming efforts.
- Remove any large pieces of debris from the carpet like leaves, stones, or solid pet messes.
- Use a spot cleaner to target specific stains. While vacuuming is great to pick up dust and dirt particles, it isn’t extremely effective on liquid stains. Before vacuuming, it’s helpful to use a stain remover on particular areas on your carpet.
- Check your vacuum’s settings, ensuring that it is on the correct speed and that it’s at the correct height.
- Check the vacuum bag to make sure it’s empty.
- Sprinkle the carpet cleaning powder or spray a cleaning solution across your carpet. Allow the cleaning solutions to sit for ten minutes.
- Switch on your vacuum and run it in straight lines over the carpet. Don’t vacuum one line back and forth as this can be counterproductive.
- Once you are done vacuuming the whole carpet in one direction, vacuum it in the opposite direction to pick up any remaining dirt.
- Empty your vacuum cleaner bag and let the cleaner charge so it’s ready and waiting for the next time you need to vacuum!
Summary
It’s helpful if you set yourself a vacuuming schedule based on the time you have, the amount of traffic your carpet sees, and the material your carpet is made of.
While you don’t necessarily need to vacuum your carpet every day, you do need to take all the steps possible to keep your carpet clean. Regularly vacuuming your carpet can go a long way in increasing its lifespan and maintaining the overall cleanliness of your home.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on January 30, 2020.