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Carpet is usually purchased because it is warm, soft, inviting, and feels good on bare feet. But since carpet can be a pricey investment for homeowners, it’s reasonable to want that investment to last and continue to look good. By implementing good cleaning techniques and proper frequency of maintenance, your carpet's life can be greatly extended.
Your carpet basically needs four types of cleaning:
1. Vacuuming
2. Spot Cleaning
3. Interim Cleaning
4. Restorative Cleaning
Vacuuming
A first step to prolong the life and appearance of carpet is to not undervalue vacuuming. Dry vacuuming is the best way to remove dry soils; as much as 80 to 95% can be removed if done on a routine schedule. Dry soil - particles such as dust, dirt, sand, clay, gravel, even animal or vegetable fibers - is removed most easily and economically with dry vacuuming. It is important to remove particle soils before they sift downward into the carpet's pile and become more difficult to remove, or damage carpet fibers. Vacuuming with a CRI-approved vacuum helps clean carpet effectively and prevents particles like dust, dander, and other bio-pollutants from being redistributed back in the indoor air, potentially contributing to respiratory ailments and allergies.
Spot Cleaning
Removing spots quickly will aid in preserving the life and appearance of carpet. When dealing with a liquid spill, blotting - not rubbing or scrubbing - with a clean white towel will help to remove much of the spill. For tips on addressing particular spots or staining, see the CRI Spot Solver or the HousekeepingChannel.com’s Stain Removal Wizard. Also check out the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Seal of Approval (SOA) tested cleaning solutions to improve your chances of removing a spot without harming carpet. Be sure to note any warnings and follow the directions stated by the cleaning solution manufacturer.
Interim Cleaning
Interim cleaning helps maintain the "surface" of carpet, as well as improve its appearance. As stated earlier, dry vacuuming does help remove a large percentage of soils, but not all. Some soils and particles are “sticky” and remain in the fibers, causing carpet to look dirty or dingy. Using a CRI-approved carpet extractor between restorative cleanings will aid in soil removal and increase appearance level. Still, interim cleaning should not be viewed as a replacement for restorative cleaning. If done regularly, however, interim cleaning can help extend the period between restorative cleanings.
Restorative Cleaning
To get the most life out of carpet, a carpet owner should include restorative cleaning. This is best handled by qualified professionals using a variety of methods. Locate a CRI Seal of Approval Service Provider to help ensure the best results. The deepest clean can be reached by this level of maintenance. Nevertheless, how often a carpet owner needs to have has his/her carpet professionally cleaned depends on the level of daily maintenance and effectiveness of interim cleaning.
Frequency
The useful life of your carpet can be greatly extended with proper care and routine maintenance. The following chart provides general recommendations for frequency intervals.
| Traffic Soil Rating | Carpet Owner | Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer | ||
| Vacuuming | Spot Cleaning | Interim Heavy-Use Area Cleaning | Restorative Cleaning | |
| Light Soil | 1x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic areas every 12-18 months | Every 2 years or per manufacturer's warranty |
| Normal Soil (families with children, elderly) | 1 to 2x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic areas every 6-12 months | Annually (once a year) |
| Heavy Soil (families with pets, smoking) | 2 to 4x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic areas every 3-6 months | Semi-annually (2 times a year) |
| Extreme Conditions (large families, multiple pets) | Daily | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed | Traffic lanes every 2-3 months | Quarterly (4 times a year) |
Please note: Variations in the manufacture, type, and use of carpet may require an adjustment to the frequencies recommended above. The conditions in every home differ based on traffic, soiling rates, usage and other factors. Common sense, experience, and good judgment should be used when deciding frequency.
Carpet Life: With and Without a Plan
Think of carpet as having 5 levels of appearance: New, good, fair, poor, and unacceptable (replacement needed). If a carpet's use-life is at least 10 years, person’s having a good maintenance plan can enjoy their carpet's appearance level as being "good" in ten years.
An unplanned maintenance program can result in a carpet's appearance level dropping to fair in 3-4 years, poor in 4-5 years, and replacement in 6-7 years.
With neglected maintenance, new carpet can go from new to poor in a short time, in as little as 1-3 years before replacement is necessary.
Conclusion
To ensure the best carpet life and appearance, carpet owners will benefit by having a good maintenance plan that includes properly applied cleaning techniques, solutions, equipment and skills - and a regular schedule - as recommend by CRI.
