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
| Traffic Soil Rating |
Owner Vacuuming |
Owner Spot Cleaning |
Professional Heavy-Use Area Cleaning |
Professional Restorative Cleaning |
| Light Soil |
1x per week |
Daily or as soon as spots are noticed. |
Traffic areas every 12 to 18 months |
Every 2 years or per manufacturer warranty. |
| Normal Soil (families with children, elderly) |
1 to 2x per week |
Daily or as soon as spots are noticed. |
Traffic areas every 6 to 12 months |
Annually |
| Heavy Soil (families with pets, smoking) |
2 to 4x per week |
Daily or as soon as spots are noticed |
Traffic areas every 3 to 6 months |
Semi-Annually (2x anually) |
| Extreme Conditions (large families, multiple pets) |
Daily |
Daily or as soon as spots are noticed |
Traffic areas every 2 to 3 months |
Quarterly (4x anually) |
Did you know that according to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration (IIRC) you should have your carpets cleaned AT LEAST 1 TIME PER YEAR depending on the amount of traffic? The IIRC 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 IIRC S100 book, 2002. These standards provide the guidelines used by the Carpet Industry to give your carpet the longest life possible.
