How often should you vacuum carpet? Advice from the experts

It might not be everybody's favorite cleaning task, but there really is a certain number of times we should be vacuuming our carpets every month.

From digging deep into carpets and removing dust and dirt, to banishing pet hair and dander, it's a crucial task for keeping a home clean and polished – and doing it more regularly means it takes less time, each time, too.

Here, we spoke to our cleaning pros to find out how often you should be using your best vacuum cleaner on your carpets, and why.

How often should you vacuum carpet?

When it comes to how often you should vacuum, carpets included, Karina Toner, cleaning expert and operations manager at Spekless, advises that moderate-traffic areas should be tackled one to two times a week.

High-traffic areas, such as entryway ideas and living room ideas, should be vacuumed daily, or at least three to four times a week to keep dirt and debris under control.

Then, for low-traffic or rarely used areas, once every one to two weeks is sufficient.

Tina Priestly, owner of Ready, Set, Refresh, agrees, 'I recommend vacuuming at least once a week to keep those pesky dirt, dust, and mystery particles at bay. You'd be surprised how quickly they accumulate, especially if you have a busy household or pets roaming around.'

Therefore, Toner stresses, to keep a clean home when you have pets, 'Daily vacuuming is ideal to control allergens and fur,' as, not vacuuming regularly will inevitably lead to pet hair being embedded into the fibers of your carpet, making it much more difficult to clean down the line.

Head of solved, Punteha van Terheyden found having one of the best robot vacuum cleaners, the eufy S1 pro, reduced her canister use by 90 per cent, whilst enabling daily vacuuming schedules. She adds, 'I wouldn't be without one now and though they can be pricey, especially the top of the range ones such as eufy and Roomba, in my experience, they are worth every penny.'

And, importantly, vacuuming regularly does more than just keep your carpets looking fresh, says Michael Witherspoon, cleaning expert at GK Products.

In fact, he warns that letting dust and dirt build up may 'result in bacteria growing, resulting in potential health issues for those that use the room, and lasting damage to your carpet. Dirt may also stain, making it harder to remove and deep clean a carpet in the future.'

You can also limit how quickly dust mites reproduce by vacuuming regularly. As they predominantly feed off our skin cells, if left unattended, they will rapidly spread around your home, causing allergies. Therefore, vacuuming frequently removes both dust mites and the skin cells that they feed on.

If you find that your allergies get worse after vacuuming, it's likely because your appliance doesn't have a HEPA filter, or a post-vacuum filter, meaning any allergens it sucks up are getting released straight back into your home's air. Having on of the best HEPA vacuums for allergies will be transformative.

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Luckily, most carpet ideas are durable, and there isn't really a danger of vacuuming too often. 'Some believe the vacuum can damage the carpet, but in actual fact the dirt embedded into it is likely to cause more lasting damage than it being vacuumed too frequently,' Witherspoon explains.

If worrying about damage to the carpets, consider choosing softer suction or flat vacuum heads, or consider investing in one of the best vacuum cleaners for carpet. Our in-house experts deem the Shark POWERDETECT available at Shark the best of the best, with the Dyson Ball Animal 3 a close runner-up.

But, really, as long as you're vacuuming at least once a week, you can swerve any carpet mistakes to avoid and save the rest of your time for more enjoyable activities. Doing so will also extend the lifespan of your carpet, as cleaning expert Toner says, 'Dirt particles can wear down carpet fibers over time. Vacuuming prevents buildup, helping your carpet maintain its appearance and texture.'

Expert tips for vacuuming carpet

When dealing with carpets, especially high-pile carpets, it's best to move slowly to give the brushroll enough time to agitate all the trapped debris and vacuum in multiple directions to ensure you lift dirt embedded in fibers. It's helpful to start at one end of the room to avoid missing any spots, and use attachments for edges and corners, as these are areas that often trap dust and dirt.

Cleaning expert Toner also reminds us to not forget to adjust the vacuum height. 'Match the height to your carpet type for optimal suction,' she says. 'And empty the vacuum bag or bin regularly, as a full bag reduces efficiency.'

Remember that high-traffic areas that are carpeted should always be given more attention. It's also important to clean a vacuum, and wipe down the exterior with a disinfectant such as the Great Value Disinfecting Wipes available at Walmart, which will also extend the time before you have to replace your vacuum.

FAQs

Can I freshen up carpet with powders before vacuuming?

While not every carpet deodorizer is safe for the vacuum, as some can clog the vacuum's parts like the filter and motor, you can deodorize floors using baking soda, such as the ARM & HAMMER Pure Baking Soda available at Walmart. This is a safe substance for your home, pets and vacuum cleaner, that will leave your home feeling fresher.

How can I deep clean carpet?

To truly deep clean your carpet, you need more than just a vacuum cleaner. A dedicated carpet cleaner, like the Shark CarpetXpert available at Shark, will use a cleaning solution that actually washes the carpet fibers and removes stains and bacteria from the material.

Interested in more carpet content? Find out how often you should replace your carpets, and learn about how effectively shaving foam cleans carpets, to give yours a deep clean on a budget.