Determining Carpet Cleaning Intervals

DUBLIN — As a professional carpet cleaner, one of the most common questions I’m asked is, “How often should I have my carpet cleaned?” While it would be easy to give a general answer, the reality is it depends on your particular circumstances. For example, while I recommend a minimum of one annual cleaning for a residential home, if you have small children or pets, you should probably increase this to twice a year. On the other hand, if your house gets minimal foot traffic, you may only need a cleaning every two years. So, it really comes down to how many people are living in your home and what kind of activity there is.

A similar rule applies to having your upholstery professionally cleaned. For example, if you have a dog that likes to sit on your living room sofa, you should have that sofa cleaned on a recurrent basis. Decorative upholstery that doesn’t come into contact with pets or people can go three or four years between cleanings, whereas frequently used couches and chairs will benefit from annual or biennial cleanings.

Other surfaces that can benefit from professional cleanings include area rugs and tile flooring. An area rug should be cleaned every one to five years, depending on what kind of material it’s made of and how much traffic it gets. Tile floors, on the other hand, should be professionally cleaned every three to five years. Talk to your carpet cleaner to determine the appropriate cleaning intervals for your carpet, upholstery, area rugs and tile floors.