When it comes to the cleaning and maintenance of their homes, many people like to establish a definite schedule whether it is for routine chores such as cleaning the bathrooms or seasonal tasks that might include washing windows. While general suggestions about the frequency of cleaning certain items can provide a helpful starting point, homeowners need to consider a number of variables when it comes to professional carpet cleaning. Everything from the lifestyle of the occupants to the attributes of the carpet itself can affect the need for more or less regular cleanings.

Although recommendations vary, many specialists suggest annual cleanings for carpets that get normal traffic and adjusting the time between cleanings for heavier or lighter usage. Take a short while to analyze the daily wear and conditions your carpet undergoes to get a better idea of how often you should bring in professional cleaners at your house.

Consider the Location of Your Home

Where you live in terms of exterior factors and weather can impact the wear, tear and dirt on your carpets and increase the need for professional care. If you live in a home or condo with concrete driveways, well-tended lawns and clean walkways, household members and guests will arrive in the house with clean footwear intact. If your shoes pick up dirt and grime from the yard and drive, this is bound to track into the house and eventually onto the carpets. These are just a few of the culprits that can threaten your floor coverings:

• Sand and gravel
• Muddy drives or walkways
• Frequent rain
• Winter conditions of snow or ice

Infants and Toddlers Produce Special Needs

If you have young babies or little ones, they undoubtedly spend time on the floor while resting, playing and learning to crawl or walk. Small tots in the family make clean floor coverings and regular professional carpet cleanings imperative.

In addition to requiring hygienic rugs, babies and young ones may also contribute to soiling them. Infants are prone to spit up without warning, and wet diapers and food spills add issues. These factors cut down the number of months you can go between professional services.

Older Kids Often Come With Friends

You would think once the little ones grow older, you wouldn’t have to worry as much about floor sanitation. However, tweens and teens bring their own set of carpet stressors. Neighborhood kids, school friends and sports buddies can all find their way into your house, and more feet mean more soiling. You may even find your children hosting slumber parties or sleepovers, and you’re back to needing carpets that are fresh and clean.

Allergies Require Special Care

Household members of any age may suffer from allergies that include dust mites, pet dander, pollen and other irritants. These allergens collect deep down in carpeting and spread into the air whenever someone walks across the area. Constant vacuuming and recurrent deep cleanings are important to keep sensitive residents comfortable.

House Rules Have an Impact

Proactive measures taken by your home’s occupants are one of the biggest factors in how soon you need to call experienced carpet cleaners. Each family has its own philosophy about sanitation and tidiness in personal and family spaces. Even households with firm rules vary in how faithfully they are carried out by residents and guests. Different guidelines may apply at different times of the year and change as children grow older or health issues develop. Some common rules that can affect the need for carpet cleaning include:

• Residents shed their shoes by the door upon entering the house.
• Food and drinks are banned in carpeted rooms.
• Pets are not allowed on carpets.

While some people may feel such rules restrict personal freedom and relaxation, many families cheerfully abide by them and make them a matter of habit. Even pets can be trained to stay out of carpeted areas, especially if you have plenty of spaces in the home with alternative flooring. You can also use gates or other barriers to keep animals out of designated rooms.

Frequent Neglect Comes With a Cost

If you want to extend the time between professional carpet treatments, faithfully maintain your floor coverings by vacuuming, immediately addressing stains and cleaning up pet accidents and odors. Once again, how often you vacuum depends on the number of people and pets contributing to carpet traffic, but even small households with lightly used areas require sweeping once a week. If you fail to vacuum on a regular basis, dirt becomes deeply embedded in the carpeting, and it will take a professional deep cleaning to get the soil out.

Color and Material Play a Part

It’s a simple fact, but some carpet colors show soil more readily and may require frequent cleaning to keep them bright and fresh. Likewise, different carpet fibers offer various advantages. Carpet protection products can also affect deep cleaning frequency.

Warranties May Call the Shots

If you recently purchased new carpeting for your home and it came with a warranty, you will want to read the details carefully and take note of any requirements for maintenance on your part. Some warranties necessitate professional carpet cleaning at set times. For example, if your warranty requires an annual cleaning, be sure to mark this in advance on your calendar so you don’t slip up and fail to meet the term. Keep file copies of your carpet cleaning receipts with dates clearly marked in case you need to make a claim later. Although the cleaning requirement may seem like a hassle, it can provide a strong incentive to remain proactive about carpet care.

Cleanliness Is Always Subjective

In the end, how often you have your carpets professionally cleaned is the personal choice of individual homeowners. Not only does it depend on numerous specific factors, but it also varies with each family’s perception of what clean carpets entail. While the health of your home’s occupants should always get top consideration, you and your family have to take into account numbers, ages, lifestyle and individual needs.

If you have questions about your carpet care or need to get your carpets looking fresh and new again, contact the reliable experts at Safe-Dry® Carpet Cleaning today. They provide dedicated technicians to carry out their completely natural method of cleaning your carpets.