How Often to Shampoo Carpet

Carpets feel good to walk on, and they make a room feel cozy. They keep a home quiet by absorbing sound. Because soil and dirt easily sticks to carpet fibers, you need to clean your carpets regularly. How often and with what method (including shampooing) depends on the type of carpet, how often it is used and how dirty it is.

Function

Shampooing carpet is the most common way to clean it more deeply than vacuuming. Shampooers are relatively affordable or widely available for rent, and most people find them easy to use. The machines sometimes look like oversized vacuum cleaners, but they shoot a foaming solution into the carpet fibers. Rotating brushes then work the solution into the carpet before the moisture and soil residue are sucked up. After the shampooed carpet has thoroughly dried, all you have to do is run a vacuum over it. Using a shampoo that turns into a powder as it dries is preferred over a shampoo that forms a sticky residue (which is more difficult for a vacuum cleaner to remove).

Benefits and Drawbacks

Shampooing is good for carpets that are moderately to heavily soiled. It brightens colored carpet and makes it look fluffier. The process is also more affordable than other carpet cleaning solutions. The most common disadvantages of shampooing your own carpet is that it is easy to get the carpet too wet, which can damage the carpet's structure. Also, because the suction is much stronger on professional machines, carpet that you've shampooed yourself will take longer to dry. Finally, each time you shampoo your carpet, you're leaving behind a residue that over time will build up and may actually make your carpet attract dirt faster.

Cleaning Frequency

Consider having your carpets professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months, even if you vacuum every week. Doing so will help your carpet last longer and maintains the air quality in your home better, which is good news for those with allergies and other illnesses. Of course, the cleaning frequency depends on how many people live in your home, the color of the carpet and the types of activities performed on it.

Soil Retardant

If your carpet is heavily traveled and you think it may warrant more frequent shampooing but don't want to risk damaging the carpet from over-cleaning, consider treating it with a soil retardant. Most carpets come from the factory with a coating meant to help the fibers resist water and spills. However, after five years or more, it may have worn away. Before committing to a soil retardant treatment by a carpet cleaning professional, test your carpet: place a few drops of water on an area of your carpet that gets a lot of traffic. If the water is absorbed (and doesn't bead), it's time to treat it.

Pet Odor Issues

If shampooing your carpet doesn't get rid of pet-related odors, it may be because urine has soaked through to the backing and/or carpet pad. This is not good---you can't clean that without over-wetting the carpet. Consider treating your carpet with an anti-microbial agent. It may take care of the odor for a while---long enough for you to save some money for new carpet.

References

• Carpet Cleaning: What Do the Experts Know?
• Comparison of Carpet Cleaning Methods
• Carpets Cleaning - General Information