How to Vacuum Your Carpet for a Longlasting Clean Appearance

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Vacuum sweeper
Hand Broom
White Shop Rag
Wastebasket, small plastic bag or my favorite, an old junk mail envelope

Step 1

Empty the dust bin if needed.

Get ready to vacuum. First, check your vacuum bag or empty the dust collector bin of your sweeper.

This is an important step: Most vacuum sweepers quickly lose suction power when the bin or bag is even half full.
Step 2

Little wonder broom.

Assemble your dust weapons.

First is a small, hand-held stiff bristled broom. If you don't have a hand-held broom right now, just use your regular long-handled broom.
Step 3

Shop rag or rough cloth.

Next is a rough woven rag, usually called a shop rag. Get it a little wet and then wring it out completely. Another type of rag may work, but get one that has rough threads and won't shed lint bits on the carpet.

If you keep a dry corner on this cloth, you can stuff the corner in a pocket and have the cloth ready to grab when needed. Do remember to take the cloth out of your pocket, though. My family still jokes with me about the time I finished vacuuming and then hurried to the grocery store only to come home and discover that I had done all my shopping with a shop rag dangling out of my back pocket. I am still hanging on to the hope that the other shoppers thought I was starting some kind of a new fashion trend. (Yeah, ok, you're right; they probably just thought I was a little odd.)
Step 4

The final item is a container to collect the large dust bits and items that shouldn't be vacuumed, such as paper clips or string.

I like to take a junk mail envelope, seal it and then tear off one of the short ends to form a sort of sleeve. I can put this in a pocket with the open end up and then just drop in all those little things that the sweeper won't pick up. It is also great for the things that the sweeper picks up and then coughs out again a few feet later.

You can also get a small wastebasket or plastic bag for this step. If so, place the wastebasket or plastic bag in a central part of the floor for easy reaching.

I am proud to say that I have not yet left the house with a lint-filled junk mail envelope sticking out of my pocket.
Step 5

Set your vacuum for the correct height of your carpet. Begin to sweep in long, slow back and forth motions. Slow is the key word. The vacuum needs a moment to create the proper suction to pick up the dirt. Resist the temptation to zoom around just to get the job done.
Step 6

Over lap each area as you sweep. Ideally, you will vacuum with a combination pattern of straight and angled overlapping motions.

GoodHousekeeping.com recommends running the sweeper about seven strokes over an area for high-traffic areas; three or four for low traffic areas. (See resource links below for GoodHousekeeping vacuuming tips)
Step 7

Use the damp shop rag to gather up the pet hair.

As you come to an area with a lot of pet hair or embedded lint, use your damp shop cloth. This works great on upholstered furniture, too. Press it down lightly and sweep the pet hair or lint into piles that you then either vacuum up or just pick up by hand. Repeat until the cloth no longer gathers up lint or pet hair.

Vacuum over the area you just cleaned. You may be surprised to find that the floor is cleaner than you have been able to get it before.
Step 8

Sweep the dirt from the edges.

When you come to a wall edge or door frame, use the little broom to sweep the dirt from the edge and out far enough that the sweeper can easily reach it.

This is my favorite step. Getting all the dirt from the edges of the room makes a tremendous difference in the visual cleanliness of the carpet. The broom is so much more thorough and easier than trying to wrestle with the sweeper's tube attachment.

As a bonus, this almost eliminates the amount of times the vacuum rubs against the walls and furniture, thus reducing rub marks and damage.
Step 9

Whisk the dirt from the stair edge.

The little broom also does wonders on the edges of the stairs.
Step 10

Vacuum under edges of area rugs

When you come to an area rug, flip up the edges of the rug and vacuum. This not only keeps the dirt from creeping out under the edge, but prevents a tell-tale unvacuumed line if the rug shifts a bit.
Step 11

When you are finished, don't forget to empty the dust bin again. Amazing how much dirt you swept up, isn't it?

Oh yes, don't forget to toss the envelope of floor debris and to take the shop rag out of your pocket!
Step 12

In between these "heavy-duty" vacuum sessions, vacuum the heavy traffic areas and paths. This touch-up vacuuming is most effective if done every day or so.
Step 13

Now, pour yourself a nice glass of raspberry iced tea, sit back, and enjoy your beautifully vacuumed carpet.