Professional Carpet Cleaning: How often should carpet be cleaned?

When was the last time you had your carpets professionally cleaned? If you’re like the average American household, it was probably some time in the last year – and you will probably wait at least another year to get them cleaned again. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends carpets in residential homes are cleaned every 6-12 months if 2 or fewer people live in the home who is non smokers. For larger families with both kids and pets, the EPA recommends a professional carpet cleaning every 3 months [U.S. EPA letter, January 1989].

Recommendations like this are based on the indoor air quality in homes. Dust, dander and a multitude of soils collect on carpet, which acts as filter as air circulates through vent systems in a home. For persons with allergies, asthma, and even pregnant women and the elderly, having clean carpets can make a big difference in their quality of life indoors.

Having your carpet cleaned every 3 months can be very expensive. A market check of professional carpet cleaning prices showed that among both national brand names and smaller local carpet cleaning companies, the average cost for a 3 room, two hallway carpets cleaning at about $125 after coupons and specials were applied. If a homeowner has a carpet cleaner visit 3 times a year, the total cost of carpet cleanings can really add up.

Some families are choosing the do-it-yourself route to cleaning their carpets. Depending on where you live, grocery stores are offering cleaning machines and a multitude of carpet cleaning solutions for purchase. This may be another good way to keep your carpets cleaned. The drawback is that homeowners must do all then tough working themselves – lugging the machine to their cars and moving their own furniture. There are also some inherent risks with do-it-yourself methods that include:

- Over saturation of the carpet. If too much water or solution is applied, the glue that holds carpet fibers together can separate and ruin carpet
- Misapplication of cleaners. The incorrect cleaning solution applied to certain stains can permanently bleach or discolor carpet.

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