Carpets can prove to be a challenging responsibility for homeowners. Not only do they require frequent maintenance, but they can also be complicated to vacuum. In order to keep them in tip-top shape year-round, you should look into the tricks of the trade, so to speak. We have compiled a list of the most useful vacuum cleaning tips for carpet for effective maintenance. Learn more about how you can keep your carpet sparkling clean below.
Purchase the Appropriate Vacuum Cleaner
Prior to diving into our vacuum cleaning tips for carpet, we want to make sure that you invest in the most suitable model. Many homeowners prefer canister vacuum cleaners for their carpets, while others opt for upright units or deep cleaners.
In any case, some of the best models for carpets have features like:
- Brush roll – for getting into carpet fibers
- Height adjustment – to tweak the height of your cleaning head based on your carpet type (high-pile, medium-pile, low-pile)
- Manual suction – for adjusting the suction power depending on the design and build of the carpet.
You should also take other aspects of your home into consideration. For example, if you have cats or dogs, you should consider getting the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair.
Ensure Clean Filter or Empty Cup
You won’t believe how much of an impact your unit’s dust cup or filter can have on your carpet cleaning experience. If you have a bagless canister vacuum, make sure that the dirt container is always completely empty and washed before you get started. As far as filters are concerned, they should be replaced whenever they show signs of clogging or wear and tear.
Take Advantage of Attachments
We often tend to overlook the usefulness of our vacuum’s attachments. Well, they come with our models for a reason. When vacuuming carpets, the included tools help with cleaning all carpet areas, especially those hard-to-reach places.
Some of the most practical vacuum cleaner attachments for carpets are:
- Crevice tool – Use the vacuum’s crevice tool to regularly clean around baseboards, nooks, and crannies.
- Extension wand – Attach the extension wand to vacuum the areas of carpet under furniture.
- Turbo brush (aka power brush) – Apply the turbo brush attachment to vacuum carpeted stairs if you live in a multi-story home.
Vacuum in Both Directions
In terms of technique, one of the best vacuuming tips for carpet is to clean in all directions. Additionally, you should plan a smart path to keep your carpet freshly vacuumed once you’re done.
We recommend following the steps below in order:
- Start away from the door – Go to the area that is farthest from the room’s main entrance and work your way back.
- Vacuum from left to right – Apply a horizontal vacuuming technique for your first passes.
- Continue front to back – Vacuum the same areas with a front-to-back motion to ensure you remove all dirt and dust particles from the carpet fibers.
- Ease out of the room – Vacuum your way out through the door in the same manner you would exit a freshly-mopped room.
Clean Carpets Regularly
We hate to break it to you, but carpets require heavy maintenance. If you want your soft floors to look their best, it is recommended that you vacuum once every week, at least.
Nevertheless, your schedule strongly depends on the amount of traffic in your carpeted areas. You may have to vacuum 2-3 times every week if you have a large family or pets that shed.
To ease the process, you can use a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner for occasional spot cleaning. Alternatively, invest in a robot vacuum to get the job done automatically when you’re not home.
Take Your Time
Last but certainly not least, always remember to be patient when vacuuming carpets. Allow your vacuum cleaner’s brush roll to get deep into your carpet by slowly passing over areas. Indeed, it is a bit more time-consuming, but the long-term results will be highly rewarding.
Conclusion
Overall, the vacuum cleaning tips for carpet we have discussed will greatly help with home maintenance. Although they add a few extra minutes to your cleaning routine, it will all be worth it in the long run. Until you get used to them, you can write all of these vacuum cleaning tips for carpet in your planner and create a checklist. Do you have any other interesting advice from your carpet-cleaning experience? We encourage you to share your insight in the comments.
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