Studies suggest that a little more than half of all American homes are carpeted. Of those homes that have hardwood or other hard surfaces, many use area rugs as a carpet alternative. Carpets provide many benefits. They’re aesthetically pleasing and provide much more warmth or comfort versus other flooring materials. This is especially true on cold mornings.
However, carpets also require special cleaning. Having your professionally cleaned is highly recommended. Continue reading this carpet cleaning article to learn three top reasons why alongside helpful information on things you can do at home between professional cleanings.
Click here to learn more about professional carpet cleaning and why it’s crucial.
1. Clean Carpets Are Healthier For Everyone
A lot of harmful particles and germs can get stuck in your carpet. Dust particles, bacteria, viruses, and allergens are only a few primary examples.
Dust Particles
Dust particles have been linked to issues with the nose, sinuses, and breathing. Breathing problems include a worsening of asthma symptoms and an increased risk of upper respiratory infections.
Bacteria and Viruses
Bacteria and viruses cause a range of mild to severe illnesses. How long these infections live in your carpets varies. Below are the times a few common bacteria and viruses can live outside the body on home surfaces.
- Cold viruses: 24 hours to 7+ days
- RSV (which causes a cold-like illness prominent in young children): up to 6 hours
- Flu viruses: about 24 hours
- Salmonella: 1 to 4 hours
- Campylobacter: 1 to 4 hours
- C. Difficile (which causes a stomach virus): up to 5 months
- Norovirus: days to weeks
- MRSA: days to weeks
- Coronaviruses: hours to days
The most significant concern with bacteria and viruses on carpets is children, who are more likely to spend time in direct contact with the carpet. Young children are most likely to lay stomach-down on the carpet, have their hands on it, and place toys that have been in contact with the surface into their mouths. Professional carpet cleaning eradicates most (if not all) of these potential infections.
Allergens
Many airborne allergens can become embedded in your carpet fibers, where they’re challenging to get out. A few of the most common airborne allergens (besides dust particles) include pet dander, pollen, and mold.
Professional carpet cleaning makes use of more potent products and tools. Together, these products and tools are capable of getting significantly more allergens out of your carpets. With fewer allergens in your home, the indoor air quality increases.
2. Professionally Cleaned Carpets Smell and Look Better
Soft materials like carpets hold smells, spots, and stains significantly easier than hard surfaces. More pungent smells can be so challenging to get out on your own that it feels impossible. Primary examples of stronger smells include must, cigarette smoke, pet urine, and vomit.
The good news is professional cleaners have high-quality products that help lift the smells from the carpet, so they’re actually gone. Many store products that say they “remove” smells just cover them. The scent may disappear for a few hours or even a few days but ultimately comes back because the underlying issue is still there.
Spots and stains are another big problem that can be done away with by professional carpet cleaners. These cosmetic problems are more visible on lighter-colored carpets. Still, they can ruin the aesthetics of even the darkest color schemes.
While it may be tempting to tackle stains on your own, it’s highly inadvisable. Many of the products marketed for “tough stains” contain ingredients (like bleach or peroxide) that could discolor your carpet’s fibers. Only a professional will know what is strong enough and safe enough to use on your specific carpet.
3. Professional Cleaning Extends the Life of Carpets
Dirt, dust, and stains aren’t only difficult to clean on your own. These contaminants can shorten the lifespan of your carpet by slowly eroding the carpet fibers. How quickly this erosion takes before becoming noticeable depends on which contaminant.
The average carpet can last upwards of a decade. The exact lifespan varies significantly depending on the fabric, cushioning, type of carpet, and how much foot traffic it gets. Without proper cleaning, however, this lifespan can be reduced to a few years.
Upkeep Tips for Between Professional Cleanings
There are ways to reduce the number of smells, stains, and allergens that inhabit the fibers between professional carpet cleanings. Keep in mind these tips aren’t meant as an alternative to professional cleanings, but rather a way to do the best you can at home between them.
- Vacuum carpets daily
- If possible, pet-owning families should buy a vacuum specially designed to pick up pet hair
- Pet hair also comes up better when vacuuming in two different directions
- Soak up spills as soon as they happen to limit staining or odor issues
- Avoid smoking in the home whenever possible, as smoke clings to fabrics
- Vacuum slowly to get up as much dirt as possible
- Remove shoes when inside the house to limit dirt and germs tracked in
- You can use lint rollers to get up pet hair in a pinch
- Always blot up spills, never rub
- Cover carpeting with area rugs in places with high levels of foot traffic as rugs are easier to remove and clean
- Febreeze or a carpet deodorizer can help limit odors between professional cleanings
More Questions About Why To Have Your Carpets Professionally Cleaned?
There are many reasons to have your carpets professionally cleaned. The three above are only among the most significant, and this list of reasons is far from all-inclusive.