Whether you have carpets, rugs, hardwood floors, or any combination, vacuuming offers plenty of benefits. If you have health issues, kids or pets, vacuuming becomes a necessity. Most households accept that this chore must be done. Surprisingly, many people still don’t do it right. Let’s discuss a general strategy that many find useful. But first: is vacuuming really that important?
Why vacuum?
Our feet and footwear inevitably track in dirt, sand and other particles, even if we take our shoes off when entering the home. At a microscopic level, many of these particles have jagged, sharp edges. The longer they stay, those microscopic edges cut and wear down the carpet and rug fibers. Eventually, the only way to get them out is a deep carpet cleaning, and Preferred Carpet Care can certainly help with that. But if the issue continues, replacing the carpet will be the only option – and that gets expensive.
Regular vacuuming removes those harmful particles before they get too deep, preventing those jagged edges from cutting into wood floors or other finishes. Vacuuming also removes allergens and pet hair, which provides a neater, tidier, and healthier household. Particles known to cause odors like third-hand smoke are removed before they get a chance to take root.
How to Vacuum
Believe it or not, there is more to vacuuming than a quick ‘swish-swish done’ approach.
- Take your time, be patient. Give the vacuum a chance to do its thing. This mean travelling no faster than one foot per second – that’s a full, ‘alligator’ second. Keep it slow and steady.
- Go over areas more than once. Your vacuum might have loosened some particles. but hasn’t yet retrieved them.
- Don’t be afraid of your accessories and extensions. Use them for corners, steps, countertops and window sills. Get the dust and dirt in those areas before they make it to the high-traffic areas of your flooring.
- Clean top-down. Start at high areas, counters, sills, drapes and window blinds. If any dust or dirt falls, you will get it when you vacuum the floors afterward. Let gravity work with you.
- When your bag or canister gets half to three-quarters full, empty or replace it. Don’t wait until it is full – that puts unnecessary strain on your vacuum motor. It is also much easier to spill dust and dirt everywhere when the container is full, so don’t wait to empty your vacuum until the last minute.
Now, that may sound like a lot of work. Depending on the size and occupancy of your home, it might be. What can be done to lighten the load?
How Often Should I Vacuum?
Try dividing areas of your home into levels of high, moderate, and low traffic.
- The middle of corridors, doorways, or places in front of couches and chairs are good examples of high traffic. Basically, any place that sees the most use. Vacuum these areas every other day, or daily if many feet traverse them.
- A den or dining room that is only used as an optional throughway might be moderate traffic areas. Vacuum three times a week, but more often if pets are in the home. Even if pets are banned from those rooms, hair and dander sneak in.
- Carpet edges, unused guest rooms, deep corners, or pockets between furniture could be low-traffic areas. Once a week should be fine.
Not All Vacuums are Created Equal
Also, consider your type of vacuum – not all vacuums are equal, and one might work better with your carpet than another. A strong motor and good filtration system are vital. Also consider the head, bar and container system. Some vacuums specialize in pet hair or certain carpets. On the other hand, some features might not be necessary, or even useful, in your household.
Even with a proper vacuuming routine, experts recommend getting your carpets (especially the high-traffic areas) professionally cleaned twice a year, much like dentist checkups. Along with professional experience and equipment, Preferred Carpet Care has applied knowledge with many different types of vacuums. We’d be glad to help you put together the best vacuum routine and equipment to extend the life and look of your carpets. Contact us today!