"Once a year" is the usual answer, and it's a fine starting point. But the right schedule depends on who lives in your home and where you live. Here's how to figure out yours.
The quick guide
- Adults only, no pets: every 12 to 18 months.
- Kids or one pet: every 6 to 12 months.
- Several pets, allergies or asthma in the home: every 3 to 6 months.
- High-traffic areas (hallways, entries, the path to the couch): spot-clean those between full cleanings.
Why Texas homes need it more often
In El Paso, fine desert dust and sand blow in through doors and windows and settle deep in the carpet. Every step grinds that grit against the fibers, which is what wears down traffic lanes and makes them look gray.
In Austin, it's pollen and humidity. Cedar pollen in winter and oak and grass pollen in spring get tracked in and trapped in the carpet, and humid air makes odors linger longer.
Signs it's time, whatever the calendar says
- Traffic lanes look darker than the rest of the room.
- The room smells stale soon after you vacuum.
- Allergy symptoms are worse indoors than outside.
- Spots keep reappearing after you clean them.
- The carpet feels flat or rough instead of soft.
What you can do between cleanings
Vacuum high-traffic areas two or three times a week, and the rest of the house weekly. Put mats at every entry and take shoes off at the door. Blot spills right away instead of rubbing them.
Regular vacuuming gets the surface. Professional hot-water extraction flushes out what's deep in the fibers, which is why the two work best together.