How Often Should You Steam Clean Your Carpet

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How Often Should You Steam Clean Your Carpet

Staff Writer · Feb 25, 2010

The decision to steam clean a carpet is a smart one. The process is free of toxic chemicals and you’ll get rid of bacteria, viruses and other contaminants that are growing on the floors, which means you’ll improve the quality of the air in your apartment. The next determination you’ll need to make is how often to steam clean your carpet. As a renter, you’re probably going to rent a steam cleaner rather than purchase your own, or hire a professional cleaner to do it. This means you have to budget for that expense, and to do that you’ll need to know how often to clean it. Here are some guidelines to help you make a decision:

Once a Year

Steam your clean your carpets at least once a year for the best results. Every apartment is vulnerable to spores that hide in the carpet, and you may not see them. However, they are there and can cause serious allergies. For example, steam cleaning your carpet can get rid of dust mites and put an end to coughing, due to an allergic reaction to the dust mites. Making a schedule to steam clean carpets once a year will give you enough time to look for and take advantage of great deals on rentals and professional cleaning services. Pick a season to schedule cleaning, and repeat each year.

Once Every Two Years

This is pushing it a bit if you really want to reap the benefits of steam cleaning a carpet, but it’s fine to do. Perhaps you can’t afford to do it more frequently. It’s better to at least take the every-other-year approach than to not do it all. It would be better to steam clean it every 18 months if you can.

When Carpets Become Soiled

Carpets are tough to clean when they get soiled, no matter what method you use for cleaning. A steam cleaner can do wonders, but it doesn’t perform miracles. Avoid the risk of damaging your carpet or leaving a permanent stain by steam cleaning it when you can’t remove the dirt by rubbing it off. Steam cleaning penetrates the carpet’s surface and will remove the dirt that’s trapped in between the layers. If you don’t address the issue, your landlord will hold you responsible and take money out of your security deposit to fix it.

When You’re Prone to Asthma Attacks

You may need to steam clean your carpet more often if you suffer from asthma attacks, due to harmful contaminants in the air. If there’s no other reason why you seem to suffering from an onset of asthma attacks, then do everything you can to make sure your apartment is not the source of the problem. One thing you can do is steam your carpets to remove any irritants. If you notice a significant improvement in your health, than a more frequent cleaning is called for, such as every 3 months.

Along with each of these guidelines, you’ll have to figure out the expenses involved and what you can afford. However, factor in the health benefits and the costs you’ll avoid in the form of additional medical bills, when you steam clean your carpet.

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