When was the last time you vacuumed your carpet? Was it today, yesterday, or this week? If so, kudos. If not, you might want to rethink your cleaning schedule. Not vacuuming your carpet will result in a whole bunch of nasty things. Those are so unpleasant that even the person who couldn’t care less about cleanliness will hate them.
If you don’t vacuum your carpet the bad things that can happen include mold formation, the spread of pet dander, stains, and breeding of pests, dust mites, and bacteria.
How NOT to use the vacuum cleaner. 9 Mistakes we all make!
Many carpet owners think they know how to use the vacuum cleaner. But are they using it right? These 9 mistakes are more common than you might think!
What happens if you don’t vacuum your carpet?
Let’s take a look at the top 11 pathetic results of not vacuuming your carpet.
1. Dust mites breed
Do you know what is the main cause of allergies? Dust mites, dust mite feces, and body parts. EW. Dust mites start breeding in your house when they find an abundance of shedding human skin around.
Regular vacuuming reduces the number of these allergens and relieves allergies.
2. Carpets get stained
A dirty carpet gets worn out much quicker than a cleaned one. Stains start appearing on the surface and the carpet starts looking dull.
Vacuuming regularly reduces the build-up of dirt.
3. Pests start living in carpets
Pests are uninvited and annoying little critters that can drive you crazy. Carpet bugs include beetles, ants, moths, and bed bugs. These creatures can cause skin irritations, and some can even bite you.
Bed bugs can make your peaceful nights a living nightmare by making their way to your bed. They feed off human blood and cause allergies.
Your carpet houses maximum pests when it’s dirty. Hence, vacuuming will clean any food particles and fluid drops that attract pests.
4. Bacteria breeds in carpet
Dirt in the carpet allows bacteria to breed and become a health hazard. Children often play on the carpet and later touch their faces and mouth without washing their hands. This can cause major health problems.
5. Mold is formed
Mold can become a nuisance if not treated. It not only destroys the carpet but also causes health problems.
The vacuum sucks up dormant spores and hence, prevents mold formation.
6. Musty odors are smelled
The build-up of bacteria causes a permanent unpleasant musty odor. Vacuuming reduces the bacteria in your carpet, thus preventing the bad smells.
7. Your house looks messy
Are you tired of having a messy and cluttered house? Pick up your vacuum cleaner and start hoovering. Whenever you vacuum, you pick up stuff and put it away.
Hence, your house becomes tidy and clean.
8. Your house gets dirty
Lack of vacuuming causes your house to become dirty. Hoovering around regularly will pick up the dirt and make your house clean.
9. Pet hair and dander spread
Are you a pet parent? Aw, that’s an honor. However, you must have experienced the constant battle with pet hair that you can find almost everywhere around your house.
You should vacuum frequently to pick up all the hair that sheds around. Pet hair and dander can also give rise to allergies.
10. Smoke gets caught in carpet
Are you thinking, “Nah, no one smokes in my house.”? Well, this is not necessarily the smoke from cigarettes but second-hand smoke from the kitchen, etc.
It gets caught in the carpet and stays there if not vacuumed. This can cause health problems and unpleasant smell.
11. Carpet’s life is cut short
Dirt accumulates on the carpet when you don’t vacuum it. It becomes grounded in the fibers. Those get destroyed then.
Regular vacuuming can restore the fibers and make the carpet look fresh.
How much vacuuming is recommended?
The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends the following schedule for vacuuming your carpet.
| Daily | 2X/Week | Weekly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High traffic/pet areas | ✔ | ||
| Medium traffic areas | ✔ | ||
| Light traffic areas | ✔ |
Although if you’d like to know more information we have a post just for you! This post has a calculator that will allow you to pin point exactly how often you have to clean your carpets for perfect resutls!
How often you should clean your carpets for perfect results?
Some professionals exaggerate (A LOT!) when talking about how often you should clean your carpet. Take a look at the real frequencies certifying entities recommend!
Smart vacuuming techniques
Below are some tips that you should follow to keep your carpet in top condition.
First of all, you should set the vacuum’s height appropriately. Setting it too low can ruin your carpet and even the vacuum’s roller brush. If the height is set too high, the vacuum won’t be able to pick up any dirt.
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Secondly, you should start vacuuming with a clean bag and filter. Thirdly, vacuum slowly and steadily. Don’t go too fast. Make slow passes over different areas.
Last but not the least, use walk-off mats to keep the carpet from getting dirty right after cleaning. Keep wet and dirty shoes off your carpet.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap! Not vacuuming your carpet leads to some terrifying results. You can avoid facing these by using your vacuum cleaner regularly.
If anyone in your house suffers from any allergies, take a look at this post about the best vacuum cleaners for allergies.