Frequency Guide

Did you know that according to the Institute of Inspection , Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC) you should have your carpets cleaned  AT LEAST 1 TIME PER YEAR depending on the amount of traffic . The IICRC is a professional association that trains & monitors cleaning technicians throughout North America. To help you decide how often your carpets need to be cleaned, I have included a graph from the IICRC S100 Standards. These standards provide the guidelines used by the Carpet Industry to give your carpet the longest life possible.

Cleaning Frequency Guidelines
from the IICRC Standard for Carpet Cleaning S001-1991

Traffic Soil Rating

Carpet Owner/Maintainer

Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer

Vacuuming

Spot Cleaning

Heavy-Use Area
Cleaning

Restorative Cleaning

Light Soil

1 time per week

Daily or as soon as the spots are noticed.

Traffic areas every 12-18 months

Every 2 years per manufacturer
warranty

Normal Soil
(Families with children, elderly)

1 to 2 times per week

Daily or as soon as the spots are noticed

Traffic areas every 6 to `12 months

Annually

Heavy Soil
(Families with pets, smoking)

2 to 4 times per week

Daily or as soon as the spots are noticed

Traffic area every 3 to 6 months

Semi-annually
(2 times annually)

Extreme Conditions
 (large families, multiple pets)

Daily

Daily or as soon as the spots are noticed

Traffic lanes every 2 to 3 months

Quarterly
(4 times annually

This table is intended to serve as a guideline for recommended cleaning frequencies from a public health perspective. Originally published in a letter from the U.S. EPA, this schedule has been adopted as part of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification’s (IICRC) Carpet Cleaning Standard S001-1991. Complete copies of the IICRC Carpet Cleaning Standard can be obtained by calling the Institute at 360-693-5675. (From: U.S. EPA Letter, January, 1989)

What do we recommend?

There’s no doubt that regular, professional cleanings benefit both you and your carpet.  Removing unwanted contaminates from your carpet promotes a healthier indoor environment.  Properly maintaining your carpet prolongs its useful life.  We can help you determine how often you should clean your carpets during your cleaning visit.