How we made this guide: picks, prices and specs come from our catalog and the makers' published specs, owner quotes come from customer reviews on our product pages and every guide is checked and edited by Trevor Hall.
Have carpet shampooed or deep cleaned by a professional every 12 to 18 months, the interval both the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) and Mohawk's carpet care guidance give for homes, and vacuum it daily, twice a week or weekly depending on traffic. Pets, kids, shoes worn indoors and entrances are reasons to go sooner, a starting point rather than a published rule.
Commercial carpet runs on zones instead of one date: daily vacuuming, interim cleaning between deep cleans and a scheduled restorative clean with hot water extraction. A wide-area vacuum such as the Powr-Flite PF2030 at $2,099 covers the daily step, and a self-contained extractor such as the Powr-Flite Prowler PFX900S at $2,266 covers the restorative one.
Quick answer
Vacuum by traffic: daily in high-traffic areas, twice a week in medium and weekly in light (CRI). Have it professionally deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months in a home (CRI, Mohawk) and at least once a year in a commercial building (CRI). Shorten that for pets, kids and entrances. Set offices, schools and hotels by zone. Browse every carpet extractor we carry to build the deep-clean step.
How often should carpet be cleaned in a home?
The CRI is the trade body for carpet makers, and its home guidance comes down to three things. Vacuum high-traffic areas daily, medium-traffic areas twice a week and light-traffic areas weekly. Treat spills at once. Then have it professionally deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months to remove embedded soil that a vacuum leaves behind.
Carpet makers point the same way. Mohawk's carpet care guidance recommends professional cleaning every 12 to 18 months, depending on traffic. Its carpet warranty brochure goes further and asks for at least one professional cleaning every 18 months, with a bill, invoice or statement from the cleaner as proof. CRI adds that carpet makers recommend, and sometimes require, a cleaner certified under its Seal of Approval program to keep warranty protection. Read the warranty that came with your carpet, because the interval differs by product line.
The word "shampoo" in the search is common, but carpet makers' guidance talks about professional deep cleaning, and some warranties name the method. If you want to know how the two differ, read carpet shampoo vs steam cleaning.
How often should commercial carpet be cleaned?
Split the carpet into zones and give each its own routine. Entrances and the corridors that lead from them take the most soil. Meeting rooms and private offices take the least.
CRI's facility guidance sets the baseline: vacuum high-traffic areas daily, run interim cleaning on a set schedule in all traffic areas and deep clean at least once a year. The commercial routine has three steps:
- Daily vacuuming. CRI sets the vacuuming schedule by traffic level, and in a commercial building most of the main routes are high traffic.
- Interim cleaning. A light, low-moisture pass between deep cleans keeps the surface looking right. Hot water extraction vs encapsulation and low moisture cleaning explains when each method fits.
- Restorative cleaning. Hot water extraction on a set cycle to flush out what the lighter methods leave.
Hotel corridors and lobbies sit at the top of the range because guests carry soil in from outdoors all day. Whatever the building, write the zones and dates down, assign each to a person and log it when it is done. A dated record is also what helps in a warranty dispute.
Carpet tile has its own routine, covered in how to clean commercial carpet tiles.
Carpet cleaning schedule by traffic and setting
The home vacuuming rows, the 12 to 18 month home deep clean and the once-a-year commercial minimum come from CRI. Every other interval is a starting point we suggest for heavier traffic. Shorten any of them when the carpet looks dull, smells or feels gritty. Follow the carpet maker's warranty when it says otherwise.
| Setting | Vacuum | Interim clean | Deep clean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home, light traffic (spare rooms) | Weekly | Spot treat spills | Every 12 to 18 months |
| Home, medium traffic (living areas) | Twice a week | Spot treat spills | Every 12 months, or sooner with pets or kids (starting point) |
| Home, high traffic (hall, stairs, entry) | Daily | Spot treat spills | Every 6 to 12 months (starting point) |
| Open office | Daily on main routes | Every 1 to 3 months on routes (starting point) | Every 6 to 12 months (starting point) |
| School corridors and classrooms | Daily | Monthly in corridors (starting point) | Once or twice a year, scheduled for school breaks (starting point) |
| Hotel rooms | Daily on turnover | As needed | Every 6 to 12 months (starting point) |
| Hotel corridors and lobbies | Daily | Every 1 to 2 months (starting point) | Every 3 to 6 months (starting point) |
Signs your carpet is due
The carpet itself tells you when to move sooner than the dates.
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dark lanes from the door to the desk or sofa | Soil is packed into the pile along walking paths | Clean that zone first and more often |
| Carpet looks flat or dull after vacuuming | Fine soil is sitting at the base of the fibers | Schedule an interim or deep clean |
| Gritty feel underfoot | Dry soil is working deep into the pile | Vacuum with a stronger machine, then extract |
| Spots that return after cleaning | Residue or wicking from the backing | Rinse passes with clean water, then dry fast |
| Odor that stays after the room airs out | Something is held in the carpet or pad | Read how to get rid of carpet odor |
| Warranty date is close | Your proof of cleaning may be needed | Book the clean and keep the paperwork |
What waiting too long costs
The first cost is the warranty. Mohawk's carpet warranty brochure asks for proof of a professional cleaning at least every 18 months, so a skipped deep clean can leave you without the receipt a claim needs. The second is wear. Mohawk's care guidance says quality carpet can last 10 to 15 years or longer with proper care, which includes regular professional cleaning. The price a pro charges for the job is covered in carpet cleaning price per room and per square foot.
How to stretch the time between deep cleans
- Vacuum to the traffic schedule above. Dry soil that stays in the pile is what dulls the carpet fastest.
- Act on spills at once. CRI's advice is to blot rather than scrub, and to skip the brush.
- Use spot products that will not make the carpet resoil quickly, as CRI advises. Rinse the spot with clean water afterward.
- After any shampoo or extraction, finish with clean-water rinse passes and dry the carpet fast (see how long carpet takes to dry after cleaning).
- Put the most effort at entrances, where soil is stopped.
Machines that fit each step of the schedule
A vacuum handles dry soil daily, an orbital machine handles interim work and an extractor handles the deep clean. Here are four to pair with a commercial schedule.
Daily: a wide-area vacuum
The Powr-Flite PF2030 has a 30 inch cleaning path, dual 1 hp vacuum motors, an 1,800 RPM brush and a 75 ft cord. Its listing rates the four-stage filtration at 98.6% down to 0.3 microns. It is one of our best-selling vacuums, and it suits corridors, lobbies and ballrooms where a standard upright takes too many passes.
Daily vacuuming
Powr-Flite 30" Wide Area Vacuum PF2030
$2,099
A 30 inch path for corridors and open floors.
Skip it if your carpet is a few rooms in a house. It weighs 96 lb and is sized for large open areas. See every wide-area vacuum we carry.
Interim: an orbital machine
The Mytee ECO14-PRO has a 14 inch cleaning path, a 4 gallon solution tank and a 60 PSI pump feeding two front-facing V-jets. Mytee's ECO-PRO spec sheet lists encapsulation and VLM (very low moisture) carpet cleaning among its ideal uses, which makes it a tool for the light pass between deep cleans. It draws 20 A at 115 V and has a 50 ft cord.
Interim cleaning
Mytee ECO14-PRO All Surface 14″ Orbital Floor Machine, 1.5 horsepower
$2,962
Encapsulation and low-moisture passes between deep cleans.
Skip it if every cleaning step you plan is a hot water rinse. It is an encapsulation tool and does not replace an extractor. For other orbital and rotary options, see floor machines for carpet.
Restorative: a self-contained extractor
The Powr-Flite Prowler PFX900S is an 18 inch self-contained extractor with a 9 gallon tank, 100 PSI solution pressure and 120 inches of water lift. It lists a 1.3 hp, 3-stage UL-listed vacuum motor. It suits open office carpet on a scheduled restorative clean. It weighs 100 lb.
Restorative cleaning
Powr-Flite Prowler 9 Gallon Self-Contained Carpet Extractor PFX900S
$2,266
Self-contained deep clean for open office carpet.
Skip it if you clean around furniture, stairs and tight corners. The listing shows no wand included, so a portable is the better fit there. See the self-contained carpet extractors for others.
Restorative: a portable heated extractor
The Mytee 2002CS pairs a 1,200 W heater with a 120 PSI pump, 130 inches of water lift and 10 gallon tanks. It ships as a package with a 15 ft hose combo and a 12 inch dual jet wand. It draws 20 A at 115 V through a single attached 25 ft cord, and Mytee's manual says not to use extension cords, so plan the outlets within reach. It is one of our best-selling portable extractors, and its 12 inch wand and 15 ft hose reach rooms, stairs and corners that a self-contained machine cannot.
Portable deep clean
Mytee 2002CS Contractor’s Special Heated Carpet Extractor
$2,366
Heated portable for rooms, stairs and tight spaces.
Skip it if you clean a whole floor of open carpet every week. A self-contained machine such as the Prowler above covers that faster.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you shampoo your carpet?
Have it professionally deep cleaned about every 12 to 18 months, the interval CRI gives. Go sooner with pets, kids or heavy traffic. Some carpet warranties name the cleaning method, so check your carpet maker's document before you choose shampoo.
Is it okay to shampoo carpet once a week?
There is no need to, and it can do harm. CRI's home schedule is vacuuming by traffic plus a professional deep clean every 12 to 18 months. Weekly wet cleaning keeps the pile damp and leaves detergent behind. If one area needs more, clean that spot, rinse it and dry it fast.
Why is the water from my carpet cleaner always dirty?
The water carries out the soil and any cleaning-solution residue the carpet holds. Finish with rinse passes using clean water until the recovered water runs clearer. The steps are in how to use a carpet cleaning machine.
How long does carpet take to dry after cleaning?
It depends on the method and the airflow in the room. Hot water extraction leaves more water than encapsulation, and how long carpet takes to dry after cleaning covers how to speed it up.
How often should commercial carpet be cleaned?
At least once a year for the deep clean, per CRI's facility guidance, with daily vacuuming in high-traffic areas and scheduled interim cleaning in between. Entrances, hotel corridors and lobbies need the deep clean more often. The table above gives starting points by setting.
Can 20 year old carpet be cleaned?
Usually, yes. Check first for a brittle backing, loose seams and old repairs, because water and hard agitation can make them worse. Use less water and dry it fast. Cleaning cannot rebuild worn pile, and Mohawk's care guidance puts the life of quality carpet at 10 to 15 years or longer, so carpet this old may be near replacement.
Why is my carpet dirtier after shampooing?
Usually because shampoo residue was left in the pile. It stays sticky and grabs new soil, which is why CRI advises products that resist resoiling. Spots can also wick back up from the backing as the carpet dries. Finish with clean-water rinse passes and dry it fast.
Can I put dish soap in my carpet shampooer?
No. Dish soap is made to foam and is hard to rinse out. Mytee's Contractor's Special manual limits the tank to low-foam or non-foaming products and says foam damage voids the warranty. Leftover soap also speeds up resoiling.
Build the schedule around the right machines
Related guides
- Hot Water Extraction vs Encapsulation and Low Moisture Cleaning: Which to Use When
- How to Use a Carpet Cleaning Machine: The Pro Extraction Steps, Passes and Settings
- How to Clean Commercial Carpet Tiles: Daily, Interim and Deep Cleaning
- Carpet Cleaning Price per Room and per Square Foot: What Pros Charge and Why
