How Often Should You Vacuum Your Home?

If you have a busy schedule, you know the time and effort it takes to keep your home clean. The crumbs from food, tracked-in dirt from shoes and pet hair from the dog can all accumulate and make your home feel unpleasant. Regularly vacuuming helps remove dirt, dust and debris and prevents damage to surfaces in your home such as your rugs, floors and furniture. If dust accumulates over a long time, it can also decrease your indoor air quality and impact your health, especially if you have allergies and respiratory issues. Keeping your home clean with the help of a vacuum can remove these airborne pollutants. If you’re wondering how often you should vacuum your home, follow these tips and techniques to keep it looking clean and feeling fresh.

How Often Should You Vacuum Your Home?

It is recommended to vacuum at least once a week because it helps maintain indoor air quality by removing dust and pollen, prevents dirt build up on carpets and floors, keeps your home clean and tidy and reduces allergens like pet dander. However, you may have to adjust your vacuuming frequency according to the type of floors, number of people in the living flat, whether you have pets and your lifestyle. For example, if you have a pet with long hair, you’ll need to vacuum more frequently during shedding season. Or if you have many high-traffic areas such as hallways, entryways and rugs you may have to vacuum them more than once a week.

Why Is Regular Vacuuming Important?

Regular vacuuming is important because it minimises the build up of dirt and dust particles in your home, which can trigger allergies. It also helps in reducing odours caused by dirt and spills and identifying potential issues such as mould or pest infestations early. Not vacuuming regularly can cause health issues if accumulated dust, pet dander and allergens decrease the air quality of your home and trigger respiratory illnesses. Moreover, dust mites can thrive in unclean environments and insects can gravitate towards food debris, which can negatively impact your health and hygiene. According to the Australian Institute Of Health And Welfare, nearly 1 in 5 Australians have allergic rhinitis triggered by pollen, dust mites and pet hair, emphasising the need for regular vacuuming.

If you neglect vacuuming, it can lead to dirty and worn out carpets and floors. It can also break down the fibres of rugs and reduce their lifespan. Without regular cleaning, hard floors can get scratched and dull over time and you’ll have to pay that much more on replacements and repairs. If your living space is left unclean, it can also lose its appeal and can make it feel less inviting.

How Often Should You Vacuum Carpets and Rugs?

It is recommended to vacuum your carpets at least once or twice a week to remove dirt and dust, pet dander, hair, food particles and prevent abrasive particles from damaging the fibres. Pay special attention to rugs and carpets placed in high-traffic areas such as living rooms, mud rooms and children’s playrooms which tend to collect the most dirt and should be vacuumed a few times each week.

If you have high pile carpets, make sure you use a vacuum with a beater bar or rotating brush to agitate the fibres and lift embedded dirt. For low pile carpets, you can use a gentler brush to avoid damaging the fabric. If you have pets, you may have to vacuum more frequently and use a strong suction with a powerful filter to capture small allergens. You’ll also need to move big furniture like couches and TV consoles occasionally to vacuum underneath. Some robot vacuum manufacturers like ECOVACS have special features for cleaning carpets like strong suction power of up to 11,000Pa and auto-lift mopping that automatically detects carpets and lifts the mopping pads to avoid wetting it. This makes it super practical to vacuum and mop your floors in one cleaning cycle.

How Often Should You Vacuum Hardwood, Tile, and Vinyl Floors?

Vacuuming your floors 1 to 2 times per week depending on how much use they get is suitable for hardwood, tile, vinyl and laminate flooring. If you have pets and children or many people living in your home, considerincreasing the vacuuming frequency to 2 to 3 times a week.

Hardwood Floors

You can vacuum and mop hardwood floors once or twice a week because dust, dirt and pet hair can scratch the surface and dull its finish over time. Opt for gentle cleaning solutions that are specifically designed for hardwood floors. Avoid over-mopping as they are prone to moisture damage.

Tile

Tile floors need vacuuming and mopping about once a week to prevent the build-up of debris and protect the grout from deteriorating or getting discoloured. Make sure the brushes of your vacuum have soft bristles to avoid scratches on the tile floor. If possible use a robot vacuum cleaner that can adjust its height for tile grout.

Laminate

Vacuum laminate floors once a week and mop them once or twice a month. This is because laminate floor is prone to damage and using a vacuum once a week can get rid of the dust on the surface without damaging its finish. If you’re using a wet mop, wring it out thoroughly before using to avoid over-wetting the floor. Remember to use a microfiber cloth and add a gentle cleaning solution to avoid discoloration, streaks and dull floors.

Vinyl

If you have vinyl floors, you can vacuum every day and mop once or twice a week since vinyl floors are durable. Choose a soft brush attachment and a gentle microfiber cloth to avoid scratching the surface. After mopping, dry the floor with a clean cloth to prevent the water from going into the plank crevices.

Some manufacturers like ECOVACS have robot vacuums that are specially designed for each type of floor. They have adjustable suction power settings, specialised brushes and rollers that are gentle on different floor types. Some models even come with self-cleaning base stations and the ability to schedule cleaning sessions, taking the hassle out of regular vacuuming.

How Often Should Pet Owners Vacuum Their Home?

If you have pets, you should vacuum your space at least twice a week, especially if you have dogs or cats that tend to shed a lot. This helps remove pet hair, dander and dirt that can accumulate on floors, couches, carpets and other surfaces. It also improves your air quality since it removes airborne particles that can circulate in the air and be inhaled, potentially triggering allergic reactions.

Veterinary experts at the ASCIA recommend using a vacuum with HEPA filtration as it can improve the removal of pet hair and dander from carpets, upholstery and hardwood floors. They also suggest using a product that prevents dander from building up and brushing your pet’s hair frequently to reduce shedding and dander. Our DEEBOT vacuum cleaners for pet owners have a strong suction power to pick up pet hair, dander and other debris, HEPA filters to reduce allergens, anti-tangle brushes for pets with long hair and cameras to help you keep an eye on your pet while you’re away.

How to Vacuum Your Space Efficiently?

Dirt, dust and other allergens can settle into your carpets, rugs and floors and cause respiratory issues and other health problems. By using the right techniques and equipment, you can lift out all the hidden debris and make your home look fresh and clean. That’s why it is important to give your living space a good, thorough vacuuming on a regular basis.

Choose the right vacuum cleaner

The first step is to choose the right vacuum cleaner for your floor types, size of the living space and specific cleaning needs. Choose a stick vacuum if you want something lightweight, a canister vacuum for a more traditional and hands-on approach or you can take the hands-off route with a convenient robot vacuum that is more autonomous.

Declutter before vacuuming

Taking the time to clear the clutter before vacuuming allows it to thoroughly cover hard-to-reach areas and lift embedded particles that would otherwise be missed. It also extends the lifespan of your machine by preventing clogged filters and overworked motors.

Use slow, overlapping strokes

For better coverage, avoid going over the surfaces in rushed, haphazard motions. Vacuum methodically using slow, overlapping strokes to extract deeply embedded dirt, dust and debris.

Vacuum in multiple directions

Vacuuming thoroughly in multiple directions maximises the effectiveness of cleaning. When you vacuum your floors, remember to go both with and against the grain of the carpet, along the baseboards and under furniture. This approach ensures that nothing is left behind than simply pushing the vacuum back and forth in a single direction.

Regularly maintain and clean your vacuum cleaner

It is important to maintain and clean your vacuum cleaner to prevent it from becoming clogged with debris which can reduce its suction power and efficiency. Remember to replace filters, clean the sensors and brushes and remove any built up dust and hair to ensure your machine operates at peak performance.

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