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Nov 27, 2023

Can Vacuuming Ruin Carpet?

If you’ve got carpets at home and want to keep them clean, chances are your vacuum is being put to good use. But if you’ve ever emptied the dustbin and found carpet fibers mixed in with dust, hair,

If you’ve got carpets at home and want to keep them clean, chances are your vacuum is being put to good use. But if you’ve ever emptied the dustbin and found carpet fibers mixed in with dust, hair, and other household debris, you might have wondered whether you’re doing more harm than good to your flooring.

As it turns out, diligent housekeeping doesn’t always pay off. “Excessive or aggressive vacuuming could potentially cause wear and damage over time,” says Jack White, Director of Operations at Rainbow Restoration, a Neighborly company with service areas throughout the U.S., including dozens in the South. He does note, however, that if your carpet is new, seeing fluff in your dustbin is normal at first and will decrease over time.

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None of this is a good enough excuse to get you out of vacuuming completely, unfortunately. White also says you can avoid too much wear and tear if you use the proper type of vacuum for your carpet and get on a cleaning schedule appropriate for your household.

There are many vacuum brands to choose from, but in general, these features will keep your carpets clean and damage free:

Now that you know you’re not off the hook for vacuuming your carpets, how much is too much?

White says, “The frequency of vacuuming your carpets depends on factors such as the amount of foot traffic, the presence of pets, and individual preferences.” Here are his expert recommendations:

“Regular vacuuming helps remove dirt, dust, allergens, and pet hair from the carpet fibers, maintaining a cleaner and healthier environment,” says White.

Shag rugs and other deep-pile carpets require even more TLC, says Aaron Christensen, Vice President of Growth at Homeaglow, an online platform that connects people in all 50 states with professional cleaners in their area. “When vacuuming, you need enough suction to lift dirt, but you have to be careful you don’t tear out or damage fibers,” he says.

Your best bet? Use the upholstery attachment that came with your vacuum. It will reduce the suction, but still allow the vacuum to get into the rug’s fibers, says Christensen.”

If you’ve got a stick vacuum, Christensen recommends setting the vacuum head to the max height and turning off the beater bar. Then, vacuum thoroughly. “It’s easy to miss spots on a shag rug, so vacuum in all directions and push the pile about,” he says.

For a shag area rug, Christensen says take it outside and beat the dust out of it with a wooden spoon or similar instrument. Once it’s back indoors, flip it over and vacuum the bottom of it to get whatever debris remains. If your shag carpet is looking a little limp after cleaning, you can fluff it out again with your hands or a rake. “Plastic garden rakes work as well as branded carpet rakes,” he says.

Will Cotter, owner of HappyCleans in Oklahoma, Super Cleaning Service Louisville, and Fresh Space Cleaning Jacksonville, offers the following options to augment your regular vacuuming routine:

Of course, if maintaining a wall-to-wall carpet is driving you up a wall, Cotter always recommends calling in the pros with their industrial equipment for a truly deep clean.