Should You Clean Or Replace Your Carpet? How To Know When It’s Time

Is your carpet stained, matted, or just generally looking a little worse for wear? Are you embarrassed to have company over because of it?

If so, you might be due for a professional cleaning. You also might need new carpet altogether. Finding out how to tell the difference could save you a large amount of time and money.

Signs You Need Your Carpet Cleaned

Sometimes, a thorough cleaning is all your needs to get your carpet looking — and smelling — like new. If any of the signs discussed below apply to you, you might be in need of a professional carpet cleaning.

It Hasn’t Been Cleaned In Over A Year

When was the last time you had your carpets cleaned? Even if you’re careful about spills and don’t let your kids wear shoes in the house, your carpets still collect a lot of dirt and dust that should be regularly removed by a professional.

When it comes to carpet cleaning, a general rule is that it should be professionally cleaned at least once a year.

If it’s been longer than a year, you should definitely contact a carpet cleaning service, especially if you have pets or small children running around. Regular cleanings will extend the lifespan of your carpet, make day-to-day maintenance easier, and improve your home’s overall appearance.

You Are Having Allergy Problems

If you have noticed that your indoor allergies have gotten worse, you might be due for a professional carpet cleaning.

Carpets collect a lot of dust, dirt, pet dander, and other allergens, even if you are vacuuming them regularly. The slightest movement — like sitting on or walking across the carpet — can disturb these allergens and send them into the air, where they can circulate for several hours before settling back down again.

To get rid of some of this build up and improve your allergy symptoms, you should get your carpets cleaned as soon as possible.

It’s Looking Dull Or Dirty

When you look at and walk across your carpet every day, you get used to the way it looks. You might not think your carpet looks bad, but a furniture test can let you know how dull or dirty it really is.

Move a piece of furniture that hasn’t been moved in a while, and take a look at the carpet underneath. Does it look lighter, fluffier, and cleaner, especially compared to the carpet surrounding it?

Professional cleaning can help get all the dirt out of your carpet and lift it back up again so that it looks as good as new!

It’s Stained

There are certain types of stains, including pet stains and ink stains, that you will definitely need a professional’s help to remove. Sometimes soap and water just won’t cut it.

In addition to improving the appearance of your carpet, you also protect it from future damage when you have tough spots and stains professionally removed.

Signs You Need New Carpet

While problems with your carpet can often be solved with professional cleaning, there are also times when you just need to let go and invest in brand new carpet. Some of the most common signs that your carpet needs to be replaced are listed below.

It’s Permanently Stained

Professional carpet cleaners are great at getting out tough stains. However, if a stain goes deeper than the carpet itself, it can be difficult to fully remove it.

Bleach, plant food, tea, wine, and mustard all leave very difficult-to-remove stains. Sometimes, these stains are made worse by homeowners who try to take care of them themselves with DIY remedies or store-bought products.

Biological stains — pet urine, feces, vomit — can also cause mold and mildew to build up under the carpet if they’re not treated properly. Mold can cause health hazards, so if you have multiple biological stains on your carpet, it’s better to be safe and just completely replace it.

It Has A Lot Of Wear And Tear

While some carpets look just like new after a good cleaning, rips, and tears will still be there after the carpet dries.

If you’re covering up damage with rugs and furniture, it’s probably time to get new carpet. Small defects can sometimes be repaired, but large rips are a different story, especially if they’re located on stairs or in high-traffic areas.

When you’re replacing your carpet, choose nylon over polyester. Nylon is more resilient and responds better to carpet cleaning.

It Has A Lingering Smell

Carpet odors often go away after a professional cleaning, but some are too tough for even the most skilled cleaners to eliminate. If you still notice it lingering, the odor may have penetrated too deep into the carpet fibers, carpet pad, or subfloor.

It’s usually more cost-effective to just replace the carpet at this point, instead of trying to fully get rid of the spots that are causing the odor.

The Carpet Padding Is Worn Out

If the padding under the carpet is in bad shape, it won’t matter how nice and clean the carpet is.

Padding makes your carpet comfortable to walk/lay on buffers sound and improves insulation. However, it also absorbs spills and is a lot harder to clean than the carpet above it.

If your padding is old, it’s probably contributing to lingering odors in your home. Signs of old padding include unevenness, wrinkles, and a crinkling sound when it’s walked across.

It’s Old

Old carpet does not always clean very well, no matter how hard you try. Carpet tends to lose its texture after about 8 to 10 years, even if it’s been properly cared for. If the carpet in your house is older than that, or if it’s full of ripples and wrinkles, you should look into investing in new carpet.

Now What?

Now that you know what signs to be on the lookout for, it’s time to decide if your carpet needs professional cleaning or needs to be replaced altogether.

If you think you should have your carpets professionally cleaned, we’re here to help.