Congratulations! You’re either here because you just installed your new carpet or, you’re ahead of the game and are trying to factor in all possible costs.

Either way, we are going over the cost of maintenance and what you should expect to pay for the annual and regular upkeep of your carpet.

Thankfully, the process is simple and straightforward so that anyone can maintain their carpet so long as they stay on top of it.

The biggest thing we have to look out for, of course, is spills. Wine, juice, radiation, pet urine, there are plenty of things that will damage your carpet if left to absorb into the fibers or worse, into the padding underneath.

But don’t worry! Let’s break it down into the top two ways to effectively maintain your carpet:

Regular Upkeep

This is upkeep that you do by yourself such as vacuuming, shampooing and spot cleaning. If you have kids or pets these problems could be more frequent and make sure you’re checking all the visible and hidden areas of the room.

So, what goes into regularly maintaining your carpet?

Vacuuming

Spot Cleaning

Shampooing

That’s it!

Vacuuming on a weekly basis to make sure all of the dust and dirt is cleaned up and spot cleaning spills and stains as soon as they happen is the most important.

You can stand to shampoo your carpet once a month or so depending on how often it is used. I’d highly recommend once a month for high traffic areas of the home.

You might be wondering, “Well, why do I have to clean my carpet?”

Well…I mean...You gotta clean your carpet. At least for your warranty’s sake.

You want to factor the cost of regular upkeep into the overall investment of your purchase. If left to deteriorate and rot, your carpet won’t last as long as it could. By doing some routine maintenance of your own, you’ll preserve the longevity of the carpet and end up saving money in the long run.

How much does regular upkeep cost?

Vacuums

Some cost $20, others cost $400. What’s the difference? Typically, the higher price of a vacuum indicates its ability to suck up more dirt, grime, allergens, and anything that might lurk in the fibers.

Its important note is to make sure that you do not adjust your beater bar on the vacuum too low! It should just barely touch the surface of the carpet. If it is set too low, you could damage the surface of the carpet. With Loop Cut Loop carpet, it would be best to not use the beater bar at all as it is even more vulnerable to damage from beater bars.

They also make pet specific vacuums that focus their ability on picking up pet hair and other messes from your carpet! Decent options tend to sit in a $50-$70 dollar range but, just like most things, you can go as expensive as you want.

Spot Cleaners

Soap! I’m talking about special soap designed to quickly remove stains from your carpet. You can pick up a bottle for $5 at any major retailer and just follow the instructions on the bottle to clean up any spills as soon as they happen.

Be sure to test spot cleaners in an area that isn’t noticeable first so that you are sure that it can work well with the carpet color you have. We like Woolite, or distilled white vinegar (1 part) and water (4 parts) blot on and off for household food and beverage spills.

Many flooring experts also recommend absorbent powder as one of the most effective cleaning products for carpet. It is simply a fine powder that, when applied over liquid of any kind, absorbs the moisture and clumps together for easy cleaning. Paired with the soap spray I explained above would be an excellent duo to tackle any carpet stains.

Many people also use chemicals that you typically find around the house like bleach, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide among others. You have to be extremely cautious because certain chemicals could permanently damage or stain your carpet which could lead to a voided warranty and a damaged carpet.

Consult manufacturer recommended cleaners and always follow the instructions on any product you buy to make sure it is safe to use. Especially if you have kids or pets.

Shampooing

Specially designed vacuums are made to deep clean your carpet with a special shampoo formula that fights serious stains and discolorations.

These vacuums usually go for $120 - $150 depending on how serious you want to go. And, of course, they have pet specific formulas and vacuums for tougher stains. The shampoo, if bought separately, can go for about $10 a bottle. Fortunately, you only use about a cap per usage so they can last a while.

The vacuums spray down the soapy solution deep into the carpet fibers to fight the stains while the brushes loosen all of the dirt in the fibers so that it is sucked into the vacuum. It provides a deeper clean to your carpet, keeps it fresh, and fights the deeper stains that a regular vacuum can’t reach.

Regular maintenance is a must to protect the investment you made for your new carpet! If not for your own sake, then for the sake of the warranty.

Professional Cleaning

Many carpets that you’ll buy to remodel your floor require an annual cleaning by professionals in order to keep the warranty valid. They can cost anywhere from $100 to $250.

The cost mainly depends on the size of the room, how much they have to move to clear the room and the time/labor to get the job done. Luckily, many companies often have specials and discounts where you can save money in certain areas.

The time between professional cleanings can range between a year to 18 months, so make sure to check with the manufacturer to know for sure.

Maintaining your carpet is like maintaining your teeth. You have your regular upkeep which is the flossing, brushing, and mouthwash. Then every 6 months or so your dentist schedules a professional cleaning to make sure everything is healthy and as clean as can be!

The professional cleaning for carpets is the same thing. It is a service that provides a heavy-duty cleaning and overview to make sure the carpet is in good condition.

That is everything to consider when estimating the cost of maintenance - which you should also factor into the final cost. Let’s ballpark some prices and take a look at what we have:

Assuming you buy a decent vacuum that can handle those pesky tumbleweeds of cat hair, that can be $50. Spot cleaner is $5. You opt for a decent deep cleaning vacuum for $120 and a bottle of solution for $10. That is $185 on top of the $130 annual professional cleaning, making the estimated cost of maintenance come to $315.

I’d like to stress again that these are rough estimates and the actual cost entirely depends on which options you choose for your needs and which professional service you choose. However, it is safe to assume that you should set aside $300-$500 initially, and $150-$200 annually to keep the carpet clean for as long as you have it.