Expert tips to keep your carpet looking ready for guests

As you prepare for the holiday season, you might be looking around and thinking that your carpet could use a good cleaning before guests arrive. There are a few things you can do every day to maintain your carpet’s appearance and a few things you should know before hiring a professional cleaner.

DAILY CARE: The best way to protect your carpet day to day is to remove your shoes when you get home. But don’t go barefoot; your feet have natural oils that rub off on the carpet. Those oils act like a dirt magnet, so it’s a good idea to always wear slippers or socks.

If possible, vacuum your carpets daily to remove surface dirt and dust. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and change the filter every six months so you don’t blow pollutants back into the air. And for maximum effectiveness, change your vacuum bag when it is anywhere from one-half to twothirds full or when the outside of the bag feels firm.

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING: As far as deep-cleaning your carpets, of course you want to clean them if there are visible stains, but the Environmental Protection Agency recommends a professional cleaning one to four times a year, depending on how heavily trafficked the area is.

A professional cleaning removes not only the dirt and stains you can see but also what you can’t see. Carpets are like indoor sponges, trapping all types of pollutants, including dust, mold, bacteria and mildew, that can be bad for your health.

When hiring a professional cleaner, choose a company that uses hot-water deep extraction — it’s the most effective way to clean your carpet. Professionals spray the carpet with a cleaning solution and then use high-powered machines that emit hot water at high pressure onto your carpet to loosen dirt. At the same time, a high-powered vacuum pulls the hot water out of the carpet, along with the dirt and soap.

Professional cleaners have hundreds of cleaning solutions to choose from, each formulated for different types of carpet fibers. Make sure the person you hire knows which formula is best suited for your carpet. The wrong formula could lead to shrinkage and discoloration.

Reputable companies typically give you a price per square foot in a written proposal; usually it’s anywhere from 50 cents to $1 per square foot. If you talk to a company that gives you a vague quote or a lowball price, beware that there may be extensive overcharges once they are in your home.