Q&A: How can I keep my carpeting looking its best?

The house we just moved into has new light-colored nylon plush carpeting in the living and family rooms, not ideal for an active family with three kids and a puppy that sheds a lot. What's the best way to maintain the carpeting, and how often should I deep-clean it?

Vacuum the carpeting at least once a week, paying special attention to the spot(s) where your dog tends to spend the most time to get the hair. Use a slow, front-to-back motion, moving slightly to the right or left every four strokes. To effectively clean corners, use the vacuum's long, thin attachment. And don't wait until the vacuum bag or container is full to replace it.


The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends a professional deep-cleaning every 12 to 18 months as the safest, fastest, and easiest option. But based upon ample correspondence from our readers, we know that there's great interest in do-it-yourself carpet cleaning. So for our March 2010 report on carpet cleaners (on ConsumerReports.org and on newsstands in early February), we reviewed nine home-use carpet-cleaning machines, including one rental device, as well as a national carpet-cleaning service. We also tested 12 carpet-stain removers.

Here's an alphabetized list of some of the tested models: Bissell ProHeat 2X Healthy Home 66Q4 ($300); Bissell ProHeat 2X9200 ($250); Bissell QuickSteamer 1770 ($80); Hoover Dual V Steam Vac All Terrain w/Spin Scrub F7452-900, ($270, shown); Hoover Steam Vac w/Spin Scrub F5914-900 ($170); and the rental Rug Doctor Mighty Pro, $20 to $30 per day ($500 to buy).

Our testing of those carpet cleaners revealed that professional service delivered the best cleaning performance—and you certainly can't beat the convenience—though some of the tested machines cleaned ground-in dirt nearly as well.

Before you buy a carpet cleaner or use any stain removers, check the terms of the warranty for your carpeting. The warranty might call for an annual cleaning or even indicate that the job must be done by a professional service.

As for your pooch and any doggy messes it might make, be sure to quickly clean up after the dog using a cleaner that won't damage the carpeting.
• Use a white paper towel or cloth to blot the liquid until dry, or gently scrape the solid.
• Consider using a pet-stain remover, but first test it on an inconspicuous area, and if no color change occurs, apply it according to the instructions. In general, you put a small amount on a white cloth and blot, working from the edge of the stain toward its center.
• Repeat with clean towels until no more stain transfers to the cloth. Blot with water to remove the solution and blot again. Or you can use a wet/dry vacuum to lift the liquid and stain remover.
• And never apply heat to the mess or it will set the stain or smell.

— Kimberly Janeway

Essential reading: If you're in the market for a new vacuum, check out our free buyer's guide to vacuums and continuously updated ratings of canister and upright models (available to subscribers).