How to clean your carpet

How to keep carpet clean

Dust, dirt and stains embedded in the fibres of carpets and rugs can pose a challenge to remove. “At Dyson, we have almost 30 years of research into how best to clean flooring, including carpets”, says James.

When researching how to clean carpet, Dyson’s engineers focused beyond what was simply visible. Alongside dirt, carpets and rugs can harbour microscopic life – “such as dust mites, mould and allergens – all of which can visibly impact your wellbeing.” As James explains further, “it’s important not to wait until your carpet looks visibly dirty before vacuuming”, says James.

To ensure that any potentially harmful particles are removed when you clean, vacuum over high-traffic areas twice a week and all other spaces once a week. For tried and tested methods on how to clean a rug or carpet, see our effective steps below.

1. Work slowly and with purpose

A Dyson vacuum combines powerful airflow and agitation via engineered brush bars and patented, radial cyclones. When using a Dyson carpet cleaner, slow movements allow the brush bar more time to lift embedded dirt. Pass over each area up to but not more than 3 times for best results.

2. Use accessories to solve problems

Some messes require an added solution. From hard-to-reach spots to pet hair removal, Dyson’s vacuum accessories help you cover all areas. When cleaning, keep tools handy to deal with particular challenges as you encounter them. To vacuum underneath furniture, the Low-reach adaptor adjusts the wand up to 90°. For high up and invisible areas, the Up-top adaptor has different angles for differing vantage points. The Stubborn dirt brush contains stiff nylon brushes to dislodge ground-in dirt from coarse carpets and high traffic areas like rugs.

Discover how to use vacuum cleaner attachments.

3. Vacuum everywhere

When vacuuming, many people only target obvious and visible areas. It’s not only exposed surfaces that host dust and dirt though – to ensure the health quality of your home is maintained, vacuum underneath sofa cushions, within furniture and curtain creases, and in out-of-sight spots. Our range of vacuums offer different features to work with varying indoor spaces. For large homes, Dyson Outsize™ has a 25% wider cleaner head and 150% bigger bin¹. For automatic deep-cleaning across carpets and hard floors, Dyson V15 Detect™ contains our most advanced engineering yet – with laser detection² and a piezo sensor particle counter³.

How to get stains out of carpet

Stains are varied, so the best method to get spilt wine out of carpet may differ from grass or chemicals. People often use a range of cleaning products when trying to stain-remove – but this technique mixes multiple chemicals. Dr Calum Robertson, Chemical Research Scientist at Dyson explains, “While it can be tempting to try and deal with a stain as quickly as possible with as many cleaning products as possible, it’s vital not to mix cleaning products”. Instead, Dr Calum suggests going with light treatments and working your way up from there.

For how to get stains out of carpet without damaging the materials and fibres, vacuum in these ways only:

• Only vacuum if the stain is dry: moisture can damage the mechanics of your vacuum for carpet. If the substance is dry, avoid wiping as a first step.
• Start lightly: carpets and rugs are usually dyed, which can be lifted or removed by strong chemicals. For wet stains, always begin with warm soap and water. This can effectively break down oil-based substances.
• Use biological cleaning products for: grass, chocolate or blood stains. As they’re made from proteins, these compounds can be broken down via enzymatic solutions like biological laundry detergent.