Are You Curious About How Often You Should Vacuum?

Is There a Rule About How Often You Need to Vacuum? Find Out How Often You Should Vacuum Your Home Based on Your Floors, Carpeting, & Pets. Keep Reading…

How Often Should You Vacuum?

Is There a Rule About How Often You Need to Vacuum? Find Out How Often You Should Vacuum Your Home Based on Your Floors, Carpeting, & Pets. Keep Reading…
This article contains tops tips from our experts, backed by in-depth research.
Last Updated: 18 Apr 2025
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How Often Should You Vacuum

Vacuuming is important for maintaining a clean house, but how often should you vacuum? 

It depends on several factors. 

As experts in our field, we discuss the following in this article:

    Let’s go more in-depth and find out exactly how often you should vacuum the areas of your home, and why vacuuming is needed in the first place…

    Vacuuming Frequency Based on Flooring Type

    Vacuuming frequency depends on the flooring type.

    I can split flooring types into 2 major categories: carpets and rugs, and hard surfaces and tiled floors. 

    Let’s explain further:

    Carpets & Rugs

    Carpets and rugs should be vacuumed twice weekly.

    Compared to concrete surfaces, carpeting keeps significantly more grime and dust. 

    The longer dust builds up, the more deeply it is ingrained into the carpet and rug fibers, making it harder to remove. 

    Simply put:

    Over time, the buildup of dirt will harm the carpet's backing and fibers.

    Twice a week, give each rug that covers hardwood, tile, or short-fiber carpet a thorough vacuuming; rugs' fibers trap dirt and bacteria at a rate similar to that of carpet. 

    Given that rugs absorb most dirt and filth, the coverage area of rugs may affect how frequently you vacuum the floors beneath them.

    Hard Surfaces & Tiled Floors

    Hard surfaces and tiled floors need to get vacuumed once a week unless you bring in a lot of dust, live in a dusty environment, or have pets. 

    You don't want to wait any longer unless it's a room you rarely use since dust, dander, and other allergens can get into the gaps between floorboards.

    So, here's the truth…

    Dust and loose soil are harder on hard surface flooring to pick up and hold on to than they're for carpet. 

    Certain hard surface flooring might become permanently damaged by the loose soil's scratches.

    Vacuuming Frequency Based on Room Usage

    Vacuuming frequency also depends on the usage of the room.

    Room usage can be classified as average-used spaces, high-traffic spaces, and seldom-used spaces. 

    Let's take a look at how frequently you should vacuum based on room usage:

    Average-Used Spaces

    Bedrooms and home offices only need vacuuming weekly.

    Since only a few people usually use bedrooms and home offices daily, they stay cleaner for longer.

    High-Traffic Spaces

    Mudrooms, hallways, kitchens, and children's playrooms need to get vacuumed every few days.

    It's necessary to vacuum more frequently since the floors in mudrooms, hallways, kitchens, and kids' playrooms experience above-average wear and tear and dinginess more quickly.

    Seldom-Used Spaces 

    Dining rooms, sunrooms, and guest rooms are some of the most seldom-used spaces and only need vacuuming biweekly.

    Since they often receive less foot activity, formal dining rooms, sunrooms, and guest rooms can go longer between vacuuming.

    Vacuuming Frequency With Pets

    Homeowners with pets also need to consider their furry friends when thinking about vacuuming frequency.

    Fleas and dander that pets shed and drop can exacerbate or even develop into diseases like allergies, not to mention what their paws bring in! 

    If you have dogs, cats, or other furry friends wandering around your house, vacuum every day, regardless of the floors you have. 

    Also, consider this:

    Focus on vacuuming the areas - and the furniture - where your pets spend the most time when you don't have time to clean every day. 

    Or think about purchasing a robotic vacuum.

    What if I Don’t Want to Vacuum So Often?

    I can't force you to do anything because this is merely an article.

    I do, however, have some advice for avoiding vacuuming altogether. 

    Foremost, think about getting a robotic cleaner. 

    It gets better…

    According to the results of my lab tests, these automated floor cleaners are excellent at keeping your floors clean between manual vacuuming sessions at the entry-level.

    Consider purchasing an air purifier with a HEPA filter if you are concerned about mold, smells, or other irritants in the environment.

    What About Deep Cleaning My Carpets?

    Deep cleaning is attacking stains, filth, and other gunk in your carpets with detergent and water. 

    Perform this task once‌ a year, preferably right after the winter, to remove any salt or mud that may have accumulated because of your boots.

    You can either hire a cleaning service or do it yourself by purchasing a carpet cleaner for this task.

    8 Tips for More Efficient Vacuuming

    We’ve compiled the 8 top tips to help you vacuum more efficiently, which include vacuuming beneath rugs and adjusting your vacuu height.

    Take a closer look:

    Vacuum Beneath Rugs

    Although area rugs need to be vacuumed twice a week, don't forget to take them off and vacuum the floors beneath them once a week. 

    The rug should occasionally be turned over, and the upholstery attachment of the vacuum should clean the backing.

    Select the Best Type of Vacuum

    Choose the vacuum cleaner that is ideal for most of your home's flooring. 

    Hard surface cleaning is typically better handled by canister vacuums, whereas cleaning rugs and carpeting are best handled by an attachment or an upright vacuum with a beater bar to remove the soil.

    Frequently Clean Your Vacuum

    To keep your vacuum functioning at its best, regularly clean it.

    Find out how to clean your vacuum in my in-depth article: How To Clean A Vacuum

    Keep a Vacuum on Each Floor of Your Home

    If you have a multi-story home, try to keep a vacuum on each floor. 

    This will lead to more frequent cleaning.

    Choose a Vacuum With HEPA Filters

    To capture the most dust, dander, spores, and bacteria, pick a vacuum with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. 

    Compared to a standard vacuum, a HEPA filter will gather a lot more particles and stop them from re-depositing on flooring and other surfaces like furniture.

    Take Advantage of Vacuum Features

    Use every feature that your vacuum offers. 

    Depending on the floor surface, engage or disengage the beater bar. 

    When cleaning hard surface floors, leaving the beater bar in place might cause dents and scratches.

    Vacuum Slowly to Trap More Soil

    The vacuum should be moved a few feet in front of you, and then pulled back in the same direction. 

    Overlap the routes as you progress to an extra part of the floor. 

    Working from east to west in one direction, repeat at a 90-degree angle (north to south).

    Adjust Vacuum Height

    To ensure that suction is appropriate for the flooring, if your vac has an adjustable-height vacuum head, set the elevation under the manufacturer's recommendations for your kind of flooring. 

    Set too high, and the vacuum won't collect any debris; set too low, and the carpet's fibers can get tangled.

    5 Benefits of Vacuuming Daily

    The 5 benefits of vacuuming daily are: 

    • Daily vacuuming eases allergy symptoms by removing particles and contaminants.
    • Vacuuming daily gets rid of dust mites.
    • It improves your skin by removing all the dirt and grime from your home and upholstery.
    • Vacuuming boosts your psychological well-being as it has a positive effect when your home is tidy.
    • Vacuuming daily ensures you get enough exercise for your health.

    Why You Can Trust ByPurify

    You can trust ByPurify because I aim to help you make the best decision possible. 

    I do research across the web on vacuums and how often vacuuming is needed, I then apply my research in real-life instances to bring you facts and not fiction. 

    I strive to give you the best tried and tested information on how often vacuuming is needed to make life easier!

    Common Questions

    How Often Should You Vacuum if You Have Allergies & Asthma?

    Can You Vacuum a Carpet Too Often?

    Are You Supposed to Vacuum Carpets Every Day?

    What Happens if You Don’t Vacuum Carpets?

    How Often Does the Average Person Vacuum?

    Is Vacuuming Bad for Your Carpet?

    Is There a Right Way to Vacuum?

    How Often Should You Vacuum Stairs?

    Is It Normal to Vacuum Every Day?

    Does Vacuuming Make Carpets Last Longer?

    In Conclusion

    You don't have to sacrifice your house or yourself because you have a busy life. 

    While keeping your house clean and healthy may not be at the top of your list of favorite activities, it's necessary.

    Keep in mind that you should vacuum often to get rid of any dust mites, dirt, and potentially harmful germs.

    Looking to find out more? Take a look at our reviews!

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