Proper vacuuming is contingent to proper airflow and agitation – the key ingredients when it comes to selecting a proper vacuum for your home or office carpet. Maximizing airflow is a function of the motor, which should be a bypass motor (dirt and debris do not pass directly through the motor). Look for a motor which is power rated to at least 10 amps – (in general) more amps = more airflow = better suction.
Agitation is also important since dry soil removal from carpet is best done through agitation. Agitation may be achieved with brush rollers (a.k.a. power-heads). Some brush rollers even have a beater bar on the roller as well – vacuums without power heads should be avoided as suction alone is insufficient to remove embedded soil from your carpet.
The brush setting height should be low enough to agitate the pile of your carpet – this is especially crucial for low pile commercial carpets. Abrasive soil particles are what causes wear & tear to your carpet fibers.
Most vacuums have HEPA filtration, which ensures that very small particles of dust and allergens do not become re-circulated back into the air mass. If you use a bag-less unit, ensure that the seal is cleaned before replacing it into the machine. Vacuum bags are fairly inexpensive and should be changed when they become half full. A bag that is more than half-full greatly reduces the efficiency of that machine.
Check your vacuum cleaner periodically to insure that the brush isn’t worn out and that it is clean and functioning properly. On average the power head brushes last about 18 months.
Most people do not vacuum their carpets often enough. In general carpets should be vacuumed at least two to three times each week – especially the high traffic areas. If you have pets, daily vacuuming is recommended.
Vacuum at a reasonably slow pace and in different directions to ensure complete removal of soil from your carpet. Use a crevice tool to get that hair, dust, or dirt from along the baseboards – doing so will minimize the build up of soil filtration (those black lines along the baseboard).
Don’t forget the stair case! Of all the carpet within your home the stairs take the most abuse on a daily basis and usually receive the least amount of attention.