FREQUENCY Carpets that are used daily need to be vacuumed daily, especially high-traffic areas. This keeps the dirt from settling into your carpets. Walking on soiled carpet permits the soil particles to work their way below the surface of the pile where they are far more difficult to remove and can damage the fibers. Frequent vacuuming removes these particles from the surface before this happens. Vacuuming regularly will also make your carpet last longer and look better. In rooms that are seldom used, you should still vacuum at least once a week.
			VACUUMING TIPS When vacuuming, there should be three passes of the vacuum over areas with light soiling, but five to seven passes are necessary for heavily soiled areas. Change the vacuuming direction occasionally to help stand the pile upright and reduce matting--or you can use a brush known as a pile-lifter.
			VACUUM CLEANER A good vacuum cleaner is vital to prolonging the beauty and life of your carpet. We recommend using vacuums with a rotating brush (or beater brush) that agitates the carpet pile and mechanically loosens soil for removal by the suction of the vacuum. Sensitive carpets that fray easily, such as carpets made from natural fibers (wool, cotton or cotton blends), should be vacuumed with a suction only type vacuum or one where the rotating brush can be adjusted so that it doesn't touch the carpet. If in question you should test a vacuum in an inconspicuous location and only used if no excessive fuzzing occurs. Replaceable paper vacuum bags do a better job of trapping the small particles that pass through cloth bags back into the room. High efficiency vacuum bags, also called microfiltration bags, trap even smaller microscopic particles such as mold and mildew spores and dust mite byproducts, often found to be a source of allergies. Make sure the vacuum belt is in good condition and that the brush or beater brush rotates when in contact with the carpet. To adjust the vacuum to the correct height setting for the carpet, raise the beater brush to the highest setting and then lower it until it contacts the pile enough to slightly vibrate the carpet.

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