Carpeting is a big investment. Whether you’re buying new or considering ripping up an existing carpet, understanding how long carpet lasts will help you make the best decisions for your space.
Below we’ve covered the life expectancy of carpet, what impacts a carpet’s lifespan, and what you can do to extend the life of your carpet.
What Impacts a Carpet’s Life Expectancy?
A few factors play an important role when we’re talking about how long carpets can last, including:
- Quality of the carpet
- The environment in which it’s placed
- Usage of the specific area
- Foot traffic
Mostly, carpets in the hallways and stairs tend to wear out more as compared to carpets in a guest room or any other spare room. However, if you have pets or children in your household, this can affect a carpet’s lifespan.
How Long Does Carpet Last?
On average, carpet lasts between 5 and 15 years depending on the quality, upkeep, and foot traffic. Life expectancy is directly related to its usage. If it’s in a spare room, it’s expected to stay looking great for more than 10 years but if it’s in an area where there are more people or even pets and children involved, it can last for 5 years.
What Is the Average Life Expectancy of Carpet?
The average life expectancy of carpet is about 10 years. Many high-end carpet manufacturers offer 10-year warranties on their carpets so beyond 10 years is when you can expect carpets to really start deteriorating.
Can Carpet Last 20 Years?
Carpets that are well maintained and of premium quality can last 20 or more years. It can take more effort and professional cleaning every year and a half to get a carpet to 20 years and beyond and will also depend on its area of placement and accumulated foot traffic.
Can Carpet Last 40 Years?
Premium quality carpets that are well maintained and professionally cleaned every 18 months can last 10 to 20 years but when a carpet enters its 30s, it’ll most likely need to be replaced. Regardless of its maintenance and quality, a carpet cannot last for 40 years.
5 Simple Steps to Make Your Carpet Last Longer
Here’s a guide on how to maintain your carpeting and keep them with you for more than just a few years.
1. Always Be Vacuuming
Vacuuming is the number one rule in keeping your carpets alive and well. Having a good expensive vacuum isn’t enough. You need to take it out of that closet and use it to keep all the dirt out of the house and let those carpets breathe.
There are a set of rules to make sure you’re doing your carpet cleaning right with that vacuum.
Firstly, the bag inside your vacuum shouldn’t be full, you should always make sure it’s less than halfway full or empty before you begin vacuuming your carpet.
Secondly, the brush end on the vacuum shouldn’t be worn out or it can ruin the carpet fibers and its material.
Lastly, you need to vacuum at least twice a week. Consistency is key!
2. Create a Clean-up Point
Setting up a little clean-up station at the entrance of your home can change the whole game for your carpets or any other flooring you may have. This cleaning station is a place where everybody who enters can leave their dirty shoes and change into clean ones that are intended solely for house use.
This doesn’t only help in the reduction of the dirt that enters your house but also reduces the amount of dusting and cleaning you’ll have to do. You also need to make sure to keep this area tidy and dirt-free which will need daily cleaning.
3. Don’t Forget to Dust
Dust is unavoidable and you have to be consistent with it to keep your home looking presentable. Not only does dusting help the surfaces of your space tidy but it also helps keep dust away from your carpet fibers which can get trapped in your carpeting.
To maintain the carpet padding it’s essential to stay on top of dusting as much as possible. Tackling dust will help you increase the life of your entire carpet.
4. Remove Spots The Right Way
High-quality carpets are made with delicate fibers which tend to easily lose softness and their shape. So, if there are frequent spills and carpet stains in your home, you need to stick to more gentle cleaning techniques.
A lot of carpets come with spot warranties but your duty doesn’t end here. You still need to remove those stains by yourself. If a stain goes untreated, it’ll get absorbed into the carpet fibers and will become more difficult to clean. You can’t replace your carpet or hide it with a piece of furniture every time there’s a new stain.
Never rub or scrub a spot to remove a stain. Remember, carpet fibers are delicate. Simply try applying a cleaning solution and gently blot over it. You can also repeat this process if the stain is rigid but never over-wet the carpet as it may stink if you don’t dry it afterward.
5. Book Professional Cleanings
Most carpet companies advise you to get professionals to clean your carpeting every 18-20 months. The powerful steam action can help penetrate the cleaning solution into your carpet padding and clean it from the inside. This hot water steam method is known as the industry way of cleaning carpet, making rigid particles that are stuck to your carpet base come out.
Stains cause damages to your carpeted floors that are irreplaceable and removing all these stains yourself can be a handful. These powerful tools help eliminate the burden of cleaning the stains and even replacing the carpet.
How to Choose the Right Carpet
Practically, if you need a carpet that won’t burden you with replacement every 5 years, you might want to invest in a high-quality, premium fabric carpet with a long warranty. Choose nylon or polyester carpets if you’re looking for durability. Go for wool if softness is your preference. Every carpet material requires gentle cleaning techniques and professional carpet cleaners every one to two years. Stained carpet areas are recommended to be cleaned immediately to avoid permanent damage to your flooring.
Commitment to Carpet
By following all these tips and tricks your carpets can continue to make your space look fresh and good as new! Let us know how you liked this article in the comments below and if you have any additional carpet hacks to extend their lifespan.