You’ve probably been vacuum cleaning all your life, but there are a lot of little tips and tricks that people don’t consider. Vacuuming becomes a habit—and if you’ve been vacuuming the same way all your life, you may be missing some critical steps. Here are a few tips to a cleaner floor and a happier home.

1. Reduce the Dirt and Dust in Your Home

It may seem obvious, but the best way you can keep your carpet clean is to not get it dirty. That means putting rugs by the doors, asking guests to take off their shoes, and leaving anything dusty or dirty outside to be cleaned first. If you have long-haired pets or if you or your family members have long hair, brush more frequently. Hair is one of the most frequently damaging objects to a vacuum cleaner, as it gets caught up within the vacuum cleaner’s moving parts.

2. Make Vacuuming Into a Regular Habit

The more often you vacuum, the less difficult vacuuming will be. If you start falling behind in your vacuuming, you’re going to have to climb uphill to get everything clean again—it’s going to be a process. While you don’t need to vacuum every day, once every few days or once every week is usually advised. Mark it on your calendar or set an alarm on your phone so you don’t forget. If you have others in your household, consider setting up a chore schedule.

3. Empty the Cannister Frequently

Whether your vacuum has a cannister or a bag, it’s usually best to empty it often. Vacuums will slowly lose suction over time because they are trying to push air through all the debris inside of them. The emptier the vacuum is, the better it will perform overall. You can get into the habit of emptying the vacuum out after every use.

4. Get the Right Vacuum

Investing in an expensive vacuum that will last a long time is usually better than trying to purchase a cheaper one. Cheap vacuums break down and they can’t easily be repaired. While cannister vacuums are more trendy today, bagged vacuums usually perform better.

5. Remember to Clean the Floor First

Stains, spills, and sticky spots need to be cleaned off the floor before you vacuum. While your vacuum can pick up dust on a clean carpet, it can’t be used to pick up dust on a dirty or wet carpet. If you have sticky liquid on your carpet, the vacuum will just drive the dirt further into it, solidifying the stain. You can take some time to spot treat the area before going over it with the vacuum.

6. Make an Initial Pass for Clutter

Before you even start vacuuming, you should make a pass for clutter. Anything that isn’t dust or dirt that gets into your vacuum cleaner has the potential of damaging it. String is particularly dangerous. String and cords can wrap around the vacuum’s beater bars and grind them to a halt, damaging the vacuum’s motor.

7. Set the Pile Setting on the Vacuum

Every vacuum comes with a pile setting. Make sure you set yours depending on whether you have shorter carpet or longer carpet. If you use a long pile setting on a short carpet, you won’t pick up all the dirt. If you use a short pile setting on a long carpet, you’ll find the vacuum difficult to back and forth because it will keep catching on the carpet.

8. Always Vacuum After the Rest of the Cleaning

Vacuuming and sweeping should be done after you clean the surfaces in your home and finish dusting. Otherwise, you’ll just be dumping crumbs and dust onto the floor to be picked up later. Make a habit of cleaning in a sequence, so you can start from the bottom of the room and work your way down.

9. Vacuum Underneath the Furniture

A lot of dust and dirt can collect underneath furnishings. While you don’t need to move all your furniture around every time you clean, consider vacuuming underneath your furniture at least once a month. This will improve your home’s overall air quality. A lot of vacuuming isn’t for the appearance of the dirt (though it does help!), it’s to reduce the amount of allergens in your home.

10. Periodically Invest in a Professional Cleaning

There’s an upper limit to what an at-home vacuum cleaner can do. Every three to six months, consider investing in a professional cleaning—depending on how many family members you have, how many pets you have, and whether you have children. The more traffic there is in your home, the more likely you are to need frequent professional cleaning services. A professional cleaning will extract everything from your carpet, leaving it squeaky clean and dust free.

Cleaning your carpet doesn’t just make it feel better: it also makes it last longer. The more dirt in your carpet, the more the carpets are going to fall apart and fray. If you want your carpet to look new, a regular vacuuming and periodic professional cleaning can help. To schedule an appointment today, contact Seattle’s Carpet Cleaning Experts: Power Pup Clean.