When was the last time you vacuumed?
If you’re like me, it could be hard to remember. And when you do actually vacuum, are you vacuuming underneath the couch, the coffee table, the bed, and along the baseboards?
How often you should vacuum – and how intense you should vacuum – depends on several things, such as whether or not you’re in a family home (with children and their friends coming in and out), whether you have carpet or hardwood or tile floors, and whether you have a pet or not.
But in this article, we’re going to look at the benefits of vacuuming (discuss if you can vacuum TOO MUCH) and give some general recommendations on how to vacuum your home in a timely fashion.
Benefits of Vacuuming Daily
Plenty of people dislike vacuuming, but I secretly like it. Perhaps it depends on what kind of vacuum you have (some data shows that using a Dyson vacuum actually makes men more likely to vacuum because it’s a more enjoyable experience). Either way, there are some legitimate benefits to vacuuming daily.
- If you vacuum daily, your home will be cleaner. We don’t just mean the floors, though that’s obviously true. But the air can be cleaner too. Indoor air pollution is a major issue in some cities and can be a real problem during the winter or spring seasons. By vacuuming daily, you’re removing pollen and allergens from your home. This means vacuuming daily (or at least 2-3 times a week) can help you breathe better and reduce allergies.
- Your home will smell better. If you have animals with hair, this is a no brainer. Animals shed but they also track in dirt and dust. This either permeates the carpet or gets into the corners of hardwood floors. Either way, over time, this can create a stale atmosphere that smells a little bit like a storage shed.
- It’s better for your floor. If you have carpet, vacuuming every day can help reduce stains and extend the life and quality of your carpet fibers. If you have hard floors, like wood, vinyl, or tile, then vacuuming daily can keep pebbles or rocks or dirt off the floor that would otherwise scratch the surface.
Is it Bad to Vacuum Every Day?
Not really. But it depends on your vacuum. If you have a cheaper vacuum it might break down faster if you vacuum every day. The motor and belts will wear out. This is easily avoidable by investing in a high-quality vacuum, like a Dyson or Shark.
And some vacuums don’t do a good job at trapping the pollen allergens they suck up – this means you could just be kicking up dirt out of your floor and into the air.
If after you vacuum you notice your allergies increase or you get more headaches, then that could be a sign that your vacuuming is doing more harm than again.
But again, that doesn’t mean you should quit vacuuming, it just means you need a better vacuum. We recommend finding a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
How Often Should You Vacuum Your mattress?
It wasn’t until I started writing about vacuuming that I realized you should vacuum your mattress. Now I do it once a month.
Here’s why.
A lot of newer mattresses, especially bed in a box mattresses, are memory foam. Memory foam mattresses are all the rage because they are great and comfortable. But they are also dense and dirt/dust doesn’t get into the bed. That’s a good thing! Before, with innerspring mattresses, dirt and pollen would get into the bed (and actually make the bed heavier over the years!) and it’d be impossible to clean.
But memory foam mattresses or latex mattresses don’t let that happen – which is great unless, like me, you didn’t realize you’re supposed to vacuum your mattress.
We recommend that every time you wash your sheets, just take a little time and vacuum your bed. This is really easy if you have a stick or handheld vacuum.
How Often Should You Vacuum Your Car?
You should vacuum your car as often as you wash your car. Unless you never wash your car, then we got a problem. But the rule of thumb is you should wash your car once a month (this helps keep the paint quality in good condition).
A lot of drive-thru car washes offer free vacuums after you get your car cleaned. But you can also use a stick vacuum to vacuum your car at your house. It’s important to move the seats forward and back so you can clean underneath them. Also, don’t forget to clean under the floor mats.
Most people don’t realize how much time they spend in their car, but vacuuming your car once a month will keep it clean, smelling fresh, and will help protect the interior.
