Floors are one of the most important surfaces in your home. Supporting both you and your furniture, they take quite a beating just from routine use. Whether you’re sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, or shampooing, they depend on regular care to last.

When you’re taking care of your floors, you need to start with the right supplies!

Carpet

Properly cleaned carpet can last up to twice as long. The easiest thing you can do is vacuum at least once a week, preferably twice a week in high traffic areas like hallways. Make sure you change filters often; the number one reason modern bagless vacuums lose suction power is because of dirty filters. Brushes also need regular replacement, as buildup on old ones can push dirt back into your carpet.

Carpet shampooing – or as the pros call it, hot water extraction – is far and away the best way to clean your carpet. This process pretreats the carpet with detergent, then a very hot rinse solution under high pressure is pushed into the carpet and immediately sucked out. A pro is the best idea, but if you do it yourself be sure to rinse thoroughly; detergent residue actually attracts dirt.

Hard Surfaces

The uncarpeted surfaces in your home have unique needs depending on the material. The cleaner you use is extremely important. What works great on tile or laminate could damage hardwoods; likewise, a hardwood cleaner isn’t strong enough for tough stains on other surfaces.

Mops, however, work great for both. Just be sure to change heads at least every few months, more often if they show signs of wear.