There's more to clean carpets than meets the eye.
**Click here to see Nation's Process of cleaning carpets.**
A square foot of carpet can hold up to two pounds of dirt - even if it looks clean, it can be filthy.

You should have your carpets professionally cleaned every six to twelve months.
Most carpet warranties require cleaning within 24 months after purchase.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also recommends six-month cleanings for families with young children and pets.

Carpets are designed to hide dirt, and today's carpet is designed to hide spots.

Besides helping to create a comfortable and attractive home, carpets also act as filters for the multitude of impurities in the air like germs, mold, dust mites and odors, so again carpet, AKA "the filter" needs to be cleaned every six to 12 months.

Even the rooms you never visit - the dining room, guest rooms - need to get cleaned because the carpets are filters. They may look beautiful and clean but they are filters for cooking odors, body odors, dust mites, molds and mildews.

Besides the health factor, with regular professional cleaning and proper maintenance in between, carpets will last longer and keep their original appearance. We recommend vacuuming twice a week, including the upholstery, to increase the air quality in the home.

Keeping the dirt off the carpet in the first place also helps. Doormats on both sides of doorways helps prevent soil from entering the home.

The one on the outside should be rough to scrap dirt and mud off your shoes. The mat inside is usually thinner and more absorbent and decorative. They are less money and you can throw them in the washing machine.

Taking off one's shoes might seem sanitary but feet sometimes have lotion on them and also have body oils, which are not good for carpets.

It is also important between professional cleanings to eliminate spots as soon as they occur, before they "set." Wet spills should be gently blotted with an absorbent white cloth, then cleaned from the outside toward the middle.

• How much foot traffic will the area rug get and will there be children or
      pets on the rug?
• When was the last time you had it cleaned?
• Does it have unpleasant odors (do you know what that odor is from)?
• Is there any spots on the rug (do you know what the spots are)?
• Do you want a rug to fit in with your existing furniture or furnishings
      or will you get new furniture and/or furnishings to go with the area rug?
• Do you want the rug to draw attention to some part of the room or to
      create a theme?
• Will the rug be used for artistic expression or to personalize your
      environment?