A vacuum lifts loose surface debris. It does not reach the grit that has worked its way down to the backing, and grit is what actually wears a carpet out — every footstep grinds it against the fibres like sandpaper.

That is why a carpet can look clean and still feel flat, and why traffic lanes appear years before the carpet is genuinely worn.

Hot-water extraction

A cleaning solution is worked into the pile, given time to release the soil, then drawn back out under pressure. It is the method carpet manufacturers specify in their own warranty documents.

How often

Every twelve to eighteen months for a family home, every six for pets or a busy hallway. More often than that and you are spending money without much return.