America's Most Loathed Spring Cleaning Chore (and How to Make It Less Painful)

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Sign Up for Domino’s Newsletter

By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to ourTerms of Useand acknowledge the data practices in ourPrivacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Few things beat the smell of a freshly cleaned house in spring. Once winter's cozy haze turns into full-blown cabin fever, most of us crave a space that matches our "new season, new me" energy. The catch? That reset takes elbow grease. Loads of it. Washing dishes and wiping counters? Fine, that's just adulting. But wrestling the lawn or scooping mystery gunk from gutters? Suddenly we'd rather alphabetize the spice rack.

It turns out plenty of spring tasks make Americans want to throw in the microfiber cloth and phone a professional. A recent Yelp report crowned carpet cleaning the most hated chore, topping a list of 10 that also includes window washing, organizing, and junk removal. (Lawn and gutter duty made the cut too, because of course they did.) If that hits home, take comfort: even the pros would rather not.

"It's a daunting task! When a carpet stretches across an entire room, you know you've committed to a big project," says Shaunach Talley, head of product and innovation at Betterware U.S. "The trick is to vacuum often, spot clean when life happens, and call in the pros when your carpet needs a full spa day."

Still, if you're skipping the pro route and tackling America's least favorite chore yourself, we salute your courage. Here's Talley's battle plan for cleaner carpets.

Deep-cleaning carpet fibers takes more than a lazy once-over with the vacuum. Talley recommends adding a Squeegee Broom for short-pile rugs to tease out dust and pet hair, plus a Slim Squeegee Tool for the gross stuff camping where carpet meets baseboard. For the deep clean itself—needed every 12 to 18 months in quieter homes, or every six months to a year if you share space with kids or pets—keep microfiber cloths, carpet cleaner, and a rotating squeegee brush on standby for spots and bigger spills.

"A little vacuuming and quick spot treatment go a long way toward keeping carpet looking respectable," she says.

Even Talley admits she'd rather hire a pro for a steam clean that extends carpet life. "If I'm doing it myself, I go one of two ways: rent a steamer or grab a dishcloth," she says. Here's how she survives the DIY route:

First, clear the room of furniture and décor that might crash the party, then vacuum the edges slowly. "I want the vacuum to inhale every speck of dust it can find," she says. Next, hit any small stains with a spot treatment before they get too comfortable.

Talley takes the helm of a rented steam cleaner and inches across the room, overlapping each pass like she's mowing a very precious lawn. "Once the whole area is done, I let it dry completely before anyone walks on it or furniture moves back in," she says. Box fans become her best friends.

For the dishcloth method, Talley sets out two bowls: one with water, one with cleaning solution. "Soak the cloth in the solution, wring it out well, then wipe away surface dirt without drenching the fibers," she says. She repeats the process, rinsing the cloth in clean water between passes, until the dishcloth stops looking like a crime scene. "It's slower, but you can pause and resume whenever life interrupts," she notes. Then it's just another dry, and you're free.

"Carpet cleaning is really only as miserable as you let it become," she says. "A weekly routine breaks it into bite-sized maintenance that doesn't eat your whole Saturday." With her advice, you might even—dare we say—stop dreading it.

Learn more about Domino.comEditorial Standards