Tips For Making The #1 Most Hated Chore In The US Less Stressful

Listen, hardly anyone likes doing chores. There are certainly some people that find cleaning the bathroom or raking the leaves to be therapeutic, but the reality is that most of us slog our way through our to-do list of mandatory tasks with very little joy, just doing our best to make them as quick and painless as possible. But let's be honest — some are definitely worse than others, right?

In fact, Yelp completed a 2025 survey of the top 10 most hated chores in the US, and while doozies like gutter cleaning, window washing, and grout scrubbing held prominent spots on the list, it was carpet cleaning(!) that took the top prize of being America's most despised chore. Now, considering how the fibers of carpet can harbor a whole plethora of dirt, dust, allergens, and mold when not properly maintained or regularly cleaned, there's no doubt that deep cleaning your carpets is a necessary evil if you don't plan on hiring a carpet cleaner ... but could it be less excruciating? 

Yes, actually. Regular maintenance and correct technique helps a lot. Let's jump right into our guide on making your least favorite chore a bit easier to tolerate.

To make your carpet cleaning chore more palatable, the best trick is to perform small-scale maintenance between shampoos to reduce the amount of elbow grease it takes to deep clean. Carpets and area rugs should be vacuumed as a part of your regular cleaning routine to avoid the long-term build-up of dirt and grime. Stains should be spot-treated as they happen, as fresh stains are easier to get out than older, dried, set-in messes. Taking the time to clean as you go means less time spent on the dreaded carpet cleaning day.

Another tip to reduce stress on deep cleaning day is to actually schedule out each room on your calendar so you have the proper amount of time set aside for each space. Rushing the process can yield poor results, so knowing you have sufficient time blocked out for deep cleaning means less headache on the actual day. In addition, according to Yelp Trend Expert Tara Lewis, actually scheduling deep cleaning tasks like carpets can help ensure they don't slip through the cracks. She recommends aiming for a thorough carpet cleaning every 12-18 months, or 6-12 months if you have pets or kids. Waiting too long between cleanings can make the job much harder.

The day or two before you plan to shampoo, follow the instructions on the bottle to properly dilute the carpet cleaning solution, as it's formulated to be most effective at the exact recommended strength. Adding more solution does not mean more cleaning power, but can rather be a recipe for disaster that removes the dye from your carpet (yikes!).

Once the dreaded day comes, the last piece of the puzzle for a simple, streamlined process is to properly prep the space in advance so you can make quick work with the carpet cleaner. Move all furniture out of the room if possible so you don't have to scoot it around as you work. Next, give the rug a thorough vacuuming first to remove debris and hair that can clog the shampooer, as well as fluff up the carpet fibers so the solution can better penetrate. With your previously-tested cleaning solution, spot treat stains or pre-treat the whole area to better loosen dirt. Once your solution has had time to sit and do its work, the carpet cleaning process should require much less elbow grease.

Beginning on the side of the room farthest from the door, make straight lines back and forth with the carpet shampooer, overlapping your previous strip by a little to ensure all spots are covered. After one full pass (or two if required) with a cleaning solution, do another pass with just water to remove excess shampoo, rinsing the carpet as well as the machine. If the carpet still feels quite wet to the touch, run another pass of just suction to expedite the drying process. After cleaning, leave furniture off the carpet for several hours until it's fully dry, as placing the furniture back on wet carpet could hinder the drying process or cause damage. Open windows and run fans to further speed things up.

By maintaining the carpet properly between cleanings, ensuring timely deep-cleaning sessions, prepping the room ahead of time, and using a solid technique, America's most hated chore of carpet cleaning becomes much less stressful.