With how often we quite literally walk all over it, it's easy to forget that your carpet might need some deep cleaning. From carpet stains and pet hair to loose dirt and food spills, there are so many things that can cling onto your carpet without you even realizing it.
When it comes to carpet cleaning, the first instinct is usually to hire a professional carpet cleaner or toss your problems in one of those carpet cleaning machines, but neither of those will do when you need your carpet clean of stubborn stains in a pinch. Luckily, it's nothing, a little hard work and a few household items and ingredients can't fix.
Here are a few ways that you can clean a carpet without a machine or a professional clean.
How to Clean a Carpet With White Vinegar and Dish Soap
This method is more for spot cleaning rather than cleaning an entire carpet, but it still gets the job done.
Step 1: Make Your Cleaning Solution
To do this, combine 1/4 cup of white vinegar, a tablespoon of dish soap, and some warm water in a spray bottle.
Step 2: Spray the Stain
When your spray bottle is ready to go, spray the solution generously onto the stain and blot it with a clean cloth or a paper towel. Simply repeat this as much as needed until the stain has been completely removed.
This method is easy and doesn't require a lot of materials and ingredients, while also effectively removing any stains you may find in your carpet.
How to Clean Carpet With Baking Soda and Detergent
These methods work great for removing dust from your carpet, but you might need something else to tackle any tougher stains.
For this, you'll need some baking soda, a spray bottle, some table salt, a carpet brush, a dry cloth, warm water and detergent.
Step 1: Make Your Cleaning Solution
To make your cleaning solution, pour in 1/8 teaspoon of detergent in a spray bottle and fill the rest with warm water before giving it a little shake to make sure that everything has mixed together.
Step 2: Prepare the Stain
Once you're done preparing your DIY solution, sprinkle baking soda and table salt over the carpet stain. As this method is meant more for spot cleaning stains, you don't have to worry about sprinkling these over the entire carpet.
Step 3: Spray the Stain
When the stain is completely covered with baking soda and table salt, spray it with the solution in your bottle before letting it sit for a few minutes.
Step 4: Brush, Brush, Brush
After a few minutes have passed, grab your carpet brush and gently scrub the carpet, making sure that you do so in one direction only to help all the debris gather on one side of the carpet rather than spreading everywhere. When you're finished, pick up all the gunk that you gathered.
Shift your angle and repeat this step again to make sure that there are no remaining particles and dirt left.
Step 5: Let the Carpet Dry Completely
After making sure that everything has been removed, cover the area with your clean cloth or paper towels to dry the carpet and soak up all the moisture from your spray. It could help to lay some heavy items over these to help them absorb everything better.
When most of the moisture has been absorbed, grab a spray bottle with clean and warm water and spray the carpet again. Then, grab some more dry towels to soak everything up and let the carpet dry.
How to Disinfect a Carpet with White Vinegar
When looking for a deeper clean than a simple spot treatment, this method may be useful and won't require a steam cleaning machine. All you'll need is some white vinegar, some warm water and a carpet brush.
Step 1: Make Your Cleaning Solution
You can do this by mixing one part white vinegar to three parts of warm water in a bowl or a small bucket.
Step 2: Brush, Blot and Repeat
Dip the bristles of your scrub brush into the solution and massage it into the carpet. Make sure that you have a dry cloth or paper towel ready so that you can blot away any excess moisture as you go. Do this until you've covered the entire carpet.
Additional Tips to Clean a Carpet
Make Sure to Dry Carpet Completely
It's very important to make sure that you've dried your carpet properly to prevent the growth of mold or mildew as these are more likely to grow in damp environments.
Use Cleaners and Soaps Sparingly
As much as possible, you should try to avoid using these when you can to avoid damaging and tarnishing the color or material of your carpet. Should you need to use either of the two, make sure that you thoroughly rinse it all away and that no residue is left behind by the cleaning process.
Avoid Excessive and Aggressive Rubbing
While you may think that elbow grease solves all your cleaning problems, you should avoid heavy rubbing as this may worsen the stain and cause it to spread further into your carpet. When cleaning a carpet, it's always best to blot and soak then scrub and rub.
However, the best advice to keep a carpet clean is to clean it regularly to prevent any stains from becoming permanent, but we don't always have the time or energy to wipe away every mess as they come. Each of us has an endless amount of responsibilities, but cleaning your home no longer has to be one of them with Luce!
With our professional carpet & rug cleaning services ready to tackle every stain and disaster, maintaining a clean household can seem easy and effortless.
Send us a message and schedule a cleaning service appointment today!
