A Simple Cleaning Trick for Your Carpet

Cleaning: The price depends on the size of your carpet as well as if there are any stains to clean. For this reason, you should consider cleaning your carpet by yourself. It’s not a complicated process if you have the right tools and ingredients for DIY cleaning solutions.

Is it time to clean your carpet again? We can all agree that this is quite annoying and often time-consuming. However, it doesn’t always have to be like that.
Hiring a house cleaning business to do this for you is often a bit pricey. The price depends on the size of your carpet as well as if there are any stains to clean.

For this reason, you should consider cleaning your carpet by yourself. It’s not a complicated process if you have the right tools and ingredients for DIY cleaning solutions.

Check the article below as Max Kenyon from Clean That Floor shares some of his favorite tips on how to clean your carpet. These are efficient and easy to use, so you can apply some right away.

1. Get yourself the right vacuum cleaner

If your carpet often looks dirty, it may be due to your vacuum cleaner. Some models and types work well on bare floors while others are better for carpets and area rugs. Getting a genuine spot carpet cleaner is also a good idea.

For this reason, you should think about the floors you have and choose a vacuum accordingly.If you’re buying a new unit, make sure to think which features you would benefit from the most.

Look for a vacuum with powerful suction and several accessories you can use in different situations. This can help prevent your carpet from looking messy, especially if you have pets and/or small children.

Another essential thing is that you vacuum regularly. How regularly you’ll vacuum depends on your household, but in most cases, that should be once a week per person. Consider cleaning more often if you have pets.

2. Try removing the stain with a steam cleaner

A steam cleaner is a handy unit that helps you remove stains and refresh your carpet. It’s ideal for both thick carpets and thin rugs though its performance might vary.

Sprinkle some baking soda on the stain and leave it there before going over it with a steam vacuum. However, you might want to try this on a remote area of your rug to be sure that baking soda wouldn’t damage it.

Using a steam cleaner without any cleaning solution has little to no effect. Sadly, steam cannot clean on its own, while it does a fantastic job of refreshing your carpets.

3. Spot clean

Use a clean white cloth or a paper towel that doesn’t have any pattern. Avoid patterns and dyes because they can easily transfer to your carpet.

If the stain is fresh, you should first blot it dry with a clean cloth. Make sure to use another clean cloth for actual cleaning, and not the one you used for blotting.

Keep in mind that blotting only works for recent stains if they’re not too big. It’s not recommended for regular maintenance of your carpet.

You can either use your own DIY cleaning solution or a commercial cleaner you bought at the store. “All-purpose” removers work well, but make sure to check the label to ensure it’s the right for your carpet. Test the cleaner on an inconspicuous part of your carpet.

Dab the stained area for as long as it takes to remove the stain. Make sure not to rub it because that could damage the area permanently. Once it’s clean, rinse it the same way.

4. Using powder to clean a stain

This is an excellent way of cleaning your carpet with things you have at home. When we say powder, it can either be baking soda or powdered carpet cleaner.

Sprinkle it liberally over the stained area or the entire carpet if you wish to clean it. Leave it for at least 30 minutes or even overnight if you can. This gives the powder enough time to work, soften the stains, and eliminate all odors.

Once the time is up, you can vacuum the carpet, thoroughly removing all powder.

5. Using a carpet shampoo

These aren’t new to the market and are a great way of cleaning most stains. The market is packed with different carpet shampoos, so make sure to choose carefully. Read the label to make sure that the shampoo of your choice is suitable for the carpet.

Follow directions on the packaging and make the solution as directed. In most cases, shampoos have to be diluted with water because they’re concentrated.
Don’t use more shampoo than what’s recommended thinking that will clean better. Unless you use just enough, you might end up with a damaged carpet.

Keep in mind not to make the carpet too wet. You don’t want to waste any shampoo or have a carpet that takes hours to dry. Scrub the areas that are particularly dirty or have a stain of some sort. You can use a hard-bristle brush for this.

Once the carpet is clean, you should let it dry. Drying time varies depending on how much shampoo you used and the thickness of your carpet. A few hours should be sufficient.

Vacuum the leftover shampoo only once you’re sure that the carpet is fully dry.

6. Vinegar as a handy ingredient

Vinegar has such a versatile role in every household. While most of us use it for salad dressings, it’s equally as useful for cleaning purposes. Not only you can use it to polish glass surfaces, but you can also use it to remove different stains from furniture and carpeting.

Combine three of four cups of white vinegar with some warm water in a bucket. Make sure also to add some mild dish soap in the mixture.

Test the solution on a discreet part of your carpet to ensure it won’t damage the surface. Use a soft brush to dip into the bucket and scrub the stain. Be gentle as you do this because you don’t want to damage your carpet.

You can use this solution to clean the entire rug though it might take you some time. You should make gentle linear motions, which could take a while depending on the size of your rug.