Top blog articles
Choosing a carpet for your house can be fun and easy. The right kind of floor covering can alter the look of your home — making it incredibly stunning. But maintaining your carpet and keeping it dirt-free and gorgeous involves a lot of work. So, is there a best way to clean a carpet? Are there cleaning tips that experts swear by?
The answer is yes and yes. This article will show you how to carry out standard protection and maintenance of your carpet if you want it to look its best. Armed with these simple DIY tips, you can pursue a happy home with a spotless carpet.
DIY Carpet Cleaning Tips
If you have obstinate carpet stains that just will not come out no matter what you attempt, these easy DIY tricks may be just the thing you require. Make sure you attempt this first earlier than you call in the professionals or waste money on one of those carpet cleaning gizmos.
You can easily clean your carpet by hand. All you need to do is prepare a carpet cleaning solution (we’ve given all the compositions below) and use a scrub brush. Get enough of the mixture onto the scrub brush. Make sure your carpet is a little wet, but not completely saturated.
For removing pet hair and other embedded dust, you can use an old mop handle and attach it to a window squeegee. Use the rubber blade to rake up the pet hair. Once that’s done, use a vacuum cleaner over the carpet.
Precautions before applying
Before trying one of these homemade carpet blemish removers, be certain to test a little amount of the solution on your carpet. Probably, in a corner where it’s not noticeable.
Constantly use a blotting movement. Do not wipe the carpet forcefully. Rubbing may harm the fibers, changing the carpet’s look.
For best results, treat the stain early on. Letting a stain stay for long can make it hard to remove.
Carpet cleaning tips for different types of stains
Different stains warrant different kinds of treatment. Here are some ways to remove carpet stains in a DIY project.
1. General, light carpet stains
Mix half a cup of colorless vinegar with 2 tablespoons of salt. Wipe some of the solutions on top of the blot with a spotless, white fabric and let it dry out. Then, vacuum the residual salt particles.
For bigger, darker carpet stains, add 2 tablespoons of borax to this mixture. Brown sugar and lemon peels mutually create the most excellent homemade carpet cleaner. This cleaner is atmosphere-friendly, as well as non-poisonous.
Another way to prepare a homemade carpet cleaning solution for stubborn stains is by mixing liquid washer detergent, oxygen bleach, all-purpose cleaner, fabric softener and hot water. For a gentle, non-toxic cleaner, blend white vinegar, water, salt and essential oil such as lemon, lavender, or pine. This solution will not only clean light carpet stains but also make your carpeting smell fresh.
2. Ground-in dirt and tough stains
Mix a tablespoon of vinegar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Spread it to the grime/blemish with a dried up, sanitary white fabric. Let the solution stay on the blot for approximately 48 hours. Vacuum the area. Club soda works too.
You may also think about using peroxide or additional bleaching agents as well for additional stubborn stains. They can be very useful in eliminating stains and mud.
However, be careful in using them. These agents can be potent and may damage your carpet if not used properly. It is suggested to use them in restraint and in diluted form. Always check a small carpet area first.
3. Paint stains
Ensure you eliminate as much paint as you can by means of a sponge as soon as you witness a spillage. After that, mix 1 ½ teaspoon of vinegar with 1 ½ teaspoon of laundry detergent and 2 cups of water and pour the solution to the residual stain. Clean with cold water. You can also use a mixture of vinegar and ammonia as a superb cleansing solution. Vinegar eliminates stain and any foul smell.
4. Fruit and fruit juice stains
Make a solution with 1 tablespoon of washing detergent with 1 ½ tablespoon colorless vinegar and 2 cups of water. Apply the solution to the spot with a clean fabric.
Interestingly, you can also use a shaving ointment to eliminate juice stains. For those times when you require a little additional stain-fighting power, include baking soda to a dishwashing fluid, white vinegar, and lukewarm water. Mix up the ingredients in a spray bottle, and you’re set to go.
5. Coffee and tea stains
Mix up equivalent parts of water and colorless vinegar and blot the blemish with a dirt-free, dry white cloth. Club soda also works on these stains.
6. Lubricant/Oil stains
Apply shaving cream directly to the blot, let it dry out, and then remove the shaving cream with a moist, supple cloth. You can also use cornstarch as a means to soak up the lubricant stains.
7. Ink stains
Combine a small quantity of milk with cornstarch. Prepare a paste. Apply it to the ink spot. Let it dry out over the blot for a few hours and then sweep off the remains. Vacuum.
8. Bloodstains or wine stains
Bloodstains on the carpet can be unsightly and difficult to remove! It’s best to remove the stain at the earliest. Begin by loosening up the dried blood with water and a mild detergent. Try to scrape off as much blood from the carpet fibers as possible with a butter knife.
Apply full-strength hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain for any residual blood. You will see some foaming and fizzing as it comes into contact with the blood. Wait a few minutes. Then, use a clean cotton cloth or paper towel to blot up the hydrogen peroxide.
9. Wax stains
The best way to remove wax drippings is to heat them back to a semi-liquid state. Removal is easier. Place a white cloth over the wax and heat with a warm clothes iron. DO NOT use the steam setting. As the wax melts, scrape it off with a butter knife.
10. Chewing gum
Have you ever walked into your house with a chewed gum stuck under your shoe? Yuck! Well, there’s an easy way to get the glob out. Simply, take a few ice cubes and press them against the gum for about 30 to 45 seconds. As the gum freezes solid, it will be easily removable with a spoon. If it’s still stuck, you can use a pair of scissors to cut the carpet strands as close to the gum as possible.
Steam clean your carpet with a vapor cleaner
If you have your vapor cleaner, you can utilize it to your advantage. Utilize your steam cleaner possibly once every six months to revitalize your carpet.
Keep in mind that steam cleaning your carpet will help you get rid of the dirt and also sanitize it. As compared to shampooing that uses a detergent, steam cleaning a carpet uses a steam mop and hot water vapor to break down the dirt. Also, a carpet dries fast when cleaned using steam while shampooing may take longer.
How often should you clean your carpet?
The Carpet and Rug Institute suggests that you should have your carpet professionally deep-cleaned every 12 to 18 months. Keep in mind that this recommended frequency is merely a general guideline. How often you clean your carpet may depend on your circumstances and traffic flow.
When it comes to carpet maintenance, the rule of thumb is to vacuum clean it twice a week. Remember that frequent vacuuming can prolong your carpet’s life. It helps remove gritty particles or debris that can otherwise damage carpet fibers over time.
Every few weeks, you can use a crevice tool to clean hard-to-reach places, especially around baseboards and radiators. Remember that high traffic areas require extra care.
Conclusion
With these DIY carpet cleaning tips, you can stay away from the worry that accompanies carpet spills. No more feeling the rush of anxiety that comes when a family member, guest or pet stains the carpet. These carpet cleaning solutions will help you maintain a spotless house with an enviable carpet.
Read more: Carpet removal guide
Written by Joey Peter. March 8, 2018
Joey Peter is currently associated with American Window Cleaning. He has a number of years of experience in window, carpet and upholstery cleaning services. He currently resides in Oceanside, California and enjoys writing informative blogs in his spare time.
Top blog posts
See more >
Recommended
Join our newsletter
Get helpful renovation tips, insightful home maintenance articles, real estate market trends, and more.
Please enter a name
Please enter a valid e-mail
Your opinion matters, leave a comment
February 29, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Thank you for posting this. I have been a stay at home mom for over three years and still have not figured out a way to stay on top of cleaning. This looks manageable. I just sat down and made a list of all the rooms in my house and what needs to be cleaned “right now” and what can wait a month. Takes a lot of the stress off and I hope it’s as simple to put into practice as it seems to be.
Carpet acts as a filter for the air in your home, collecting pollutants from outside, same time its very boring task to do but you made it easy by giving these tips.thanks for sharing
I didn’t know that you could combine milk with the cornstarch. That makes sense considering certain chemicals can combine with others to lift stains easily. I’ll have to consider getting carpet cleaners considering it seems really tough to do on my own.
Some carpet cleaners have only one tank for water and the cleaning solution. But we found that it’s more convenient to have two separate tanks, one for water and one for the cleaning solution. Some even premix the solution and water within the machine, saving you the hassle of having to measure out a full tank each time. Also look for a carrying handle, which makes it easier to move the machine around.
Carpets and rugs are among the favorites of many homeowners. They not only look great, they also feel great to walk on, sit on, or at times, even lie on. However, the fact remains that over time, dust, dirt, and stains start to accumulate and seep into the carpet and rug fabric which can cause it to look older and lose its charm. And while those alone are enough for most homeowners to want to have their rugs and carpets professionally cleaned an even more important fact to keep in mind is that as these things accumulate dirt, they begin… Read more »
wonderful approach and great initiation. I strongly recommend this site with my friends and family to make use of complete information. The post is phenomenal.
Hi,
The way you explain the 8 easy tips of DIY carpet cleaning is really good and informative for me. because if I allow these tips it will be good for me to protect my home carpet.
Regards,
Mark Person
I appreciate that you explained the paint and how it is important to clean it rapidly so that you can get the best clean possible. My husband and I are moving to Hesperia, CA and our new home hasn’t been updated in a while and the carpets are pretty dirty. These tips will be useful as we search for a professional to help us clean our carpets.
You made a great point about paint and how it can be gotten rid of with vinegar. My husband and I are looking for a carpet steam cleaning that can help us get our home ready for selling. We will keep these tips in mind as we search for a professional that can help us best.
I have been trying to remove the coffee and wine stains, but my attempt is always unsuccessful. I never knew that 1 tablespoon of vinegar and cornstarch can help with removing the carpet stain. I’ll try this tip, but if this won’t work then maybe hiring a carpet cleaning service will be better.
I’m usually to blogging and i actually appreciate your content. The articles has genuinely peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web page and maintain checking for new details. Thanks for this wonderful article.
You made a great point about paint and how you should get as much as you can with a sponge. My husband and I are looking for a carpet cleaning service that can help us prepare our home for selling next month. We will keep these tips in mind as we search for a professional that can help us best.
Very informative blog. Yeah, every carpet owners really need to hire carpet cleaners to ensure the cleanliness and shape of their carpets.
Great post