Homemade Ways to Clean Carpet

by HomeRepairExpert.com

Use a homemade method to remove carpet stains.
Retail carpet cleaning products are not only expensive, but they sometimes contain chemicals that can be harmful to you and your pets. So instead of doling out the cash and buying products that have unpronounceable ingredient names, why not use items you already have in your home? Your kitchen and bathroom can provide a number of materials for making simple and effective homemade carpet cleaners.

Retail carpet cleaning products are not only expensive, but they sometimes contain chemicals that can be harmful to you and your pets. So instead of doling out the cash and buying products that have unpronounceable ingredient names, why not use items you already have in your home? Your kitchen and bathroom can provide a number of materials for making simple and effective homemade carpet cleaners.

Powder Power

Using household powdery substances can be an effective method for freshening up a carpet. According to thecarpetcleaningreview.com, to make a potent carpet freshener, you should mix a 1/4 cup of scented talcum powder and 3/4 cup of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. You then sprinkle the mixture on to your carpet and allow it to settle for approximately 15 minutes before sucking it up with a vacuum. According to eartheasy.com, you can also sprinkle cornstarch onto grease spots in order to soak them up from your carpet.

Pet Problems

Pets are commonly to blame for dirty and smelly carpets. According to thecarpetcleaningreview.com, you can clean away pesky urine stains by first soaking up as much fluid as you can with a towel, scrubbing the area with soapy water, and---finally---applying a mixture of 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1 quart of warm water. For lingering pet odors, refer to the above-mentioned powder mixture. You should avoid using bleach (which can causes stains) and ammonia (which will trigger pets to urinate in the same area) on pet problem-spots.

Stains

While the solution of vinegar and water works on all types of stains, you can also mix in another ingredient to increase potency: baking soda. According to thecarpetcleaningreview.com, the baking soda will react with the vinegar and help loosen and lift stains form your carpet. For incredibly stubborn stains, eartheasy.com recommends using a heavy-duty carpet cleaner. To make it, you will need to mix 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of borax (a white powder commonly used as a pesticide) into 1/4 cup of vinegar. This will form a paste that you should rub into the stain and allow to sit for a few hours before removing.

From the Bathroom

There are plenty of items from the bathroom that can also help you clean a carpet. According to bukisa.com, you can use white shaving cream/foam to remove mud stains. Simply spray it on to the affected area and allow it to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it away with a cloth. Another carpet cleaning idea from the bathroom is to use a mixture of half water and half shampoo on stains. For best results, mix the solution in a spray bottle, spray some on to the stain and dab repeatedly with a cloth.


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