DIY Carpet Cleaning In 6 Steps
Keep Your Carpets Looking New
Spilling anything on a carpet can make a bit of a mess, and even more so if you don’t have an easy way to vacuum or steam the stain out. To avoid the hassle of having to hire a professional carpet cleaning company or to rent a machine for yourself, you might be tempted to turn to household, do it yourself solutions.
Thankfully there are a lot of DIY solutions that you can find for all sorts of stains, and if you put in some elbow grease, your carpet will be as clean as can be without needing to spend a large amount of money.
Step 1: Sweep Or Soak Up The Loose Bits
Whether you spilled something solid or liquid onto your carpet, you need to go into action immediately. The more the stain soaks into the carpet or gets lost between the fibers, the harder it is going to be to get out. Grab a broom and dustpan for solid stains and start sweeping away, trying to knock all those solid chunks loose.
If your broom is not stiff bristled, then wrap a rubber band around the broom to make the bristles more rigid. This is because the stiffer the better when it comes to cleaning. After all the solid chunks are removed into the dustpan, then you can use a rag or paper towels to soak up any wet pools that could dry into the fibers. Make sure to dab at the stain and soak it up, and don’t wipe the liquid through the carpet.
Step 2: Clean The Stain With Common Household Items
Once the loose solids and liquids of the stain are blotted out, then you can move to clean the actual stain itself. Once the stain is blotted, you can use club soda to clean the stain, or a traditional carpet cleaner. Baking soda also works well to both remove stains and odors, as well as any other loose debris you might not have cleaned before.
Step 3: Clean Your Entire Carpet With Carpet Shampoo
The process of carpet shampoo is designed to get rid of all the dirt and filth that might accumulate inside your carpet. It forms a foam on your carpet that traps all dirt particles. While experts typically use carpet shampoo, you can buy a store brand and combine a few drops with warm water before spraying it on the carpet.
Step 4: Hand Clean The Carpet With Vinegar To Remove Odors
Sometimes the dirty aspect of the carpet comes from the odors that the carpet produces, rather than any stains or things we can see. Make a solution using a mixture of warm water and a ¼ cup of white vinegar. Once ready, scrub the carpet with a brush and mimic the act of a steam cleaning.
Step 5: Disinfect The Carpet Yourself
If you want to disinfect the carpet properly, then mix a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water. First, make sure the solution is fully mixed up. Next, you take a scrub brush and dip the brush in the solution. Lastly, rub that into the carpet. Take care not to soak your carpet, but make sure the fibers are well coated in the mixture. Use a cloth to blot and soak up any excess. This will disinfect your carpet just as good as a traditional steam cleaner without the massive expense!
Step 6: Clean Rugs Outdoors
If you have rugs, then they can get as dirty as carpets. In order to clean them you can use any of the techniques listed here for carpets. You can also take them outside and use a good amount of muscle to shake them out. Otherwise, you may use impacts to knock the dirt and other loose objects out.
Step 7: Cleaning Your Carpets Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
When it comes to carpet cleaning, you don’t need to spend a lot of money or hire a professional. You just need to use a lot of elbow grease and some household supplies. Plus, it can be fun to know your clean carpet is a result of your hard work!