DIY Cleaning Tips for Long Lasting Carpets
Apart from its warmth and softness, many like carpeting because it takes less maintenance and upkeep than hard-surface floors. All that is normally required to keep carpeting looking new and fresh is daily vacuuming and a deep-clean scouring every now and again.
Regardless of your efforts, spills, splashes, messy incidents, and whatever you track on the bottom of your shoes will eventually cause damage to your carpet.
Here are ten carpet cleaning methods to help you keep your carpets in tip-top shape.
- Don’t rub the stains
Resist the desire to start scrubbing as soon as a stain or spill appears. This will merely push the stain further into the carpet. Rather, use a clean cloth, paper towel, or sponge to gently dab stains with a cleaning solution.
Blotting is crucial. Blotting applies light pressure to the stain, allowing it to absorb the moisture. Rubbing causes the particles to become embedded in the fibers, perhaps causing premature fiber breakage.
Blot the stain from the outside edge inward, toward the center; blotting outward can spread the stain even more across the carpet.
- Vinegar and club soda are your friends.
You may have heard that club soda can be used to remove beer and wine stains from carpeting, and this is correct—if done correctly.
To begin, dab the discoloration with a clean towel soaked in club soda. If the stain appears to be lighter, repeat with more club soda. If it doesn’t work, combine white vinegar and water in a portable spray bottle in a one-to-one ratio. Spray the solution on the stained area and let it soak in for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, press a clean, dry sponge against the saturated area to absorb the cleaning solution as well as the diluted stain. If required, repeat the technique until the stain is completely removed.
Rinse the area with clean, warm water once the stain has been cleared. Brush the carpet strands back in their natural direction using your hand. Finally, cover the area with several white paper towels and weigh them down with anything heavy, such as a phone book.
The towels will absorb the moisture from the carpet; keep them in place until the carpet is completely dry, which should take around one day.
- Shaving Cream is an excellent option.
Ordinary shaving cream, believe it or not, is the greatest carpet cleaner for common stains. Almost any stain may be removed with it. Shaving cream should be applied immediately to the stain and allowed to sit for 30 minutes. Using a dry white handkerchief, dab up the shaving cream once it has set.
Spray the area with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water, then wipe the solution away with a cloth.
- Dishwashing Soap Removes Grease
Greasy spills are particularly difficult to clean from carpeting, but the key is to apply the right product and technique: Mix a few drops of grease-cutting dish soap, such as Dawn, with a cup of warm water. To dissolve the soap, gently stir the solution.
Fill a spray bottle with the solution and use it to absorb the grease stain. Then blot it up with a white cloth or paper towels. You may need to repeat this procedure several times depending on the size and age of the stain.
- Chewing Gum Can Be Freeze
Here’s a scenario that’s all too familiar: you tread in chewing gum on the street and don’t realize it until you track that disgusting, sticky mess into your house and your carpeting. The key to getting gum out of carpeting is to use your freezer.
Take a handful of ice cubes and press them against your gums for 30 to 45 seconds. Once the gum has frozen firm, scoop it up with a spoon, then cut the carpet strands as close to the gum as possible using scissors or a sharp knife. The place will be invisible if you only cut a little section of carpet.
- Wax that has been heat-hardened.
When candles are burned in the house, wax can drip onto the carpet, hardening and embedding itself in the fibers. To remove the wax, Tarbox suggests heating it to a semi-liquid state. Cover a warm clothes iron with a white cloth (no steam setting). Then, until the wax melts, place the iron on top of it. With a butter knife or a comb, scrape away the softened wax.
- The Miracle of Hydrogen Peroxide
Blood is one of the most noticeable and unsightly stains on a carpet. However, just because you got a paper cut on your finger and spilled a few drops on your shag doesn’t mean it’s permanently stained. All day long, hydrogen peroxide will remove blood. First, use water combined with a mild detergent to release crusted blood. Then, using a butter knife, scrape as much blood as possible from the fibers. To remove any leftover blood, apply full-strength hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain. Don’t be startled if the solution begins to foam and fizz as soon as it comes into touch with blood. Wait a few minutes, then use a white cotton cloth or paper towels to blot up the hydrogen peroxide and any leftover blood.
- Crushed Candy should be combed out.
If you have kids, you will eventually have sugar stuck in your carpet. Using a butter knife, scrape out the candy first. Then, using a sponge bathed in water mixed with mild soap, soak the affected region. If you don’t get all of the sugar out, that place on the carpet will attract dirt and debris more quickly than the rest of the carpet.
After the candy has been removed, wipe the area with a cotton cloth or paper towels to dry it.
- Accidents with pets can be cleaned organically.
It’s only a matter of time if you have pets and one of them has an accident on the carpet. Instead of caustic chemicals, it prefers to use organic cleaners like Eco-88 or ZorbX. Directly on the stain, spray the cleanser. Scrubbing will most likely be required to remove all stains and odors, but the cleaner can then be wiped away with a white cloth or paper towels. These non-toxic cleaners can also be used to remove stains like coffee and sauces.
- Deep Cleaning regularly
The best approach to keep carpeting looking new and fresh is to deep-clean it with a steam cleaner regularly. A cleaning solution under pressure is injected deep into the carpet through water-jet nozzles during the steam cleaning. The machine will extract the cleaning solution as well as any dirt or particles from the carpet.
To release any embedded soil, dust, or grease deposits, hot water and steam penetrate the carpet fibers down to the backing. Your carpet will be cleaner than it has ever been as a result. Every six months, he recommended that a four-person home deep clean their carpeting.
I believe we have given you all of the suggestions we could think of at this time. Because carpets come in so many different colors, forms, sizes, and materials, not every tip here will apply to you, so be sure to know what your carpeting needs are before you buy them and act appropriately.
