A Few Natural Carpet Cleaning Ideas
Clean your carpets naturally. Here are a couple simple, and cheap recipes to clean your carpet and keep it deodorized, naturally!
This is what I use to keep my carpets clean. It is an ongoing process because my home is small and my husband hunts. I also have livestock and a muddy property and a young boy. You can imagine ...
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Remove the Soap!
Always rinse your carpet with clean water after using any type of soap or detergent. Soap and detergent will attract more dirt than carpets that were rinsed with plain water.
Natural Carpet Deodorizer Recipe:
Mix one can of plain salt to 1/2 to a full box of baking soda. Add several drops of your favorite essential oil to the container, shake to distribute the scented oil. You can omit the essential oil, if you wish.
Vacuum the floor thoroughly.
Sprinkle the salt mixture over the entire floor. Use your broom to gently sweep the particles into the carpet fibers. Allow this mixture to sit for several hours. Vacuum thoroughly.
On humid days, I avoid using the baking soda because it has a tendency to cake up a bit. Caking makes it difficult to remove. The salt doesn't cake up and vacuums quite nicely.
Always start with a clean vacuum filter. I wash mine in the washing machine and allow to to dry before deodorizing my carpets. A clogged filter makes my vacuum less-efficient. Also, start with an empty bag or bagless container.
Using a light sprinkling of salt will also keep your carpet dry on humid days during the summer or rainy days. I always forget this and our humid Southern days leave carpets "tacky". Ugh.
Carpet Cleaning Solution:
1 part Borax
1 part White Vinegar
2 parts Water
Mix the ingredients in a large jug until dissolved. You may need to strain the liquid to remove any chunks.
Vacuum the carpets thoroughly before cleaning.
Soak any hard-to-clean areas with the mixture before using your carpet cleaner.
Add the mixture to your carpet cleaner and clean the carpets as usual.
After using this solution, you need to rinse your carpets with clean water. Do this simply by running clean water through the carpet cleaner instead of a detergent solution.
I like to run a fan over my floors after I do this. It dries them faster. I also removed the padding from beneath my carpet for quicker drying and easier cleaning.
For horribly filthy carpet, you may need to break out the big guns. I apply the mixture to the carpet and use a plastic broom to scrub it in. I then suck the mixture out of the carpet with my carpet cleaner.
After the first cleaning I soak the floor with water (or a little cleaner) and then QUICKLY suck the liquid up. A good carpet cleaner that has powerful suction is essential if you're wetting the carpet like this. Continue to pass over the spot you cleaned until the water stops drawing up into the cleaner.
Never store carpet cleaning solutions in your carpet cleaner. Always flush your lines with plain water after cleaning. This will prevent the seals and hoses from deteriorating.
