How to Clean Your Carpets – Top Home Remedies

Few things are as frustrating as spilling something on your carpet, causing you to wonder, is it ever going to come out, or is it stuck there forever?

Cleaning carpet stains always works best when you clean the mess as soon as it spills on the carpet, and contrary to what some people may believe, you don’t have to rush out and buy chemical-filled carpet cleaners just to get your carpet looking cleaner and smelling nicer.

Even tough stains such as pet urine stains and wine stains can usually be removed if you know how. If you’re looking for all-natural remedies to clean your carpet, you’re in luck because there are many of them to choose from. Read on for more information.

Getting Started

Before you get started removing carpet stains, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, always test a small, out-of-the-way piece of your carpet with the cleaning solution to make sure it doesn’t turn the carpet a funny color. Test only a very small sample because if it does ruin that piece of carpet, you’ll know not to use the solution on the stains themselves. This discoloration rarely happens, but it’s still better to be safe than sorry. Second, always blot the stains and don’t rub them, unless the product you’re using tells you to do so. Rubbing the stains can sometimes make things worse because it causes the stains to become more imbedded. Always blot the stains instead.

Now let’s go to the cleaning solutions, and most of them involve products you likely already have around your home.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is an amazing natural cleaner, and you start by mixing equal parts of baking soda and white vinegar until it makes a thick paste. Next, add some warm water to the mixture until it is slightly runny and thinner. Once you do that, go ahead and apply it to the stains with either a small sponge or a toothbrush, making sure the solution covers the stain completely. Let the solution sit until it’s dry all the way through, then vacuum it up thoroughly and you should see that the stain has disappeared.

Club Soda

We’ve all heard about how great of a job club soda does at removing stains from your carpet. Best of all, there is nothing to mix the club soda with because you use it straight out of the bottle or can. Just dip a cloth in the club soda and spot-clean the carpet this way. If it seems to not be working, simply use more club soda and that should take care of the problem.

Dishwashing Liquid

Dishwashing liquid is used for cleaning much more than your dishes. To help remove stains out of your carpet, you can use any brand of dishwashing liquid. Start by diluting it with water, then dip a sponge in the solution and gently rub the stained area. Make sure you don’t get the area too wet because if you do, it may take a long time to dry afterward. After you’ve applied the diluted solution, let it dry completely then vacuum the area thoroughly. If it doesn’t remove all of the stain the first time, simply repeat the procedure.

Vinegar

To use vinegar as a carpet stain remover, simply mix half a cup of white vinegar and one cup of water, then put the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the stain well, then let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Next, take a paper towel and gently blot the stain. This should remove the stain, but if it doesn’t, you can simply repeat the process until the stain is completely gone.

Miscellaneous DIY Carpet-Cleaning Solutions

Here are some additional DIY solutions for getting stains out of your carpet:

• For coffee or tea stains: use beer to remove them.
• For grease or oil stains: use either shaving cream or cornstarch to remove them.
• Clean other stains with a solution of one cup of pure ammonia and half a cup of warm water.

For all of these solutions, make sure you place them on the stain and blot with a paper towel to remove them. For most of these solutions, all you have to do if they do not work is repeat the process and the stains should come out.