2021 Guide To Cleaning Carpet Yourself – Cleaning the carpeting is key to maintaining the aesthetic factor of your home. Not only it will keep your home beautiful, but will also prevent a potential disease outbreak. While they may not be necessarily visible, carpet traps a whole host of nasties.
These can spoil the air and put your health at risk. If you want to avoid any professional carpet cleaning experience, you can go with DIY carpet cleaning. Stick to the following guide to carpet cleaning to ensure your carpeting gets sparkling clean and safe.
Vacuuming
You will start any carpet cleaning day with vacuuming. This will help you remove all surface dirt and loose dust. These particles are easy to lift and by doing so you fight your way to the deeper accumulations of soils. Before addressing the bottom dirt, make sure you clean the carpet at the top.
While some homeowners deem vacuuming enough to get rid of all carpet grime, that’s not so. This kind of thinking can lead to increased amounts of soils and bacteria inhabiting the backing of the carpet. Read on to know how to tackle these messy culprits.
Stain removal
Stain removal is a crucial part of carpet cleaning. Whether it’s a juice spill, a pet accident, or a muddy shoe sole track, they all stay at the top of the carpet. Yes, some stains penetrate deep into the carpet fiber, but they will be still visible and spoil its appearance.
When removing stains, you have to act in accordance with their type. Here is how you tackle different kinds of stains.
Oils
For such oily stains as greasy food and make-up, rubbing alcohol seems the most effective homemade remedy. Start by scraping off as much of the stain as possible. Then, dip a cloth in rubbing alcohol and dab the affected carpet area with it. Keep dabbing until the grease goes away.
Organic
For organic stains like blood or fruit juice, use a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide. First, scrape off as much dry organic matter as you can. Then, apply some drops of hydrogen peroxide to the stain and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Next, dab with a clean cloth to help the hydrogen peroxide reach deeper into the stained fiber.
Pet urine
Pet urine needs immediate action as it comes with a sharp smell. Use a mixture of equal parts of warm water and white vinegar to work the stain out. Spray on the messy spot and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, blot with a dry microfiber cloth. A pinch of baking soda is always welcome for extra cleaning power.
Tackling bottom dirt buildups
Carpets accumulate soils at their bottom over time. The bad thing about them is that a vacuum cleaner does not always reach them. The one that does is a steam cleaner that uses a forceful jet of steam to loosen the deepest grime. If you don’t have the device handy, you can rent it for a once-in-a-month deep cleaning.
Killing bacteria
Bacteria are also a common guest of your carpet. They come from food stains and outside mud that arrives in your home via the sole of the shoe. To kill pathogens lurking in your carpet, use a DIY carpet cleaning disinfectant. You can make it by mixing equal parts of vinegar and water.
Use a cloth or brush to work the mixture into the carpet fiber. Avoid extra harsh brushes to prevent any carpet damage.
It would be ideal if you place the vinegary solution into a steam cleaner to ensure it reaches deeper into the carpet. Since vinegar may not kill all germs, you can consider using store-bought disinfectants, which are more potent.
Deodorization
If your carpet has an unpleasant smell, it may be necessary for you to do some deodorization work. Apply a generous amount of baking soda on the stinking area and let it sit for 8-20 hours. The time window depends on the severity of the odor.
The tougher the odor, the longer the soda will have to sit to remove it. You can add some essential oil to the baking soda for a more pleasant smell afterward. As waiting time is up, vacuum the area.
2021 Guide To Cleaning Carpet Yourself – Bottom line
The above guide proves that carpet cleaning is much more than vacuuming. Follow all its steps to ensure you get rid of all nasties that lurk in your carpet. In this way, you prolong the lifespan of your rug, preserve its appeal, and prevent serious health issues.