Make Your Own Carpet Cleaning Solution at Home

No matter how hard you might try, sooner or later your carpets are bound to get dirty. For families with pets or small children, carpets tend to see more than their fair share of dirt, mud and spills.

When these messes inevitably do happen, we tend to turn to store-bought cleaning mixtures and expensive products to help us tackle the mess, shelling out dollar after hard-earned dollar for the convenience of an already-produced concoction. Rather than spending all of your money on cleaning products, why not take a bit of time to create your own carpet cleaning solution at home using ingredients you likely already own?

Popsugar.com offers up a recipe for a powerful homemade cleaner that goes beyond the carpet—use this mixture for erasing rug stains, for spot-cleaning furniture, and for fixing soiled drapes.

The recipe calls for one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, one tablespoon of white vinegar, one cup of warm water, and one teaspoon of baking soda. In a spray bottle, add the ingredients in the following order: dishwashing liquid and vinegar, topped with the warm water first. Add the baking soda last, quickly screwing on the top of the spray bottle before the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar causes the bottle to overflow.

You have probably used baking soda and vinegar for cleaning purposes before – this mixture works because vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, creating carbon dioxide that results in cleaning bubbles when the two ingredients are mixed.

To use this mixture, first vacuum over the dirty carpet, and wipe gently with the abrasive side of a clean sponge. Spray the area with your new carpet cleaner and gently rub the area with a clean, absorbent towel. Continue dabbing the area and using the towel to absorb the water and completely remove the stain.

As with all new cleaning products, test a small area of your carpet before tackling larger messes and stains, as all carpets are different and could react differently to the homemade product.

When the mess gets too large to handle or when your home is simply ready for a change, turn to Carpet Closeouts for quality discount carpet in a wide assortment of colors and styles. Then, use your new homemade carpet cleaner to keep your new carpet looking great for years to come!