Carpets are a focal point of any residential or commercial decor and must be fresh and clean. A poorly maintained carpet leaves a bad impression and cannot last longer. But do you have a high budget for professional carpet cleaning every time? If not, we’re here to share some DIY carpet-cleaning hacks with you. Lush Loom has done extensive research on various cleaning methods for floor coverings and collected adaptable pieces of advice from experts. Let us share them with you below.
Expert DIY Hacks For Carpet Cleaning
All of the below-mentioned methods for carpet cleaning are cost-effective, proven, and can be done at home. Explore them in detail one by one.
1. Loose Stains With Raking
Vacuum cleaners only trap dirt and stain molecules that appear on the surface. However, it’s unable to withdraw debris deep from the carpet fibers. For this, raking your floor covering before vacuuming might be effective. You loosen the stubborn dirt and stains so a vacuum cleaner can easily trap them.
This hack is applicable for home and office carpets to get immediate cleaning results without going for complex cleaning that takes time.
2. Refresh Carpets Using Baking Soda
Do your carpets produce odor and are dirty? No worries. We have a specialized cleaning hack for you. Mix baking soda with dish soap and sprinkle it on the carpet. It will surround the dirt particles to help water reach a maximum in fibers and remove any odor. After that, clean using water and that’s it.
However, it’s the DIY method for all types of carpets, but most recommended for Arabic, Persian, and Turkish Carpets. Because they have complex weave structures and textured surfaces that attract more dirt particles.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide For Stain Removal
You can also remove any stain or spill on your carpet by breaking the chemical bonds of their organic compounds. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a bleaching agent and greatly helps you with this by releasing oxygen. Make a solution by using one part hydrogen peroxide and two parts water. Soak your carpet in it and leave it for 15-20 minutes, and then clean it with simple water.
Keep in mind that an inappropriate solution or soaking for more time can lead to the carpet fading. Especially, do not compromise on the time of soaking when you have wool carpets because of their plush fibers that can be instantly damaged.
4. Ice Cubes For Gum Removing
It’s difficult to remove gum from indoor and outdoor carpets because of their thick fibers and sticky textures. However, you can remove it with limited damage using ice cubes. Let us tell you how to do that.
First, harden the gum by applying ice cubes for 3-5 minutes directly on it. Once it becomes hard, remove using a teaspoon or regular spoon.
5. Use Vinegar Solution For Spills
Vinegar solution is one of the top hacks to clean carpets. You need to mix vinegar with water following a 1:1 ratio and clean using a scrub brush with soft bristles. After 30-45 minutes, clean your floor covering for effective results.
Vinegar has acetic acid in its composition that breaks down stain molecules by targeting alkaline substances and mineral deposits. It results in such compounds that can be easily rinsed with water. Whether it’s your residential or a commercial exhibition carpet, this method is super effective. This is because it easily cleans high-foot traffic dirt and debris.
6. Use Enzymatic Compound Cleaners
The enzymatic cleaners break down the organic matter in stains and spills to digest them rather than masking them with fragrance. They genuinely deep clean textured carpets especially Sisal. The best thing about these cleaners is their eco-friendly nature which makes them suitable for home as well as mosque carpets.
Similar to a vinegar solution hack, you have to follow a 1:1 ratio, apply it for 30 minutes, and rinse with water. For effective results, vacuum after cleaning with water.
7. Prevent Stain Settling With Club Soda
Whether it’s dirt, stain, or spill particles, they settle deep down into the carpet fibers frequently. To prevent them from going deep down, we recommend using club soda because it consists of carbonated water. Directly apply it to the affected area before cleaning, and you’ll see amazing results.
Apply it for 5 to 10 minutes, and clean with water or vacuum. However, do not rub it to prevent texture damage.
8. Remove Pet Hair With Squeegee
Those who have pets in their homes are already familiar with this tool. A squeegee can be used to remove pet hair embedded deep into the carpet fibers. As you know, pet hairs are thin, so you cannot directly remove them from fibers with a vacuum. You need to get them on the surface first, and a squeegee can help you with that.
It uses a dragging rubber blade, which collects hairs into clumps that you can dispose of later. However, do not use this tool aggressively because frequent scrubbing can damage carpet fibers.
9. Shaving Cream For Stubborn Stains
Do you know that surfactants help to lift stains easily? Shaving creams have certain surfactants in them that can help loosen spills and stains, so they can be easily cleaned with water. Directly apply it to the spot, rub using the brush or fingers, and rinse with water.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, we shared the most effective DIY carpet cleaning methods in this article. Instead of investing in costly services, do these at home. You can use a squeegee instead of lint rollers to withdraw thin pet hair from carpet fibers, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda & club soda, and vinegar solution to refresh and clean the carpet.
Not finished here, you can also use shaving cream because its surfactants can readily help lift stains. We also recommend you prioritize enzymatic cleaners over others because of their eco-friendly nature. Lastly, we also described the right methods to remove gum from carpet fibers with minimum damage.
So, do you like these DIY tips to clean your carpets? Tell us what tip you like the most in the comments.
