Introduction
Mr. Vacuum knows you’re busy this time of year preparing for the holidays and the last thing you want to deal with is carpet stains. With company coming into town and friends and relatives visiting, we all want our homes to look their best. If you haven’t visited our Bradley vacuum store location, you should know that in addition to vacuum cleaners, we carry professional-grade products to keep your carpeted and hard floors looking their best. If you don’t have time to pick up professional cleaning supplies at our Bradley vacuum store and cleaning supply location, these tips can help you get by until things calm down after the holidays. There are some easy ways to make your carpeting look and smell great right now with these simple home remedies in the meantime.
If you’re looking for a natural way to clean carpet stains this season, adding vinegar is a simple solution. Vinegar is acidic and can be used to remove stains from carpets, rugs, upholstery, and other fabrics. You can even use it as an alternative to bleach in your home cleaning arsenal!
The acidity of vinegar neutralizes the alkalinity of hard water minerals which causes soap scum build-up and yellowing on your carpet’s fibers over time. Because it’s so effective at removing dirt buildup that causes odors, adding vinegar to your cleaning mixture will help eliminate foul smells from the air as well.
Skip the steamer when it comes to old stains.
If you have old carpet stains that don’t respond to cleaning, skip the steamer. The hot water can make them worse and cause permanent damage. Instead, use a stiff brush or handheld vacuum to loosen the stain before applying a commercial carpet stain cleaner or other cleaning solution that’s specifically designed for upholstery or carpets.
Remove the most stubborn stains with baking soda.
Baking soda is a great all-around cleaner. It can be used to remove carpet stains and even stains on upholstery, and even hardwood floors.
If you suspect your carpet is stained by a greasy substance, try sprinkling baking soda over the stain and letting it sit for an hour or two before vacuuming up any residue. The oils in this type of stain break down as they react with the chemical properties of baking soda, making them easier to remove from your carpet fibers.
Tackle those lingering pet odors with ammonia and water.
If you have a dog, chances are they’ve got some sort of doggy smell on them. Whether it’s from rolling around in the grass or just being a dog, sometimes we have to deal with that lingering scent. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: mix 1 part ammonia to 3 parts water and spray it onto the carpet. Let sit for 5 minutes then blot up with paper towels until dry. Repeat if necessary but don’t use this method on wool or silk carpets!
There are home remedies you can use to clean your carpet yourself.
There are home remedies you can use to clean your carpet yourself. First, use a vacuum cleaner to remove any loose dirt. Next, use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda on a damp cloth (1 part vinegar to 3 parts baking soda). Once you’ve made this solution, mix it with 2 tablespoons of ammonia in a bowl, then pour it into the center of the stain and let it sit for 20 minutes before removing the excess liquid with a wet cloth or sponge. If water doesn’t remove the wine stain completely, try using lemon juice instead.
After removing as much liquid as possible from your carpet with water after spot cleaning with lemon juice or vinegar/baking soda solutions (or even just plain old rubbing alcohol), sprinkle some salt over the area where there was still residue left behind and rub it in gently until there are no more signs of redness or discoloration left behind on top of your fibers; this will help prevent any staining from reoccurring over time due to bacterial growth within those areas which were not properly treated during initial treatment attempts!
If you’re looking for a few more DIY suggestions, visit this link to the Carpet and Rug Institute for more DIY suggestions
Conclusion
The holidays can be a stressful time, but don’t let carpet stains get the best of you. If you’re short on time, home remedies with minimize the appearance of stained carpets until you have the time to pick up professional cleaners and spotters available from Mr. Vacuum.