Here’s How to Clean Your Carpet at Home

Dust, debris, and other allergens can accumulate over time on your carpet, and that’s why it’s very important to clean your carpet regularly. Not cleaning your carpet can affect its look and even the indoor air quality of your home.

To prevent problems that come with dirty carpets, your carpets should be cleaned at least once every four months. It may, however, need more cleaning if you have a large family or lots of pets.

But you may be wondering what are the ways to clean a carpet at home. Here’s a guide on how to clean your carpet at home:

Vacuuming Your Carpet

Vacuuming is a great way to get rid of dirt, dust, hair, and debris from the carpet. Before you begin, make sure to take out furniture that’s on top of your carpet or any other objects. Check if there are any small objects such as coins hiding underneath and make sure to take them away before you begin vacuuming.

Vacuum slowly back and forth with repetitive strokes and make sure to cover every area of your carpet. Move your vacuum cleaner horizontally and vertically and keep an eye on the parts with the most dirt and dust.

To keep your carpet clean, vacuum regularly. Vacuuming is also a good way to start cleaning before you begin treating stains on your carpet. Just in case you do not have a vacuum cleaner, you can clean your carpet using a broom or carpet sweeper.

Spot Cleaning Your Carpet

Accidents can happen, and you may not be able to avoid spills, but it is important to clean stains as soon as possible. The sooner you remove the solid parts of the stain, the easier it will be for you to clean.

Stubborn stains may require different solutions, but generally, you can clean stains using vinegar, baking soda, and salt, and then blot the stain lightly with white cloth or paper towels. Here are some stubborn stains and how to get rid of them:

Removing Pet Stains on Your Carpet

For pet stains such as dog urine, you can mix white vinegar and warm water. Use a paper towel to blot up the urine and then spray the mixture. Blot with a paper towel once again. Other options for cleaning pet stains would be using a diluted solution of dishwashing detergent or a carpet cleaner containing enzymes.

Getting Blood Out of Your Carpet

Nosebleeds or injuries can happen, and blood on your carpet can be difficult to clean, especially if your carpet is white and you leave it too long. To remove blood from your carpet, you can mix hydrogen peroxide with dish soap or mix cold water and white vinegar or dish soap.

Blot excess liquid with a clean white cloth or a paper towel then blot the affected area with cold water. Blot with your mixture, rinse with cold water, and then blot dry after. Remember not to wipe the stain from side to side as it could spread. Also, use cold water, not warm or hot water when treating a blood stain.

Removing Paint on Your Carpet

When removing paint on your carpet, use a spoon or knife to collect extra paint from your carpet and blot excess paint with a paper towel. Make sure not to spread the paint around your carpet and try to avoid rubbing the paint deeper into your carpet.

For water-based paint, you can use rubbing alcohol or paint thinner to clean. For oil-based paint, you can use paint thinner as well as dish soap and warm water.

Cleaning Up Red Wine on Your Carpet

For red wine spills, blot up as much spilled wine as soon as possible. Thereafter, use salt or baking powder and let it sit for a few minutes until it dries out. You can then vacuum the salt or baking soda residue from your carpet.

Removing Coffee Stains on Your Carpet

For coffee stains, you can mix dish soap, white vinegar, and warm water. Use a clean white cloth and apply the mixture to the stain. Blot until the stain fades away. Rinse with water and blot dry.

Steam Cleaning Your Carpet

Steam cleaning can help clean your carpet, kill bacteria, and eliminate dust mites and fleas. Make sure to take note of specific steam cleaner instructions. Put water and cleaning solution in the steam cleaner or mix water and vinegar.

Move the steamer slowly over your carpet and allow your carpet to dry fully before putting furniture back or walking on it. You can then vacuum any remaining residue on your carpet.

Deep Cleaning Your Carpet

You can deep clean your carpet by hand. To do so, sprinkle baking soda and salt over your carpet. You can then mix carpet shampoo with warm water and spray it over your carpet. Get a scrubbing brush and brush your carpet.

Start in one direction and then move towards other directions to clean every part of your carpet. Soak up the water in the carpet with a towel and spray again with warm water. You can then blot the carpet again.

While deep cleaning by hand will certainly make your carpet clean, it can be time-consuming, so if you want to clean your carpet faster, you can use a carpet-cleaning machine and make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tips to Keep Your Carpet Clean

To avoid having dirty carpets at home, you can do the following:

Vacuum Regularly

Don’t just vacuum before you begin removing stains or deep cleaning your carpet. Vacuum your carpet regularly to avoid dust accumulation.

Shoes Off the Carpet

Avoid walking around your carpet with shoes on. Remove shoes at the door to avoid bringing dirt to your carpet. You can also place doormats at entrance doors to prevent dirt from getting in your home and landing on your carpet.

Treat Stains Immediately

To prevent damage to your carpets, treat stains and spillages immediately. Don’t let the stains stay any longer. Apply the methods mentioned earlier for dealing with stains.

Professional Carpet Cleaning Services

While you can clean a carpet on your own, hiring professional cleaners can do the job better. With their experience and expertise, they can clean your carpets effectively and remove stains without causing damage. They know the proper methods to use for carpet cleaning and have all the necessary equipment and cleaning products.

Do you need professional carpet cleaning services? Contact us today!