If you have ever rented a carpet steam cleaner, you know the cleaning solution that you buy for it is expensive and could be full of chemicals. Powdered carpet cleaners and stain-removing commercial products are costly, too. Plus, they all leave some residue in your carpet. You can make your own cleaning solutions from common household items that are as effective as the commercial product.
Steam Cleaner or Shampooer
Instead of commercial soap products, use 1 cup white vinegar mixed with hot water in the carpet steamer or shampooer. The vinegar will not leave a soapy residue, which attracts dirt. In fact, the vinegar will probably remove the excess soap that is in your carpet from your last steam cleaning or shampooing. For dirtier carpets, you can increase the amount of vinegar to water, but do an additional cleaning with just hot water to remove the excess vinegar from your carpet if the mix is at least half vinegar. Vinegar also will remove odors.
For your home carpet shampoo machine, you may add a tablespoon of liquid soap, either dish or laundry, to the vinegar mixture. You should do an extra cleaning of plain water after this to remove the soap.
Dry Recipe
Before applying any dry carpet cleaning product or mixture, use a stiff broom and sweep your carpet. This will get the fibers in the carpet standing up. Then vacuum your carpet thoroughly. By doing this, you remove quite a bit of the dirt that was trapped in the fibers of the carpet.
Sift together until blended, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 cups baking soda, 4 or 5 crushed bay leaves and 1 tablespoon cloves. Sprinkle this mix over your carpet and leave it there for several hours or overnight, then vacuum. The cornstarch and baking soda absorbs greasy dirt, and the bay leaves and cloves leave your carpet smelling fresh.
Stain Removers
Keep a spray bottle of equal amounts of vinegar and water for a spot stain remover. Spray the stain and blot with a paper towel to remove many stains. For greasy stains, first sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda on the stain. After an hour or so, vacuum up the powder. The powder will absorb much of the grease.
This is a good all-purpose homemade stain removers, but test it first on an inconspicuous spot of the carpet. Named "Patty's Recipe" for red wine stains, it was tested by the University of California wine department and found to be one of the best cleaners, and is used an a variety of stains, including chocolate, blood and grass. Mix a half and half solution of dish detergent, such as Dawn, and hydrogen peroxide. Spray this on the stain and watch it disappear. The soap loosens the stain and the peroxide dissolves it.
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