How to Clean Your Carpet Naturally and Effectively

Carpet cleaning is an important part of home maintenance, but you don't need harsh chemicals to get the job done. Whether you have wall-to-wall carpets or area rugs, vacuuming at least once a week is a must - more often if you have pets or children. But if you don't have a vacuum, there are other ways to clean carpets, such as a traditional broom or carpet sweeper. If you're looking for a more thorough clean, steam vapor, baking soda, vinegar, water, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, cornmeal, borax, dishwashing liquid and lint rollers are all great options. In a spray bottle, mix one part distilled white vinegar and three parts cold water.

You will have to refill the bottle several times if you clean a wall-to-wall carpet. Transparent liquid dishwashing detergent is effective in removing stains from carpets. The trick is not to use too much - just 2 or 3 drops of dishwashing liquid with 1 cup of warm water. The droplets must be very small - too much detergent can leave a sticky residue that attracts dirt, dust and debris. If you're going to clean thicker, hairy or shaggy carpets, be prepared with a little patience and attention as it's easier for dirt to get embedded in the fibers.

To make a flimsy broom more effective, wrap the bristles with an elastic band so that they are more rigidly attached. If you have a steamer or steam mop that is generally used on hard surface floors, you can also use them to clean carpets in depth. Do deep cleaning every few months to go beyond the reach of a quick vacuum and make your carpets look like new. Once you've treated a small section of the carpet, wait a few hours to make sure there are no adverse reactions such as a change in the color or texture of the fibers before proceeding to clean the rest of the carpet. With just a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand, you can make your own carpet cleaner yourself to remove any stains. If you realize that no matter how much you vacuum, you still can't get bits out of your deep fur rug, it's time to put your hands on a lint roller. If you can't imagine using a carpet cleaning machine as often (or if you don't have space to store it), you can rent one at your local home improvement store.

If you're not willing to rent or buy a machine and if a stain is actually stuck or your carpet looks like it's on its last legs, the answer may be to hire a professional. Plan to thoroughly clean your carpets every six months whether you steam clean them yourself or hire a professional carpet cleaner. Depending on the severity of the stain, you may need to use vinegar and baking soda to finish cleaning the stain. You should clean a carpet immediately after a spill or stain and whenever it smells musty or is visibly dirty. When creating a game plan for how to clean your carpet, carefully read the labels of all the products you plan to use.