How to Clean a Carpet? DIY tips to save you some Cash on Carpet Cleaning Services

Last Updated on October 27, 2022 by Kravelv

People have used carpets to decorate and give more character to the areas they live in since ancient times. Nowadays the carpet choice is huge. There are one-colored and multi-colored carpets, some are made of natural materials and others of synthetic ones, their shapes, patterns, and textures also could vary. Therefore you could really work with your imagination to give your living room for example a unique individual character that will make you feel cozier when watching your favorite TV show.

Before heading towards the home depot to buy a carpet make sure you know, that the carpets are not like other decorative elements, they need to be taken good care of. If you do not treat your carpet properly, it will get ruined very quickly and in the process, the quality of the indoor air will also decrease, which could lead to rising health problems including allergies. You are going to want to invest in a couple of appliances and look for the best small carpet cleaner and even a good quality vacuum, to keep on top of everyday dirt and dust. For more deep cleaning, the easiest ways to maintain your carpets are:

Doormat

Place a doormat at the entrance of your home, and use it every time you walk in. You wouldn’t want to bring in all the dirt and soil from the outside. Frequent vacuuming is the key to a clean carpet. Vacuuming twice a week won’t allow dirt and soil build ups, however when cleaning make sure to focus on the heavy traffic areas of the carpet.

Clean Quickly

You should treat all spills and stains quickly as possible, the quicker you take care of the problem the easier the stains will get removed. When a spill occurs, use a clean absorbent towel to blot the spill. Do not rub or brush as you could end up damaging the carpet and always work from the stain corners to its center otherwise you will spread the stain all over. Wait until the spill is being fully absorbed, if necessary repeat the process, but get a new clean cloth. If the stain is solid use a knife or spatula to remove it.

If chewing gum has gotten into the carpet, use an ice cube to freeze the gum, then strike it with a blunt object to shatter it. Clean up the pieces and vacuum.  Here are some other common stains and how to remove them:

How to clean a tea stain from carpet

Tea stains are not the hardest to remove, but they are neither the easiest ones. If you can’t completely remove them, you can always at least lighten them.

1. Firstly, you should blot up the excess liquid with a clean cloth, preferably a white one. Blot up as much of the tea as possible. Pour a bit of water onto the area and blot up after this.
2. Make a mixture of a half cup of vinegar and one cup of warm water. Apply the solution onto the stained area. Pour very carefully and watch not to spread the stain. Blot up with a clean cloth.
3. Add a few drops of dish washing detergent into a cup of water. Mix well and apply the solution onto the stain. Don’t rub very hard. Rinse with clean water and blot up with a clean dry cloth. Let the area dry for a couple of hours.

If there’s any remaining vinegar smell, you can spray the area with air freshener. It should help! These tips should be enough to remove the tea stain.

Also Read: DIY Carpet Stain Remover

How to clean an oil stain from carpet

The key to removing oil stains from a carpet is to tackle the problem as soon as you can. This is so that the stain does not have time to set. How easy it will be for you to remove the stain depends on the kind of spill and the carpet material. Some carpets will soak up the oil while others may tend to repel it somewhat. If the oil is of the solid type, scrape up as much of it as you can with a knife. Then decide how you remove the rest of the stain.

Photo: Floor Heating Direct

Be aware of what kind of cleaner can be used on your carpet. For most of them, you will be able to use dry cleaning fluid that can be purchased at a grocery store or hardware store.

1. If you can recreate the stain on a small piece of scrap carpet, do so in order to test the process or else you may have to test the fluid on an inconspicuous place to determine its effect on your carpet.
2. Do not put the fluid directly on the stain, but rather put it on a clean white cloth and start dabbing from the outside of the stain and work inward.
3. Once you have done the whole stain, dab up any excess fluid using another clean cloth or paper towel. If any of the stain remains, repeat the process again until the stain is completely gone. Liquid oil stains usually can be remove by using some dish washing liquid in a cup of water.
4. Simply spray the mixture on the stain and blot it up. Do not rub the stain because this may cause the stain to work itself more deeply into the fibers.

Also do not use too much soap and water as this my damage the pad underneath the carpet.

How to clean a coffee stain from carpet

First off, it is always best to get to any stain immediately.  However, since this isn’t always possible, many times the stain has dried into the carpet and will be difficult to remove.  For a coffee stain…

1. Use some foamy shaving cream and rub gently with a clean soft cloth.
2. Use a dry rag to get up excess. If the stain is still there, repeat.
3. A paste can be made of water and baking soda. Spread it onto the stain and let it dry. When it is dry, vacuum it up.
4. If the stain is not gone, mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water and spray the stain. Remove excess water with a dry cloth. When the stain is gone, lay several paper towels over the wet area and step on the stain to help remove the water. When dry, vacuum.

When working on a stain, you should work from the outside in to prevent the stain from getting larger.  You should always try the stain remover you are using on an inconspicuous part of the carpet first to be sure it doesn’t fade the carpet.

A homemade cleaner of 1/4 teaspoon of non-bleach dishwashing detergent mixed with 32 ounces of water makes a good cleaning solution for many stains.