Despite the tremendous rise in residential flooring options, carpets and rugs still remain a popular choice among urban homeowners. These aesthetic combinations of art, design and function give your space a warm and cosy vibe. But like everything good, carpeting your room comes at a cost. Splashes, spills, dust layers may taint the look of your perfect rug, leaving behind permanent stains or discoloration.
Wall to wall carpeting and area rugs call for regular vacuuming and occasional deep cleaning. This will not only expand the life of your carpet, but also help you keep your indoor environment germ free.
The good news is, cleaning your carpet is not as hard as it looks. There are a number of desi hacks you can use to keep your carpet looking as good as new for years. Read on to find out how to clean a rug without spending a fortune on expensive cleaning products.
How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet?
Vacuuming your carpet regular and indulging in deep cleaning every once in a while will help keep your carpet clean and germ-free. Vacuum your wall-to-wall carpeting or area rugs at leave once a week. You may need to do this more frequently if you have kids or pets.
 In case of spills and stains, act immediately. Deep clean your carpet (or hire professional service to get the job done) at least 2 times a year. Here’s a list of some of the most effective ways on how to clean sofa at home.
6 Effective Tips For Cleaning Your Carpet At Home
Be it cleaning the entire carpet or a spot treatment, here is how to clean carpet and keep it spotless and fresh!
1. Club Soda & Vinegar
Household ingredients like vinegar and club soda work wonders to remove beer and wine stains from the carpet.
Things you’ll need:
- Club soda
- White Vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Dry, clean sponge
Method:
- Dip a clean cloth in club soda and use it to blot the stained area. Repeat a few times if you think the stain is getting lighter.
- If club soda doesn’t work, follow the next steps.
- Mix water and white vinegar (1 to 1 ratio).
- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
- Spray the mixture on the problem area and let it soak in for about 15 minutes.
- Now press down the sponge onto the soaked area. The sponge will soak up the diluted stain as well as the residual cleaning solution.
- You may have to repeat the process a few times for best results.
- Once the stain is gone, use clean, warm water to rinse the spot.
- Brush the ruffled carpet fibres into the direction that they were before.
- Next, place a few paper towels over the treated area and keep them in place using something heavy. Let the paper towels stay there for about a day. This will help remove dampness from your carpet.
Vinegar and water can also be a useful remedy for how to get slime out of carpet.
2. Washing Your Carpet
Here’s how to clean carpet at home without a machine. Although it is a daunting task, the results you get will be worth your time and effort!
Things you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Carpet shampoo
- Warm water
- Spray bottles
- Dry towels
Method:
- Sprinkle baking soda over your carpet or area rug and then use a vacuum to thoroughly remove the loose debris.
- Fill up an empty spray bottle with warm water and add 2-3 drops of carpet shampoo. Mix well and spray this solution over the carpet. Make sure not to saturate the fibers of your carpet.
- Use a carpet brush to get rid of trapped dust particles.
- Use dry towels to blot the area and soak up moisture from the carpet.
- Now fill up a spray bottle with fresh water and spray over the carpet.
- Now, with a fresh set of dry towels, blot and soak up the remaining moisture.
- Finally, brush your carpet with a carpet grooming brush.
Wondering how to get pee smell out of carpet? Use baking soda because it is known to combat unpleasant odours.
3. Window Cleaner
Don’t have a carpet cleaner? Don’t worry! A window cleaner is all you need to get the job done. Here is how to clean carpet using this easy and inexpensive solution
Things you’ll need:
- Window cleaner
- Water
- Spray bottle
Method:
- Make a cleaning solution by mixing together water and window cleaner in equal parts.
- Spray the solution on the stain or dirty area of your carpet.
- Let it soak for a few minutes and then use a white towel or paper towels to remove it.
4. Corn Starch
Another kitchen cabinet staple that doubles up as a carpet stain remover is cornstarch. This dry, non-messy method is perfect for those looking to get the job done without getting their carpet wet. Both cornstarch and baking soda can effectively soak up oil and grease.
Things you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Corn starch
Method:
- Take equal quantities of baking soda and cornstarch and mix.
- Now sprinkle this mixture on the problem area of the carpet and let it sit for about 20 minutes.
- You can gently dab the mixture on the stain but do not scrub.
- After that, use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the mixture.
- You may have to repeat the process a few times before you get good results.
5. Ice
Few things are as cringeworthy as spotting a chewing gum stuck to your carpet. Maybe you have a house full of kids or perhaps someone brought it along with their shoes. The point is, getting rid of this sticky mess can be quite a hassle. But lucky for you, there is an easy way out!
Things you’ll need:
- Ice cubes
- Plastic bag
- Scissors
Method:
- Put the ice cubes in the plastic bag and set it on top of the chewing gum for about a minute.
- Once the gum has hardened, use a fork or a spoon to lift it up.
- Now using the pair of scissors, carefully cut the carpet strands.
- Make sure to cut the fibres as close to the gum as possible.
6. Dishwashing Soap
Wondering how to remove stains from carpet? Let us show you how! Liquid Dishwashing soap may come in handy for removing carpet stains, especially if we are dealing with stubborn grease stains or other water soluble stains. The only thing you need to take care of is not to use too much of the liquid soap to avoid sticky residue.
Things you’ll need:
- Non bleach, Clear liquid dishwashing. detergent – 2 to 3 drops
- Warm water – 1 cup
- Paper towel
Method:
- Make a solution by mixing the dishwashing detergent with warm water.
- Now dip the paper towel in this solution and dab the greasy stain. Start from the outer edge of the stain and work your way to the middle.
- Once the stain is gone, use a white towel to dab the spot to get rid of residual cleaning solution.
- Alternatively, you can pour the water-soap mixture into a spray bottle and soak the stain. After a few minutes, blot the stain using a white towel.
- You may need to repeat the treatment a few times to get rid of bigger or older stains.
For greasy spills, make sure to use grease cutting dish soap. This hack is also a great solution for how to get blood out of carpet.
13 Tips To Keep Your Carpet Dust-Free
These effective tips can help you keep your carpet dust and stain free for long:
- Have a ‘no chappals on the carpet’ rule. This will help keep away dust particles that can seep down and settle on your carpet.
- Avoid laying a carpet in the busy areas of your home (for instance, the living room). Also, do not cover the area around shoe racks. This can help stop the spread of filthy germs.
- Make sure to keep a doormat at the entrance of your home. Clean the mat frequently.
- While removing stains on your carpet, make sure not to rub in too harshly to avoid harming its fibres.
- Avoid using heat treatment (using iron or hair dryers) to remove spots and stains. Heat may dry up the stains, making them permanent.
- For best results, clean your carpet with a steam based deep cleaning machine on a regular basis.
- Call in professional carpet cleaning services every once in a while.
- Deep carpet cleaning should be conducted at least twice a year, preferably during summer and spring. This will also help get rid of bugs that may have sneaked under your carpet.
- Act immediately in case of spills. The more you delay, the harder it will be to remove the stains.
- As far as possible, use mild solutions. Use strong chemicals only in case of stubborn or old stains.
- Make sure to vacuum your carpet on a regular basis.
- Want to know how to remove nail polish from carpet? Blot the stain with a napkin dipped in nail polish remover.
- For how to get ink out of carpet, use rubbing alcohol.
Keeping your floor carpet in top shape may seem like a daunting task. But with these remedies, you can keep your carpet looking clean and fresh without spending your money on pricey carpet cleaning supplies. #BeALittleMore innovative and creative by using these simple, low-budget hacks on how to wash a rug!
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