People often put carpets of different colors in their living rooms to add style, comfort, and coziness. However, once these carpets get dirty from dust and debris, you can feel uncomfortable sitting on them because the dirt may stick to your clothes.

With that said, this article will guide you through various methods of cleaning carpets. These procedures include using vacuum cleaners, carpet shampoos, natural solutions, and hiring professionals to perform the process of hot water extraction. You may continue reading to learn more!

How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet?

It is best to clean your carpets at least once a week, or more frequently if your house has children or pets. Still, you need to clean up spills and stains right away to keep them from sticking to the rug. If you want deep cleaning, you can hire professional cleaners or do it yourself twice a year. 

How Do You Clean A Carpet?

Knowing how to clean your carpets will save you hundreds of dollars. That is because if you leave your rugs dirty and soaked in mud, they can get damaged, forcing you to replace them. Hence, without further ado, here are ways to maintain your carpet’s cleanliness!

1. Using Vacuum Cleaners

Although people got used to vacuuming their carpets whenever they wanted, it is still advisable to follow a routine to eliminate dust and dirt effectively. With that, you can follow the following tips for vacuuming your carpets:

  1. Vacuum the entrance and high-traffic areas twice a week and the rest of the carpet once a week.
  2. Ensure the bag and filter are clean to guarantee that its suction power will work.
  3. Vacuum slowly to eliminate as much debris and dirt as possible.
  4. Set the vacuum’s height not too low because it can damage the carpet, but not too high because it may not remove dirt.

2. Applying Carpet Shampoos

Carpet shampoos are also commonly used in carpet cleaning. You can find different brands of carpet shampoo, but the best way to use them is to follow the directions on the labels. However, here are the usual steps for using them:

  1. Create or mix the solution as instructed on the product’s packaging. Generally, these carpet shampoos will only require you to dilute the product with water.
  2. Apply an ample amount of carpet shampoo to cover the stained area.
  3. Remember not to make the carpet soaked with the solution because it will take longer to dry. Also, it may be a waste of detergent.
  4. If you notice parts with tough stains, you may grab a hard-bristled brush to scrub them.
  5. Let the entire carpet dry.
  6. Once it becomes dried out, you can vacuum the shampoo to finish.

3. Spot Cleaning Stains

As mentioned above, you must remove stains and spills as quickly as possible. If the dirty spot is liquid, you can blot the moisture away with a white cloth or paper towel. We advise not using napkins and towels that may not be colorfast.

On the other hand, if it is a solid mud stain or dropped food, you can grab a dull knife or the edge of a credit card to lift them away. Please do not rub it because it may push the dirt deeper into the fibers. After that, you may proceed to clean the carpet using solutions.

4. Mixing Baking Soda And Salt

If you want a natural way of cleaning your carpet, you can follow these steps to make it dirt-free using baking soda and salt.

  1. Vacuum or sweep your carpet to eliminate loose soil.
  2. Mix a one-to-one mixture of salt and baking soda in a small bowl or bucket. Fill one spray bottle with cold water.
  3. Liberally spray the solution onto the carpet. Then, get a bottle of plain water and sprinkle it again until the carpet gets damp (but not soaked).
  4. Use a scrub brush to let the baking soda sit in the carpet fibre.
  5. Wipe away the loosened mud or dirt.
  6. Air dry and use a vacuum to remove the baking soda left on the carpet.

5. Using Distilled White Vinegar

On the other hand, here are the steps for using distilled white vinegar to clean carpet stains:

  1. Spot-clean visible stains, and vacuum the carpet to eliminate loose soil, dirt, dust, and debris.
  2. Mix three parts of cold water and one part of distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle. 
  3. Spray the solution on the carpet until it gets damp. Remember not to let it get soaked with the liquid.
  4. Wait for five minutes to let the soil break down upon coming in contact with the solution.
  5. Get a microfiber cloth to remove the dirt and the solution. You may get a bucket of clean water to rinse it from time to time.
  6. Let it dry. You can also put plastic sheeting or tarps to prevent staining while letting it dry.

6. Hiring Professionals For Hot Water Extractions

Hot water extraction, known as steam cleaning, is best for cleaning synthetic carpets. The process usually includes pre-treating the stain with a detergent solution, rinsing it with hot water under high pressure, and vacuuming it to finish. Nevertheless, hiring professionals to do this may cost you between $300 and $500.

If you think you can do it alone using a rented machine, we recommend not doing it because you might only remove surface dirt but not everything that goes deeper than what you see. Hiring someone to deep clean your carpet will effectively remove allergens, greasy residues, and dust. Worry less because you only need to hire one every 12 to 18 months.

Conclusion!

Not only does it remove stains and solid dirt, but cleaning carpets will also prolong the life of your favorite piece in your living room. There may be numerous ways to do it, but here are our last tips: do not let your carpet become dirty for a long time, and not every cheap cleaning process is worth it!

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