Carpet cleaning - Instructions for 12 home remedies such as baking soda & Co.

• preparation
• Clean carpet
  • Vollwaschmittel
  • oxygen bleach
  • propellant
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Lemon juice and vinegar
  • salt
  • Mineral water
  • ice cubes
  • aspirin
  • Baby shampoo
  • blotting paper
  • shaving cream

Whether red wine or leftovers, a dirty carpet is not a nice sight and disturbs the previously appealing ambience immensely. There are many chemical-based cleaners on the market that promise to clean the flooring, but home remedies are also available for this purpose that can be effectively used against dirt and stains. And some of them without chemistry.

Carpets have to endure a lot, especially in households with pets or children. Even a spilled glass of cola can cause unsightly stains and unpleasant odors, which are difficult to remove from the fabric if they are not treated properly. Due to the different levels of soiling, the same agent can not be used for each stain unless you rely on chemical carpet cleaners. However, these are more expensive and more aggressive than traditional home remedies, which have been used for decades for the cleaning of carpet fabrics, and are still available today for cleaning. Other advantages of these funds are the fast availability and low cost.

preparation

The use of home remedies for carpets is only required as soon as stains or soiling present that can not be removed via the basic cleaning. Examples include red wine, blood, urine or dried wax. That is, you must first determine what kind of stain it is and then use the remedy to effectively remove it. You must pay attention to the following instructions in order not to aggravate the contamination:

• Remove contaminants in a timely manner: otherwise these could dry out more and make cleaning much more difficult
• Never rub or rub on stains: this will drive the dirt deeper into the fabric
• Dab off spots only
• work from the outside in: that is, you treat first the edge of pollution, then the interior. Thus, an enlargement of the spot is counteracted.
• First test the cleaning agent in a clean place: this will allow you to test whether the material can withstand the home remedy
• Never treat stains with steam appliances: this would only burn the stains in the carpet

These preparations and tips help to protect the carpet from possible damage that could result from improper use of the products.

Clean carpet

The home remedies presented can be quickly raised and ensure good cleaning results as soon as they are applied correctly. To make this possible, some utensils are still recommended for cleaning. You need this:

• vacuum cleaner
• soft sponge or cleaning wipes
• paper towels
• Knife (not too sharp, for example a butter knife) or spatula made of plastic
• Bucket for mixing solutions
• Gloves (recommended for all cleaning steps)

Tip: Avoid the use of the vacuum cleaner on the frequently offered carpet brushes. These are less effective than hoped and the funds can be more easily sucked from the carpet with the conventional attachment, even if this requires more power.

Vollwaschmittel

Heavy-duty detergent is a proven remedy for yellowed fringes in light carpets, as it brightens due to the bleach contained. It is applied as follows:

• Place plastic foil (eg plastic wrap) under the entire carpet
• mix heavy duty detergent and hot water
• as a result, only the bleaching agent is exposed
• dip a sponge in the solution
• work them thoroughly in the fringe
• Leave the remedy for a few hours, as needed throughout the night
• Then rinse the fringes with a clean cloth soaked in water
• let dry

Cost: 10 - 30 euros depending on brand and quantity

oxygen bleach

This miracle solution of soda and sodium percarbonate is used for stains on pure woolen and virgin wool carpets, as these fibers are extremely sensitive to chemical cleaning agents. The usage:

• Dissolve oxygen bleach in heated water
• Add a few drops of detergent
• dip a sponge in the solution
• Now gently press with this on the stain until it is soaked
• Be careful not to spread the solution over the size of the contamination
• that could fade the non-polluted fibers
• Now use a clean dishwashing brush and gently press the bristles onto the stain
• the longer the bristles, the more effective
• Carefully move the bristles of the brush in gentle shaking motions
• this dissolves the pollution
• then let it work for a quarter of an hour
• Press a dry towel on the spot and dry
• Repeat this procedure two or three times, depending on the degree of soiling
• to suck off the agent at the end

Cost: 7 - 20 euros

propellant

Soda and baking soda can also be used as home remedies and work in the same way as baking soda contains soda. Usually you have one of the two propellants in the house, with soda is used less often than baking soda. The propellants are used for all carpets, except wool and oriental rugs:

• the stains and dirt are sprinkled with sufficient propellant
• the more intense the pollution, the more is needed
• Gently rub in circular motions with a rinse or root brush
• pour boiling water into a spray bottle
• Do not scald yourself!
• Moisten the dirt sufficiently
• Exposure time: 4 - 5 hours
• then aspirate

Cost: less than 1 Euro, soda usually cheaper

Dishwashing liquid

Gentle dishwashing detergent, also from the organic store, is ideal for all types of soiling from food waste, especially chocolate. The reason for this is the fat dissolving power. Proceed as follows:

• Mix detergent and warm water
• spread with a sponge on the stains
• leave for about ten to 15 minutes
• dab with a cloth
• stubborn chocolate stains should be removed beforehand with a knife or spatula

Cost: 1 - 3 euros

Tip: As an alternative to dishwashing detergent, you can use glass cleaner. This looks similar and can be used for a large number of carpets.

Lemon juice and vinegar

Lemon juice and vinegar essence have the same effect on heavily dried stains of all kinds and especially vinegar essence effectively works on old red wine stains:

• soak the stain with enough lemon juice or vinegar essence
• Depending on your preference, dilute the home remedies or pure on the stain
• Exposure time: 10 minutes
• then dab with a soft cloth
• never rub with red wine stains

Cost: less than 2 euros

Tip: Both remedies have a brightening effect, so first test the underside of the carpet to see if the fibers of your carpet are bleached by the effect.

salt

Salt, especially iodine salt, is one of the most important home remedies for the immediate cleansing of red wine stains and grape juice:

• Add the salt immediately after spilling onto the red wine stain
• the salt now absorbs the red wine
• The salt does not allow the liquid to settle in the fibers
• You can increase the effect by additionally pouring mineral water on the stains
• vacuum after a short exposure time

Cost: under 50 cents

Mineral water

Mineral water is a home remedy that frees the oriental rug from soiling. This type of carpet is very delicate and the gentle effect of the bubble can be used well here:

• use a sparkling water with a lot of carbon dioxide (sparkling)
• Place a plastic wrap under the carpet before treatment
• Now pour enough mineral water on the stains
• Exposure time: 10 minutes
• then dab with kitchen paper

Cost: under 1 Euro

ice cubes

Ice cubes are the best home remedy to rid the carpet of wax or bubble gum. No matter what kind of carpet, ice cubes work wonders here, especially on delicate carpets, such as flokati:

• prepare ice cubes
• fill this in a freezer bag and seal it
• Put the bag on the wax or chewing gum
• wait until the wax or gum hardens
• then remove the stains with a blunt knife or a spatula

Cost: under 1 Euro

Tip: Alternatively, you can also use a cold pack, but please do not use frozen food or ice cream containers.

aspirin

Aspirin not only has a relaxing effect on headaches, but is a perfect home remedy for bloodstains. Since it is extremely difficult to remove blood from the carpet, the headache remedy can be effectively used for this purpose. This works particularly well with sisal carpets:

• Dissolve a tablet in warm water
• Use only a cotton cloth for this
• dip this into the water and dab the stain off
• repeat this process until the blood spots have disappeared
• never rub here either

Cost: about 10 euros

Baby shampoo

If you have a high pile carpet, you should use a pH neutral baby shampoo instead of a chemical cleaner. In contrast to blowing agents such as baking soda and soda, this does not fade:

• Fill a bathtub or large bowl of lukewarm water
• Add enough baby shampoo
• Mix this and put the carpet in it
• swing the carpet through the water
• so distribute the solution and ensure a thorough cleaning of the carpet
• then rinse with cold water
• hang up to dry
• For persistent stains, simply leave it on for a long time.

Cost: 5 euros

blotting paper

Blotting paper also helps against wax:

• place blotting paper on the wax stain
• Heat the blotter with an iron or a hair dryer
• the wax liquefies and is absorbed by blotting paper

Cost: 1 - 3 euros

shaving cream

Shaving foam is often used as an all-purpose cleaner or as an alternative to carpet foam and works against light soiling or dusty carpets. The shaving cream is applied as follows

• Choose a shaving cream without menthol, dyes or many additives
• apply the shaving cream to the dirt
• Water is not needed for this
• rub it very carefully
• then vacuum thoroughly

Cost: 3 - 5 euros