How to Clean Carpeting
Carpet cleaning is necessary for its maintenance, especially when there are children or pets around. A good vacuum is a fine way to start, but in the end, a more comprehensive cleaning procedure is the only way to keep a carpet looking neat and smelling fresh.
Required Materials
Borax and cornmeal
Baking soda
Cornstarch
Perfumed talcum powder
Dry cleaning powder
Required Tools
Vacuum
New broom
Clean paper towels
Carpet shampooer and water
Step One: Pre-cleaning
Oddly enough, performing a few pre-cleaning activities may be the trick to putting off a water-based cleaning project.
Begin by using a new broom to give the carpet a good, stiff look. This will loosen the dirt and get the nap to stand up. Next, mix a cup of borax with two cups of cornmeal to reduce odors. Let it stand for about an hour, after which you should vacuum. Follow this up with ¾ of a cup of baking soda and 2 tbs. cornstarch as a freshener.
Step Two: Vacuum Regularly
In order to keep your carpet lush, it is important to vacuum it regularly, preferably daily.
Step Three: Wet Cleaning
Eventually, you will need to give your carpet a wet cleaning. You should be careful when using carpet shampoo, which tends to stay in the yarn if not washed off properly.
Step Four: Water and Vinegar
As an alternative to using a shampoo product, give your carpet a wash using a wet cleaner to do it. You can rent a machine that uses water to get the job done. Go over the carpet using a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and 2 ½ gallons of water. The vinegar works to remove the shampoo that has been left in the carpet from previous shampooing.
Ultimately, this will leave an improved, clean carpet, with the shampoo residue being removed. Go over the carpet once again with plain warm water and you’ll be done for some time to come.
Step Five: Getting Rid of Stains from Food
The most common causes of carpet stains are food and red ****. A 70/30 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide should do the trick of getting rid of such stains.