We all vacuum our homes on a regular basis. But, how often do you clean the carpet in your house? The answer is probably not enough. The reason for this is that professional carpet cleaning services are very expensive. This is particularly true if you have a large home and it has a lot of carpet.
If you have a lot of foot traffic in your house, as well as having kits and pets, it is recommended that you clean your carpet at least four times a year. In particular, if anybody in your home has allergies, this should be a more consistent basis. For example, this can be as often as once per month.
The good news is that you do not always have to fork out for a costly carpet cleaning service. Instead, you can enjoy do it yourself carpet cleaning. There are a few options open to you, depending on your budget and situation.
Do It Yourself Carpet Cleaning – Buy a Carpet Shampooer Machine
If you have ever hired a professional carpet cleaner before, you may have seen their industrial-sized carpet cleaning equipment. Think about it as a huge and noisy vacuum. Well, over the last few years, there has been real growth in the market when it comes to do it yourself carpet cleaning machines. They are often referred to as carpet shampooers. Essentially, this is a smaller version of the equipment used by professionals.
The Advantages
There are many benefits of using a carpet shampooer, which is why a lot of people invest in one for their home. Namely, they operate just like an ordinary vacuum. This makes it easy to wash your carpet and it does not require a lot of manual work. It is quick and the longest part is going to be the drying time.
People are impressed with the difference a carpet shampooer can make. In particular, it can be a good way to deep clean your carpet. You can keep up with this strategy on a regular basis and remove all of the stains and marks you see. What’s more, carpet shampooers often have a dirty water tank. This allows you to visually see how much dirt and grime can come off your carpet.
What’s more, there are a lot of carpet shampoos you can choose from. This means that you can select one that is especially for odors or pets for a better clean. You can also select a nice fragrance that prevents chemical smells in your home.
Things to Know
You should be aware that there is going to be an initial expense to purchase a carpet shampooer. The price can vary anywhere from $80 to $500, depending on the abilities of the machine. It is important to note that you want a carpet shampooer that has good suction and cleaning abilities. Therefore, it is not always the best idea to buy the cheapest model that is out there. You will have to do your research to ensure that you do not waste your money.
In addition, you will have to regularly purchase carpet shampoo to use in the machine. There is a variety you can choose from, depending on the scent or whether you have pets. But it can work out costly, so this is something to be prepared for.
A lot of carpet shampooers have a trigger mechanism for cleaning the carpet. You will have to be careful not to saturate the carpet. Too much moisture can lead to damaging the carpet pile and underlay. Ensure that you read the instructions carefully for this do it yourself carpet cleaning method.
Use a Steam Cleaner
Another piece of equipment you can use in your home to clean your carpet is a steam cleaner. This is often a device that people purchase to clean floors in the kitchen and bathroom. But it can actually be used to clean the carpet too. Just as the name suggests, this cleaning appliance uses steam in order to sanitize and remove dirt. Often, they come with a carpet attachment that allows them to glide over the surface and clean the pile.
The Advantages
Just like vacuums, steam cleaners are easy to use and run over the carpet in your home. Often, they are lightweight and easier to operate than a carpet shampooer. They are also going to work out cheaper and can be a versatile tool in your home, with the ability to use them on other floor surfaces and furnishings.
In addition, there is no need to purchase shampoo. Steam cleaning is an effective way to kill viruses, bacteria, and germs that might be present on your carpet. So, not only does a steam cleaner remove dirt and grease, but it can actually sanitize your carpet too. This is all without the need for any harsh chemicals or shampoo.
Things to Know
One thing to realize with a steam cleaner is that it may take a while to clean the whole carpet. The surface area they can clean is a lot smaller than a carpet shampooer. So, you will need to ensure that you have enough time to do this.
Steam cleaners are also not going to be as effective as deep cleaners. For example, a carpet shampooer often has a rotating brush that can get deep down into the carpet pile. This can be more difficult to achieve with a steam cleaner.
Hand Clean with Vinegar
If you do not want to go out and purchase any new equipment to wash your carpet, you can clean it by hand instead. In fact, a lot of people like to get back to basics and feel like they can do better cleaning the home with a bucket and some water. Well, this is our next technique to clean the carpet in your home. All you are going to need is a bucket, which you are going to fill with warm water. Then you can add a quarter cup of white vinegar. Then you are going to take a scrub brush and use some elbow grease to clean the carpet.
The Advantages
One of the best things about hand cleaning your carpet with vinegar is you do not need a lot of equipment or ingredients. Most people already have white vinegar in their cupboards and these standard cleaning tools. So, it is just a case of mixing them together and getting to work.
The fact that you are cleaning by hand can give you a lot of control when it comes to stains and dark spots. You can apply more pressure and more solution to these areas. Of course, since you are down on your hands and knees, you will be able to see the carpet better and what areas to concentrate on.
The good thing about using white vinegar is this acts as a safe disinfectant in the home. It is able to destroy bacterial pathogens and viruses, which is going to leave your carpet sanitized and clean.
Things to Know About This Do It Yourself Carpet Cleaning
Since you are going to be using a liquid solution on your carpet, you have to ensure that you do not leave it saturated. Over time, this is going to damage your carpet and it can increase the risk of mold and mildew growth. So, you want to be very careful. One technique you can use is to grab a cloth towel and press it all over the carpet when you are finished. This is going to trap any excess water and vinegar.
If you do not like the smell of vinegar, this is not going to be the cleaning solution for you. It is likely to linger in the room after you have cleaned and this might not be something that you want.
Hand Clean with Baking Soda
If you do not have any vinegar in your kitchen cupboards or you do not like this cleaning solution, you can always use baking soda. This is a very handy product to have in your home since it is so versatile. Indeed, one of its uses is cleaning the carpet.
All you are going to need to do with this technique is to sprinkle baking soda all over the carpet. If there are any stains or bad areas, you can be more liberal with how much baking soda you use. Then you can take a spray bottle filled with hot water and use it on the carpet, aiming for the baking soda. Leave this on your carpet for several hours. This is going to allow the baking soda to work its magic. Simply use a vacuum to clean up afterward.
The Advantages
What we like about this cleaning solution is that it is very cheap and you will often have everything you need to get started. If not, baking soda is only going to be a few dollars at your local store. It is going to uplift stains from your carpet and get rid of any odors from pets or other substances that have been on the floor.
Another benefit of this technique is there is not a lot of manual labor. There is no scrubbing or getting down on your knees. Instead, it is very simple and all ages can clean the carpet this way. Baking soda is going to absorb the dirt and uplift odors from the carpet pile by itself.
Again, the same advice applies when you are using any liquid solution, be careful with how much water you spray on your carpet. The last thing you want is to cause damage in the long term.
Things to Know about This Carpet Cleaning Solution
If you have a really old carpet that needs a deep clean, this might not be the best technique for you to use. It may be difficult to clean the carpet evenly, and this can result in a patchy job. If you have bad stains or dark spots, it may be best to dry baking soda on these areas first. Alternatively, scrubbing might be better.
Another thing to remember with using baking soda is that you will have to vacuum thoroughly afterward. Take your time and make sure that you get all of the solutions off the carpet before allowing children and pets to play.
Ideally, you need to leave the baking soda on the carpet for at least three hours. So, if you are looking for a quick solution, this might not be the one for you.
To Summarize Do It Yourself Do It Yourself Carpet Cleaning
When you want to clean your carpet, you no longer have to hire professional services to do it for you. You can save money and choose do it yourself carpet cleaning solutions instead. If you have more of a budget to play with, a carpet shampooer machine is going to be a good investment. This is a good way to deep clean your home and revitalize your carpet. For versatility and spot cleaning, a steam cleaner can be a good way to rejuvenate the surfaces in your house. You can also enjoy peace of mind and know you are not using any chemicals and are killing germs.
If you are not afraid to use some elbow grease and want to clean your carpet on a budget, there are some manual techniques you can use. You can create a cleaning solution with vinegar that is going to remove dirt and get rid of bacteria. Just ensure that you do not saturate and damage the carpet and underlay. For a surface clean, you can also try using baking soda. After a few hours, it will be necessary to thoroughly vacuum the area before children and pets can use the carpet.
Have you discovered during cleaning that you have a pest problem? This is also something you can do yourself. Read our article here!
