Got a carpet for your home but it doesn’t look new anymore? These tips will teach you how to clean your carpet effectively and get back that brand new look.

• Regular clean-ups:

  • Your carpet is the main focus of your room. So, keeping it clean by vacuuming it at least once a week or fortnightly is a habit that will extend the life of your carpet.
  • Prevent dust accumulation by doing so, especially if there are children in the house.

• Affairs in odour:

  • Baking soda is a regular for getting rid of odours in general and it works just as well on carpets.
  • If your carpet is unattached to the floor, drying it in the sun is the most natural way to get rid of a stench.
  • Another option would be to add 5-7 drops of your favourite essential oil to any cleaning concoction, spritz the carpet and vacuum after a few minutes.

• Mould / Mildew:

  • A mixture of lemon juice and salt or hydrogen peroxide (3% or less) and water will help in killing the fungi that cause moulds.
  • A non-chlorine bleach would work just as well but testing it out on an inconspicuous area of the carpet first is advisable.

• Accidental spills:
  

  

  The best way to reduce damage to the carpet due to a spill is by absorbing most of the liquid as quickly as possible with a dry, white cloth. 

   

  • Never rub a stain as it will reinforce the stain/debris into the carpet and wreck the carpet fibres. We cannot stress more on this fact.
  • Work your way inward by starting the blotting process from the edges of the spill.
  • In case of food, pick it up off the carpet and pat the area lightly with a soft, clean paper towel.
  • Apply dry baking soda on the area and let it sit until it foams and pat the area again.
  • Do not rub the stain as it will push the matter deeper inside and make it extremely ugly and difficult to work with later.
  • Wine stains can be taken out by first applying cold water and then by using –
    • A generous amount of salt to absorb the liquid
      OR
    • A mixture of a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide (upto 3%) and dish soap. This is best saved for light coloured fabrics as hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent. Spray soapy water and subsequently, lukewarm water after that.
      OR
    • White wine / vodka dilutes the red colour when applied instantly to the red wine spill. Blot the area with a sponge and apply a thick baking soda paste on it. Cover the stain with a clean cloth and apply slight pressure to it. Let it sit overnight and vacuum the baking soda once it is dry.
  • Coffee and other stains can be taken out by using ordinary shaving cream or a liberal amount of club soda and letting it stay for a few minutes before spraying it with water.

• Ink blot:

  • Pure alcohol will make your ink worries disappear, because that’s where the magic of alcohol lies. Use alcohol on the ink stain to release it from the fibres.
  • Always blot ink or any other liquid from the outside to the inside to avoid spreading the spill.
  • Shaving cream can also be used to get rid of an ink blot. But, make sure you get rid of the foam that is formed by adding water, dabbing gently and vacuuming.

• Greasy smears:

  • Corn flour can help to get rid of sticky messes on the carpet as it dries out the stickiness. But, it must be used immediately.
  • Chewing gum and other sticky substances can also be taken off by using an ice cube to harden them first.

• Wane wax:

  • Do not fret if wax has dripped onto your precious carpet, especially if it has dried up. Heating it will make it come off just as easily. Place a white cloth over it and iron the cloth for a little less than 30 seconds to warm it up, so that you can scrape it off with a butter knife.

• Oil aboard / Crying over crayon:

  • One teaspoon of dishwashing liquid (without bleach) should be diluted in one cup of water and sprayed onto the carpet and blotted until the oil / crayon stain lifts.

• Blood work:

  • Paper cuts or other causes of blood drops on your carpet shouldn’t raise your blood pressure since the dried blood can be made loose with a concoction of water and a mild detergent. It can then be scraped off. The remaining blood can be removed with hydrogen peroxide. Foaming is normal on application. Blot with a dry towel to finish up.

• Pet peeves:

  • The most well-trained furry friends can accidentally muck up the carpet. One easy, but gradual, DIY solution to this is to create a blend of 30ml of water, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1/2 a cup of citrus fruit peels (like oranges or lemons) in a container. Shake it well and let it sit for 3 months (you read that right) and your naturally prepared suspension will be ready for a cleaning.

• Throw ups:

  • Blot as much as you possibly can and dilute it with club soda or baking soda. Then apply 1 tablespoon of ammonia to 10 tablespoons of water and spray it on the soiled area. Let it sit for a few minutes, spray cold water over it and then blot again. Vacuum the area after it has dried.

• Water trouble:

  • We know that most of the remedies we have given you make use of water. But, that is because your carpet has already been ruined. Water ruins carpet texture so keep it as far as it can be kept from carpets, unless it is needed for cleaning.
  • In case of a spill, blot the area and absorb as much water as possible with a dry cloth or paper towels.
  • If there is excess moisture in the carpet, place thick white towels on the spot and weigh them down with a heavy object like a big book to add some pressure.

Quick suggestions:

• As much as you might have heard about vinegar being a good stain remover, avoid using it since it contains acid and that could ruin the carpet’s delicateness.
• One obvious piece of advice that we’d like to remind you of is to test any new cleaning method on a small area first.
• To prevent the carpet from catching rust stains from furniture, place a foil or plastic sheet beneath the legs.
• If your carpet has lost some colour in the cleaning process, touch it up with a little acrylic paint, felt pens or permanent marker.

While looking to buy a home, one of the first things a buyer notices is the condition of the carpet. So, keeping it well-maintained will increase the chances of a sale you’ve been wanting to bag.

These solutions cover, pretty much, every carpet complication that could arise and are enough to get you through the tough day you might need them for. Hopefully, you don’t wonder about how to clean your carpet on such a day. Bookmark this guide to access it whenever you need to. Until then, you learn something new every day.

Do let us know if you have any additional information relevant to carpet cleaning in the comment section below.