How To Clean Old Carpet At Home

If y'all hate your rug because it'due south old, stained, and bordering on disgusting, I have keen news. There are steps yous tin take that will accept you falling in love with it all over again.

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Years ago when nosotros remodeled our home, nosotros replaced some of the carpets with hardwood. What a revelation. Now I could see the clay and dust and, honestly, I couldn't believe what accumulated in such a curt time on those wood floors. Of course, I never saw information technology on the carpet but I know information technology was there all forth. What a wake-up telephone call it was to come across the old carpeting removed, rolled up and hauled abroad.

Hither'southward what we need to know and never forget: Regardless of the color, brand, or fashion—carpet hides dirt. This is non a skilful thing.

On the 1 hand, I beloved carpet for the warm, cozy way information technology can make a room feel, especially a bedchamber. Only the thought of what's in it gives me a slightly creepy feeling. I used to remember that occasional vacuuming was sufficient. Now I know better.

Still, even with its power to harbor and hide all kinds of dirt and crud, I'yard not ready to completely give up the carpet in my home! Even if I did, yous tin can be sure that shortly I would exist shopping for area rugs. And so what'due south the difference? Carpet is carpet and all of information technology gets skanky, gross, and ugly if not well cared for.

And what well-nigh those stains? On my wood floors, I wipe upwards spills instantly. But stains or spills on the carpet? I used to turn a bullheaded center. It's a lesson I had to learn the hard way. And while I may not vacuum daily, I can hope you there are no stains on my carpeting and no muddy paths either.

Vacuum Regularly

As often as you sweep, mop, and or dust your hard surface floor—that's how frequently you should be vacuuming the carpet. Just because y'all tin't see the clay, dust, droppings, footprints, crumbs, and hair doesn't hateful it's not at that place! Allowing any of that to burrow down into the carpet pile is going to turn your carpet into a disgusting state of affairs.

You lot need a vacuum with super potent suction to remove clay, dust, and crud rapidly and easily. Weekly vacuuming is not also often. Twice a week—much ameliorate. Daily vacuuming of heavy traffic areas? Even improve. The best style to vacuum carpet is to memorize this routine.

Treat Spots Immediately

Sugary liquids, sticky food, grease, mud, pet urine, and excrement—these are the blight of beautiful carpet. If yous don't want to hate your rug you'll selection up and remove spills and then deep clean the expanse equally presently as possible afterward it occurs.

Allowed to remain for whatever menstruation of time, spots become stains and stains volition exist difficult, if non impossible, to remove. I employ, rely on, and highly recommend CarpetAid+ available online and some stores like Dwelling Depot and Lowes. It is fabulous! CarpetAid+ comes in an aerosol can and dispenses like shaving cream, which makes it super easy to use.

CarpetAid+ carpet and upholstery stain cleaner works like magic! on tough stains like traffic, clay, oil, pet accidents, and vino spills.

Wash Frequently

At least in one case every iii months, wash (shampoo, steam clean) your carpet. Investing in your own carpet cleaning machine would be a wise choice. The machine will pay for itself the kickoff time you use it instead of calling in the pros.

You won't find a better machine than Hoover SteamVac. I've had mine formore than a dozen years and it's working as hard at present equally it did when it was new. And I've recently added the 2022 version to my collection, and it's a dazzler!

The Best Affair I Ever Bought

I cannot think of anything I've ever purchased that can acme my Hoover SteamVac, I bought information technology on December. 7, 2008, and I only know that considering there it is in my Amazon order history—$147 with free shipping. All these years afterwards—while however enjoying my spotlessly make clean carpet, Hoover is notwithstanding performing flawlessly. I wouldn't desire to live without my workhorse, Hoover. Over the year the Hoover folks take upgraded this auto and even given information technology a new name (on the right, and recently added to my drove)—still an amazing product.

It'due south Been a Long Fourth dimension

If information technology's been so long y'all tin't remember when you lot last cleaned your carpet, and it is really, horribly, embarrassingly dirty and smelly—cleaning it with hot water alone (meet The Best Thing I Ever Bought) is non going to cut it. You need to add a high-quality, commercial-grade carpet shampoo product to your cleaning auto. Or make it yourself. But be prepared to rinse, rinse, and rinse some more. Y'all must extract every molecule of lather or detergent that yous lay down and soaks into the rug. Any that remains will become a magnet, attracting new clay, dust, and crud.

DIY Carpet Shampoo Solution

1 cup Oxiclean Stain Remover (NOT Oxiclean Detergent), 1 cup Febreze, and 1 cup white vinegar. Pour ingredients into carpet cleaning motorcar adding hot water to the fill line. This will not only clean your carpets information technology volition also deodorize. Information technology will odour slightly of vinegar until the carpet is dry. Be sure to test in an inconspicuous place first, just to be rubber. This should be safe for all carpets.

Nok-Out

If afterward deep cleaning your carpet is still not smelling sweet and fresh—with lingering undertones of pet urine—it'south fourth dimension to bring out the big gun Nok-Out. Nok-Out is available direct from the company at Nokout.com. Or call 866-551-1927 to speak direct with owner Ted Price if you need more help with a specific stinky situation.

Clean

Clean the carpeting first—make clean it as best you tin even if that takes several repeats. And so adhere to the following protocol from our friends at Nok-Out.

Neutralize

Nok-Out has a pH of 8.5 and works all-time in an element of group i environment. If you have used acidic cleaning products such every bit vinegar used previously (like for treating spots or spills), you must neutralize that acid by spraying club soda or a mild baking soda solution (1 teaspoon baking soda to 2 cups h2o) to the carpet using a spray bottle before applying Nok-Out to the surface area.

Allow this solution to dry before continuing the odor removal procedures. This step volition neutralize any acids left behind by other cleaners on your carpeting and allow Nok-Out to work most efficiently and effectively.

Exam

Always test in an inconspicuous place outset like inside a closet. This is true for any cleaner, deodorizer, or other types of product you've not used earlier. You desire to know exactly how your particular carpeting (upholstery) reacts before y'all use this in an open, visible surface area.

Water temp

When using Nok-Out in a carpeting-cleaning machine, add one to 2 cups to the reservoir, then add enough room-temperature water to total one gallon (128 ounces). Never utilize Nok-Out with hot or humid water.

Let information technology penetrate

Push the carpet shampooer forward while spraying, but practise non vacuum up the cleaning fluid yet. Spray the unabridged carpet kickoff, and wait for 10 to 20 minutes to allow Nok-Out to penetrate securely and oxidize into the fibers of the carpet, equally well as the matting, the pad, and flooring substrate underneath.

Extract

Later on the waiting fourth dimension has passed, begin the extracting process by pulling the carpeting cleaning machine backward. This pulls all liquid back into the cleaning tank. Dry out quickly by using overhead ceiling fans, flooring fans, turning the ac/heating fan to "On" and or opening windows.

If a 2d application should be necessary, simply echo this procedure.

One last thing

If you are getting ready to supervene upon your carpet, don't select a color considering y'all retrieve it will "hide the dirt." No! You want a color that will bespeak out as of dirt, every spill, and every stain.

You want to see those things and then you can immediately take steps to clean them upward, in the aforementioned manner, y'all treat your beautiful woods, laminate, and tile floors.

You are non alone if y'all have come to detest the carpet in your habitation, but it doesn't have to be that way. It might take a few go-rounds with vacuuming, stain-removing, and deep cleaning, but if you are diligent, you and your rug just might autumn in love all over once again!

CAUTION: Over again, please always test, clean, or treat carpeting in an out-of-the-style, inconspicuous spot start like inside a closet. I offer no guarantees for how whatsoever recommended production or appliance will react in your specific situation.

Revised & Updated 6-14-21

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