by Danelle Karth

Created on: May 18, 2009

Carpet cleaning is something most of us are at least a little interested in. Carpets take a lot of abuse and over time end up looking dingy and not so good. There are a lot of harsh chemicals on the market that are designed to make carpet cleaning easy and fast, but they are also bad for us, our loved ones, our pets, and the environment. You can hire someone to clean your carpet, but that is often expensive. With these things out of the way as options, what is left that is easy, convenient, safe, and economical?

Vacuuming.

Vacuuming regularly works really well to helping keep our carpets cleaner. This is because most vacuums don't have enough power to suck out all the dirt and dust that collects in the weave of the carpet. By vacuuming often you increase the chances of getting all that deep down dirt. It also helps keep the surface looking fresh and clean.

Spot Treating.

We all make messes and it can be hazardous to our carpet. But you can clean a spot up with a little work and a safe method. Take 1/2 cup of table salt and 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Then use a spoon to spread the paste onto the spot. Allow to sit for a few minutes and use a soft bristled brush to gently scrub up your stain. The salt mixture will leave the carpet stiff when it dries so you can either run a carpet cleaner over it while it is wet or a vacuum over it when it dries. This is an amazing way to get rid of spots and is all natural so you don't have to worry about harming you, your loved ones, or the environment.

Traffic Treating.

Traffic can cause darkening of the carpet. This either happens around rugs or where the traffic flows from one room to another. It can make the carpet look dingy and even disgusting. You have two options for treating this problem. The first is to get a scrub brush or slightly abrasive mop (both with long handles that can be used from the standing position). Mix 1/2 water and 1/2 white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the area well with the mixture. Use the brush or mop to gently scrub the carpet clean.

An easier method (and more recommended one) is to use an at home carpet cleaner. Fill the solution bottle to the fill line with white vinegar and then fill it the rest of the way with water. Run the carpet cleaner over the surface of the area you wish to clean. The vinegar water will work better then commercial products and won't harm anything. The vinegar smell will go away as the carpet dries. It is often best to do this in living areas before bed and in the bedrooms in the morning. It usually takes about four hours to dry if you follow manufactures directions.

Carpet Cleaners.

Home carpet cleaners have come a long way and make a huge difference in keeping your carpet clean. It isn't hard to do. Just replace the cleaning solution with plain white vinegar for safer cleaning. You then follow the directions and clean your carpets. Big company coming tomorrow? Simply clean the carpets at bed time tonight and vacuum tomorrow for fresh and super clean looking carpets come morning.

Carpet cleaning used to be something only professionals could handle. But we have learned enough to know that with a little time, care, and effort we can keep our carpets clean, looking great, and at a fraction of the cost! Plus you can avoid harsh and dangerous chemicals while still keeping a really clean carpet.

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