How To Clean A Carpet By Yourself
Are you procrastinating on a weekend morning wondering how to clean a carpet? Not just vacuum it but give it a real, proper cleaning? Even with your best efforts to keep it clean and prevent stains on a daily basis, your carpet still needs a good deep cleaning from time to time.
If you’re wondering how to clean a carpet without spending an arm and a leg, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, bringing in a professional carpet cleaner can come with a hefty price tag that might not be in the budget.
Whether you’re wondering how to remove dog pee from a carpet in your house to how to clean your car’s carpets without paying for detailing, here is our guide on how to deep clean a carpet and remove carpet stains with ease.
How to Deep Clean a Carpet By Yourself
Carpet Cleaning Preparation
The first step in cleaning your carpet is to remove as much furniture as possible. If anything can’t be moved, cover the legs or base of the furniture with plastic (plastic wrap, plastic bag etc.) to prevent damage from your carpet cleaning products.
Next, give the carpet a thorough vacuuming. This will help remove as much dirt as possible so the carpet cleaner doesn’t have to work as hard. While you’re vacuuming, make sure to cover each area multiple times while going in different directions.
After you’ve vacuumed, the next step is to spot clean any noticeable stains. For the best results, use a trusted product like Sheiner’s own Carpet Stain Cleaner and Odor Remover.
How to Use a Carpet Cleaner
Now that the furniture is out of the way and you’ve prepped the carpet by vacuuming and spot cleaning, it’s time for the real work to begin.
For the best results, you’ll need a carpet cleaner, also known as a carpet shampooer. There are a lot of different models out there, so it’s important to choose the one best suited to your home and needs.
Carpet cleaners are affordable to rent but if you have the storage space, you may want to consider purchasing your own for the long-term savings.
Every carpet cleaner is unique, so it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally speaking, however, this is the process you’ll follow:
- Fill the carpet cleaner with water and your carpet cleaning solution. Do not fill the machine while it is plugged into an electrical outlet.
- Run the carpet cleaner over the carpet, pressing the button that applies the carpet cleaning solution to the carpet.
- Use the extraction mode/button to go over the same spot to remove the water and cleaning solution. You’ll want to go over it multiple times to remove as much water as possible.
The carpet will still be a bit damp, but it shouldn’t be too wet and you shouldn’t be able to visibly see water still being sucked up by the cleaner. - If your carpet is particularly dirty, you may want to clean each area an additional time.
- When cleaning is complete, wipe away any water or cleaning solution that may have gotten on the furniture to prevent future damage.
- Allow the carpet to dry and avoid walking on it until it is fully dry. For faster drying, create as much airflow as possible by opening windows and turning on fans.
How to Clean Your Car’s Carpets
The process for how to clean your car’s carpets is actually pretty similar to the ones inside your house.
First, take the mats out of the car and give them a thorough vacuum. A vacuum is best as it will suck up dirt that’s buried deeper in the carpet, but a vigorous shake will also work if you don’t have a vacuum to use.
Next, spot clean any stains. If you live in a region with cold, snowy winters, you may find the carpets are stained with road salt. To remove this, spray the stains with a mix of one part warm water to one part white vinegar.
After vacuuming and spot cleaning, clean the car mats as you would any other carpet. You can use a household carpet cleaner or you may want to rent or purchase one designed for cars and small spaces.
If the carpet cleaner has a small handheld extension, you can also use this to clean the upholstered seats in your car.
Finally, let the carpet and seats dry out thoroughly before using them again. It’s best to clean your car carpets once you’ve finished any outings for the day and can leave it overnight to dry.
How to Clean Some of the Toughest Carpet Stains
The instructions we’ve provided above on how to clean a carpet should work for most home carpets, even if you have to repeat the steps a few times! That being said, we all know that some carpet stains are harder to clean than others.
Here are our more in-depth tips on how to clean a carpet with some of the most dreaded stains; dog pee, red wine and mud:
How to Clean Dog Pee From a Carpet
The sooner you can address dog pee on your carpet, the better!
If you discover the dog pee while it’s still wet, absorb as much of it as possible with a towel, paper towel or rag. Then, blot the area with a damp cloth (but don’t rub it in!).
Once you’ve absorbed and blotted as much as possible, you’ll need to apply a carpet spot cleaning solution. Sheiner’s carpet cleaner uses enzyme cleaning that is highly effective for eliminating pet urine and feces stains.
If you don’t have this or another carpet cleaner on hand, you can also spray down the area with a mix of one part white vinegar to one part water.
Let either solution sit for a while, then blot the area with a towel until it’s completely dry.
Is the stain gone but the smell is still lingering? Check out our tips on how to remove odours from a carpet.
How to Clean Red Wine From a Carpet
There are few things worse than seeing a glass of red wine get knocked over and fall onto the carpet! Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to remove a red wine stain.
First thing’s first, use a clean towel or cloth to blot and absorb as much of the wine as possible. Be very careful to simply absorb the wine and not rub it into the carpet. This will only make the next steps harder.
A common way to remove red wine from a carpet is to use club soda. Once you’ve absorbed up as much as possible, pour club soda on the stain. Then, blot it up as much as possible. Pour, blot and repeat until the stain is gone.
Don’t have any club soda on hand? Repeat the same steps as above but with a solution of two cups of water, a tablespoon of white vinegar and a tablespoon of dish soap.
How to Remove Mud From a Carpet
Whether it’s your car’s carpets or mud tracked across the living room floor, mud and dirt in your carpet can be difficult to remove.
Unlike other types of stains where you should attempt to absorb and blot them up as soon as possible, you’ll want to leave the mud to let it dry. Don’t rub or touch it, as the stain will only go deeper into the carpet.
Once the mud has dried (give it some extra time to completely dry beyond just the surface), go over it with a vacuum. Keep vacuuming until most of the dirt is picked up and the vacuum won’t suck up anymore.
Finally, mix a solution of one teaspoon of dish soap with one cup of warm water. Apply this to the stain, and blot the area until the stain is gone. After this, let the area dry before walking on it again.
What’s the Best Carpet Cleaner for Your Home?
Hard work and elbow grease only go so far when cleaning a carpet, you need the best carpet cleaner on your team as well.
How do you know what’s the best carpet cleaner for your home? Here’s what to take into consideration when choosing a carpet cleaning product:
Your Cleaning Requirements
Despite what advertisements might try to tell you, there is no one best carpet cleaner. There is a carpet cleaner that is best for your specific carpet and needs.
To determine what’s the best carpet cleaner for your needs, think about what you want it to do. Are you looking for a deep cleaning product for a heavily soiled carpet or a regular-strength cleaner for routine cleaning? Do you need a carpet cleaner that will remove odours or are you more focused on highly visible stains?
What about the type of carpet; are you cleaning a low pile or a high pile carpet? What is it made of?
Ask yourself these questions when choosing a carpet cleaner to find the one that’s best for your specific needs.
The Ingredients
Some people are looking for the best carpet cleaner money can buy, some want the cheapest cost and others are concerned about the health of their family and the environment. You might even be a mix of these concerns.
Regardless of your priorities, the packaging will tell you what you need to know about the cleaner’s ingredients. Look for labels like whether the product is eco-friendly, made from natural products or if it’s safe to use around children.
Of course, we can’t talk about what’s the best carpet cleaner without talking about Sheiner’s. Our Carpet Stain Cleaner and Odor Remover comes in 32 oz. and 1 gallon sizes. It’s made in the USA and safe for use around children and animals. The non-toxic enzyme formula cleaning tracks and eats away the source of carpet odours and stains.
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With the tips above, you can keep your carpet clean without the cost and hassle of bringing in a professional. Best of luck on your journey to a pristine carpet that will last for years to come!
To help keep your home clean, check out Sheiner’s catalogue of eco-friendly cleaning products made in the USA. Happy carpet cleaning!