How to Make Your Own Rug Cleaners
Before resorting to expensive rug cleaners, try making your own or use simple home remedies. Check with the care instructions first to learn the best way to clean your specific rugs or carpets. Also, test everything in a discreet area to check for colorfastness before using the cleaners in an open area. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Baking soda
- Vacuum cleaner
- Vinegar
- Club soda
- Corn starch
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Rubbing alcohol
Instructions
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Sweep the rug with a broom to lift up carpet fibers. Then sprinkle baking soda on the rug and let it sit overnight. Vacuum the next day. This helps clean and remove the odors from carpet.
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Mix equal parts of salt, white vinegar and borax and rub it onto the stained areas of your carpet. In three to four hours after it dries, vacuum the powdery mixture and stains away.
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Forgo the commercial cleaners and use plain hot water when cleaning your carpets with a steam cleaner. You can add 1 cup of vinegar for every 2 1/2 gallons of water, which helps remove odors and any old shampoo or cleaners in your carpet. Read the machine's user manual first to verify that you can use vinegar and that you won't be voiding a warranty. Also, vinegar sometimes fades darker fabrics so use carefully.
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Use other home remedies to clean your rugs. Club soda, for example, works well to remove and blot away blood and red wine stains. Sprinkle corn starch on carpet and let it sit overnight before vacuuming to clean greasy or oily stains. Rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide can also clean stains on rugs, but they sometimes fade colored fabrics so use cautiously.
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References
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