How to Green Clean Your Carpets

Cleaning and deodorizing your carpets does not have to involve harmful, toxic cleaning products. You can make your own carpet cleaners with inexpensive materials that you have right in your home. Read on to learn how to green clean your carpets.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Freshen and Deodorize Carpet

1. Mix 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup corn starch and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Sprinkle this all over your carpet and let it sit overnight. Vacuum the carpet in the morning, leaving behind a fresh scent.

2. Steam clean or shampoo your carpets with a solution of vinegar and extremely hot water instead of commercial shampoo. Vinegar cleans by loosening dirt, while deodorizing. You can also wash your carpet one section at a time using a sponge and a solution of vinegar and warm water.

3. Put an end to mold by spraying the area with full strength vinegar. Sprinkle salt to absorb the moisture left by the vinegar. Vacuum up the salt. Repeat once a day for up to 5 days.

4. Clean up after your yet-to-be housetrained pet using vinegar and salt. Use a plastic bag to scoop up as much of the solid mess a possible. Clean the area with vinegar and then sprinkle salt to absorb as much of the moisture as possible. This not only cleans, but also disinfects and deodorizes as well.

Green Clean Stains from Your Carpet

5. Remove blood, food and beverage stains with club soda. Pour some on the stain and let it foam. Blot as much of the liquid as possible, and then pour some club soda over the area and sponge it off. Repeat as necessary. Use the same method for stubborn bloodstains, using hydrogen peroxide, milk or ammonia instead of club soda.

6. You may also pour salt over the stain once you have blotted out most of the liquid. Let the salt sit there for a few minutes and it will absorb remaining liquid. Rinse with a sponge and a solution of 1/4 cup vinegar and one cup water.

7. Sprinkle corn starch over grease stains and leave this overnight. Vacuum this in the morning, when the cornstarch will have absorbed the grease.

8. Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar to remove ink stains from your carpet. Spread the paste over the stain and leave that on for an hour. Rinse with cold water and then blot dry.

9. Get rid of grass stains using a solution of rubbing alcohol and warm water. Use full-strength vinegar to remove a nail polish stain.