How to Clean Your Carpets with Homemade Cleaners

The next time an accident occurs on your carpet, don't fret. There's a good chance you already have the items on hand that can treat the stain. Homemade cleaners are sometimes more effective than a store-bought one. The key is using the correct technique and the correct cleaning solution to remove the stains.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels Club soda Borax Baking soda Cornstarch Vacuum cleaner Liquid soap Vinegar Carpet cleaning machine Spray bottle Non-bleach liquid laundry soap Liquid fabric softener Cream of Tartar Lemon juice Isopropyl alcohol Hydrogen peroxide

Instructions

General Carpet Cleaning

1. Prepare the stained area by blotting it with a paper towel to remove as much excess material as possible.

2. Soak the area completely with club soda. Allow the club soda to work into the stain and continue blotting until the stain disappears.

3. Combine one part borax with two parts baking soda or two parts cornstarch.

4. Blot the stain with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

5. Pour the borax mixture onto the stain and let it sit for five minutes.

6. Gently rub the borax mixture in.

7. Let the stain sit for an hour to completely dry and then vacuum the area clean.

8. Mix 1 tbsp. of liquid hand soap and 1 tbsp. of vinegar into 1 qt. of water.

9. Pour the mixture into your carpet cleaning machine or into a spray bottle and apply directly to your carpets, just as you would a store-bought cleaner.

10. Combine one part each of non-bleach liquid laundry soap and one part liquid fabric softener with six parts water.

11. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle or your carpet cleaning machine to use directly on your carpets, just as you would a store-bought cleaning solution.

Grease or Oil Stains

1. Use a paper towel to blot the stain and remove as much grease or oil as possible.

2. Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch liberally over the stain and rub it in gently, so as not to make the stain larger.

3. Allow the baking soda and cornstarch to soak up as much grease or oil as possible overnight. Vacuum the next day.

Ink Stains

1. Blot up excess ink as quickly as possible without rubbing more ink into adjacent carpet fibers.

2. Sprinkle cream of tartar over the ink stain and follow with drops of lemon juice .

3. Let the ink stain sit for five minutes and then rub gently, again making sure you are not spreading ink to adjacent carpet fibers.

4. Dribble isopropyl alcohol over the ink stain. Open a window or turn on a fan when you use isopropyl alcohol.

5. Blot the ink stain until it disappears, making sure that you are not spreading ink to the rest of the surrounding carpet.

Blood Stains

1. Run cold water thoroughly over a blood stain, especially if you are treating it right away.

2. Soak the blood stain with club soda and blot away with a paper towel or rag until the blood stain disappears.

3. Pour hydrogen peroxide onto the blood stain and allow it to bubble and work into the stain.

4. Rinse the stain well with water to remove the hydrogen peroxide.

Tips & Warnings

• The sooner you begin treating a stain, the better the chance you can remove it completely. If the stain has been there for a long period of time, these techniques may not work as well.

• Whenever you are treating your carpet---whether you are using a homemade recipe or a store-bought cleaner---test the solution on your carpet in a spot that isn't easily noticed. If your carpet reacts negatively to your treatment, such as fading, then it won't be easily noticed.