How to Clean Carpets with Natural Cleaners

Natural carpet cleaners are made with common household ingredients that are less toxic than commerical cleaners.

Carpeting is one of the first things people notice when they walk into a room. Dirty carpets can diminish the appearance of an entire room. Many commercial carpet cleaning products contain chemicals that are bad for people and for environment. Opt for a homemade, natural carpet cleaner to help the environment and keep your family safe.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Water
• 4 tsp. castile soap
• 1¼ cup white vinegar, divided
• 25 drops lavender oil
• 30 drops grapefruit seed extract
• 4 oz. oxygen bleach
• Long-stem spoon
• Carpet cleaning machine
• Scrub brush
• Rags
• Bowl
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup cornstarch
• Vacuum cleaner
• ¼ cup salt
• ¼ cup borax powder

Instructions

Carpet Cleaning Machine Solution

1. Fill a bucket with 6 qts. of hot water. Add 4 tsp. of Castile soap, 1 cup of white vinegar, 25 drops of lavender oil, 30 drops of grapefruit seed extract and 4 oz. of oxygen bleach. Use a long-stem spoon to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

2. Fill the reservoir of a carpet cleaning machine with the solution. Be sure to refer to the manual that came with the carpet cleaner to ensure the machine does not require a special cleaning solution.

3. Clean the carpets with the carpet cleaning machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

4. Use this solution to hand clean the carpets if you do not have a carpet cleaning machine. Scrub the carpets with the solution and a scrub brush. Rinse with a liberal amount of plain water and clean rags to remove any of the cleaning residue. Blot the carpet with dry towels to absorb excess moisture. Allow the carpet to air dry the rest of the way.

Baking Soda and Cornstarch Deodorizer

1. Fill a bowl with 1 cup of baking soda. Add 1 cup of cornstarch to the bowl and stir the ingredients to combine.

2. Sprinkle the mixture over the carpets. Allow it to sit on the carpet for at least three hours.

3. Vacuum up the carpet with a vacuum cleaner. This will deodorize and freshen the carpeting quickly.

Spot Cleaning Solution

1. Fill a bucket with ¼ cup of salt, ¼ cup of borax powder and ¼ cup of white vinegar. Stir the ingredients with a spoon to form a paste.

2. Use your fingers to spread the paste onto the affected areas of the carpet. Rub it with your fingers to work the spot out of the carpet.

3. Allow the paste to sit on the carpet for several hours until it hardens and dries. Vacuum up the residue with a vacuum cleaner.

Tips & Warnings

• Always test the product you are using on a small, inconspicuous area of the carpet prior to applying it to a more noticeable area.

References

• Earth Easy: Non-Toxic Home Cleaning
• Savvy Homemade: Homemade Carpet Cleaner
• Nature Moms: Natural Carpet Cleaner Recipe