No matter how hard you try to keep it clean, your carpet is inevitably going to get dirty. Your pets, kids, and anyone else who gets into your premises with their shoes on tracks dirt into your home. While this may go unnoticed, the grime can accumulate and become harder to hide. Cleaning your carpet doesn’t have to be an expensive affair. If you don’t have a cleaner or renting one is out of reach, here are some tips on cleaning carpet by hand.
Cleaning Carpet by Hand
Many of the products you’ll need to clean your carpet by hand are inexpensive and readily available. All you need is some time and some elbow grease and your carpets will be fresh and clean. The following techniques can work great at cleaning, removing stains and deodorizing your carpet.
Agitate the Carpet with a Carpet Brush
Remove dust, soil and pollutants from your carpet using a carpet brush. You’re going to need to scrub and agitate the carpet. Agitating the area helps to loosen up dirt and pollutants before you run a vacuum across the floor to pick them up. Do this every week or so to prevent dirt and dust from settling in and making your carpet look unsightly.
Hand Clean the Carpet with Vinegar
Supplies:
- A bucket
- ¼ cup of white vinegar
- Warm water
If you’re unable to steam clean your carpet, you can still have them clean and smelling fresh with just a couple of items and your hands. All you need is a scrub brush, some white vinegar, a bucket, and a little bit of elbow grease.
Start by filling the bucket with warm water and add a ¼ cup of white vinegar. Take the scrub brush, dip it into the bucket and start scrubbing with the cleaning solution. Use enough of the mixture on the brush to get the carpet wet without saturating it.
Once you’re done scrubbing, empty the bucket and fill it with fresh water. Dip a clean towel or rag into the bucket, wring it out and start scrubbing the carpet again. Make a second pass over the carpet and give it ample time to dry thoroughly. You can speed up the drying process by turning on a floor fan.
Clean the Carpet with Baking Soda
Baking soda is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly product that can tackle odors and stains in your carpet. Just sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the stain or over your floor. Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the soda with hot water. Give the baking soda some time to absorb odors and let the area dry before using a vacuum cleaner to clean up the baking soda.
Bottom Line
Just like removing oil from tile, cleaning carpet by hand takes some work but the results are well worth the effort. The techniques mentioned will help you get your carpet clean, get rid of stains and leave your carpets smelling fresh.