13 Carpet Cleaning Hacks
A tidy house means tidy and clean carpets…
However regularly vacuuming may not be enough to stay on top of those stubborn stains or nasty odours. Whether it be a swarm of pet hair, an accidental spillage or just a bad smell you cannot seem to shift we have compiled our top 13 carpet cleaning hacks.
1. Regularly Vacuuming
Although this may not seem like an obvious hack, keeping on top of the vacuuming is one of the best bits of advice for prolonging the life of your carpet and also keeps it cleaner for longer. Over time, with every day traffic passing through your house, dirt will transfer onto your carpet from your feet or from your pets being outdoors. This may either lie on the surface or travel to the base of the carpet. If the dirt on the surface is left, it can get trampled into the fibres. The longer it is left to settle, the harder it becomes to remove. Similarly the dirt that lies beneath the surface can become hard and gritty. This builds over time and starts to wear against the fibres causing them to damage. Regularly vacuuming will not only minimise the damage to your carpet and keep it cleaner for longer, but will also drastically reduce the progression of dust mites and other harmful bacteria.
2. Blot, Don’t Rub
As a professional carpet cleaner, one of our recurring nightmares is a stain that has been rubbed, not blotted. When any liquid has been spilled on your carpet, the first plan of action should be to grab a clean white microfiber cloth or a handful paper towels and blot the affected area, do not rub. If you rub the stain you run the risk of spreading it to other fibres, therefore you can potentially make the problem much worse. Once the excess liquid has been fully absorbed, you can attempt to remove the stain. We would always suggest using water and a small amount of washing up liquid to attempt to remove a stain before trying any other methods that could be too abrasive.
3. Squeegee for Pet Hairs
Pet hair can be tricky to remove from carpets, especially if you have a long haired pet, as the fur can easily get trapped between the carpet fibres. Even top of the range vacuum cleaners can struggle with pet hair in your carpet pile. A top trick is to use a window squeegee to dislodge all the unwanted gunk. Simply wet the rubberised blade and run over the pile. You will be amazed at amount of mess you will remove. This same method can also be effective for use on upholstered furniture.
4. Lint Roller
Despite your tireless efforts in vacuuming those loose hairs, dust particles and clothing threads may still be caught in the carpet pile. Similarly to the squeegee, a lint roller is a perfect tool for any DIY carpet job. Due to its sticky properties it will pick up any remnants left behind by the vacuum cleaner. It may not the quickest method but is ideal for use on stair carpets and textured surfaces that are difficult to vacuum. This is also an ideal method for removing pilling on furniture caused by loose threads on clothing.
5. An Iron for Candle Wax
One of the more challenging substances to remove from your carpets is candle wax, especially once it dries and then hardens. The most effective solution for this is using an iron and a clean damp cloth to simultaneously reheat and absorb the wax from your carpet. Start by using a blunt butter knife to remove as much excess wax as possible. Next vacuum the area removing all of the loose wax. Then take an iron and a damp cloth, make sure it is not soaking wet. Place the damp cloth over the wax and place the iron on a high setting on top of the cloth. Repeat this process until the stain is removed. Take care not to burn the carpet.
6. Sellotape for Pollen from
Lilies
Lilies are a gorgeous flower to look at but they are not so gorgeous if the pollen from the stamen falls onto your carpet. The natural reaction would be to grab a cloth and cleaning solution and rub the stain. This is unfortunately how many a good carpet has been ruined, as it leaves yellow marks which are virtually impossible to remove. If you find yourself in this scenario, grab yourself a roll of sellotape and use it to remove the loose pollen. You may need to repeat this several times until the pollen has been removed from your carpet.
7. Getting Rid of Oil Stains
Oil is possibly one of the most frustrating stain types to remove from a carpet. Despite your best efforts, elbow grease may not be enough to remove such tough stains. Baking soda is one of the most effective ways to absorb oil when a spillage has occurred. Pour a generous amount over the effected area and leave to absorb until a dry crust has formed. You can then vacuum this from the carpet. A much lighter stain will remain, allowing you to use soap and water to and the dabbing method to remove what is left.
8. Pet Urine
If a pet urinates on your carpet you may not only be left with a nasty looking stain but you will also be left with a nasty smell that lingers for months on end. Our old pal baking soda can come to the rescue again. Baking soda is not only great for absorbing liquids but also perfect for absorbing bad odours as well. Pour a liberal amount onto the effected area and leave to settle into a dry crust. Vacuum the baking soda from the carpet and blot any remaining marks.
9. Homemade Cleaning Solution
Many of the shop bought cleaning solutions can actually be harmful on certain stains and spillages and often make a problem much worse. Here is a DIY recipe for a non toxic spot remover, that is not only safe but is also environmentally friendly too. Mix 2 cups of water, 1 cup of vinegar and 2 teaspoonfuls of salt into a spray bottle and mix well. You can also add 10-15 drops of your favourite essential oils to add a fragrance to your homemade cleaning solution.
10. Rubbing Alcohol for Nail Polish
One of the most common recommendations for removing nail varnish spillages is acetone, which is the substance that is in nail varnish remover. This can in some instances actually cause further damage to the carpets. Alternatively wait until the stain has dried and use a blunt butter knife to remove any excess nail polish, vacuuming all of the loose particles. Use a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a clean white cloth and dab the stain. Continue this process until the stain has dissolved.
11. Shaving Foam for Traffic Dirt Stains
Light, beige, white and soft pastel coloured carpets show up dirt very easily, especially dirt in the main traffic areas. Whether it be your children trampling in mud or from your pets from running in the garden, your eyes will be drawn to the areas where the soiling is the worst. If you are working on a budget then a top hack to keeping dirty areas of your carpets fresh is shaving cream. Simply rub the foam into the soiled areas and leave to settle. Not only will this cost effective method leave your carpets looking fresh and clean, but may also revive the carpet pile in the process.
12. Ice for Furniture Dents
We all like to redecorate every once in a while but one of the biggest problems is the indentations left behind from heavy furniture. Well it’s time to cool off and grab yourself some ice. Simply place an ice cube in the dented area and leave to settle. Once melted use an iron on top of a towel to blot the excess water. Once the fibres are dry they will be durable and will allow you to fluff the carpet pile to a more presentable condition.
13. Ice Verses Chewing Gum
Don’t put the ice cubes in the freezer just yet as we have found another use for them. Chewing gum is a very nasty sticky substance and when it gets stuck in carpet fibres it can become entangled and is a real nuisance to remove. When the gum is still soft, you can actually do more damage if you attempt to remove. Our top tip is to hold an ice cube over the area for about a minute, until the gum hardens. It will now be much easier to remove with either a spoon or a blunt butter knife. This method will drastically reduce the risk of damage to the carpet.
We hope you have learned some good tips and tricks from our carpet cleaning hacks.
Carpets come in many different shapes, sizes, materials and colours and not every stain can be treated with the same cleaning methods. If you are unsure, then always refer to your carpet manufacturer guarantee on the safest methods/practises when cleaning your specific carpet type. Alternatively you may wish to contact a professional cleaning company to carry out work.
At Kleen Dri we use only environmentally safe, non-hazardous cleaning practises to clean your carpet.
Learn more about our carpet cleaning and rug cleaning services in Glasgow and central Scotland.
