How to Clean Your Carpet Without Chemicals

A fact of life is that carpets and rugs get dirty over time. They are something we walk all over. They are on the ground, catching everything we drop or shed or slough. Have pets? Forget it. Those carpets are going to need cleaning regularly, and even more regularly, there will need to be stain removal and spill clean-ups. That’s life.

Unfortunately, in these cleaning situations, many people turn to chemical solutions. Not only are those solvents and cleaners bad for the environment, but also many of them cause a myriad of health problems. In other words, “cleaning” the carpet can be a much dirtier proposition than expected.

The best way to do it is chemical-free, and best of all that isn’t so difficult and is less expensive than buying a bunch of unsavory products. The natural remedies for stain removal and deep cleans are stuff we have around the house anyway. It’s just a matter of applying them at the right time and resisting shiny promises from chemical cleaners.

Clean with Steam

Of course, vacuuming the carpet regularly (once a week or more) is standard maintenance, but when it comes time for a deep clean, it needs to be done with a steam cleaner.

In reality, steam cleaners are using steam, which would be so hot that it would damage carpets and floors. However, they heat the water, mix it with soap, and suck the water back up. This helps clean carpets and rugs much more significantly than a dry run with a vacuum.

Prep for the Deep Clean

Before getting started with a steam cleaner, it’s a good idea to wait for a warm, dry day when the moisture put into the carpet can evaporate more quickly. The windows should be open, and the floors should be cleared.

Dusting the shelves, furniture, baseboards, and so on should happen before making a run with the vacuum. Getting as much dust and debris up before getting things wet will make the steam clean work more effectively.

Address the Stains

Any stains on the carpet or rug should get attention before the steam comes their way. While there are lots of chemical stain removers to choose from, natural ingredients can do the job, too. Plus, the carpet won’t be riddled with toxins.

• Vinegar mixed with equal parts water is a great remedy for urine stains from pets (or children). Blot the area with the mixture.
• Baking soda is an easy solution for grease or oil spots. Sprinkle the area with baking soda and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Scrap up the dry powder first then wipe the area with soapy water. Finally, blot it dry.
• Alcohol, either vodka or rubbing alcohol, is a good choice for working on ink stains. Moisten a rag with the alcohol and blot the area.
• Borax is a natural mineral mined from the earth, and it is well-regarded as a stain remover and cleaner for laundry. It works on carpets, too!

Mix a Carpet Cleaning Solution

Again, rental places and box stores will often lead people towards chemical cleaners that could have dangerous compounds in them. Rather than going that route, a simple mixture of liquid castile soap (1/4 cup) like Dr. Bronner’s and water (per gallon) makes an ideal carpet cleaning solution. That’s it.

Steam the Carpet

“Steaming” the carpet is easy to do, but to do it well, it’s important to move slowly so that the machine has time to do its job. The brushes need time to scrub the carpet. Then, when sucking the water back up, the cleaner needs time to remove as much as possible.

The area should be cleaned in overlapping strokes, moving wall to wall, and the water tank should be emptied as much as necessary, adding a new cleaning solution each time.

For a really thorough job, a rinsing solution can follow the clean. This is a half-and-half mixture of white vinegar and water. This step helps with soap residue and any oil or dirt that might remain. It also extinguishes allergens and smells.

And, Dry

After steam cleaning the carpet, it’ll need to dry. Open windows will help as will turning on the fans so that the air is moving through the room(s).

Do this once a year. Any more than that will wear out the carpets/rugs faster than ideal.

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