DIY Carpet Cleaning Ideas : Do you often call professionals to clean your carpet? Do you ever feel like you could save that money for more important needs instead? Why not try a do-it-yourself, or DIY, carpet cleaning? You can save hundreds of dollars by cleaning your carpet yourself. Properly cleaned and well-maintained carpets can look great and last for many years. The best part is that there are plenty of DIY carpet cleaning ideas you can use to get your carpets looking pristine.
Here is a look at a few effective DIY carpet cleaning ideas to ensure a fresh and new-looking carpet, while helping you save a small fortune. These methods will also help you rid germs and maintain a hygienic carpet.
DIY Carpet Cleaning Ideas to Help You Save a Small Fortune
1. Hot Water Extraction
When it comes to DIY carpet cleaning, hot water extraction is probably one of the most popular methods. You will find a number of high-quality hot water extraction or steam cleaner units that are available for consumers who clean their own carpets. Keep in mind that when using steam cleaners, the results depend on how soiled the carpet is and the carpet cleaning method you use.
With steam cleaners, the results you get can be enhanced with a high-quality detergent pre-spray. Make sure that you apply the detergent directly to the carpet fiber with a pump-up or pressurized garden sprayer. Allow the carpet fiber to soak in the detergent for 5 to 7 minutes. Next, scrub or agitate the detergent and pile the fibers to loosen dirt and soil. This will give you great results.
Always remember to use only clean water with the hot water extraction equipment to rinse the detergent from the carpet fiber as well as to extract emulsified detergent and soil. If you leave detergent in the carpet pile, it can result in fast resoiling. Also, speed up the carpet’s drying time using drying fans.
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2. Dry Powder Cleaning
This is one of the most famous yet effective DIY carpet cleaning ideas. It is not a restorative maintenance method and is recommended for use of couple of times every year to maintain the appearance of carpets rather than trying to restore carpet appearance after it has degraded.
Dry powder cleaning involves the use of organic powder or material saturated with detergents and dry solvents. You will find a number of popular brand products that you can use. First, apply the powder to the carpet fiber and agitate it using a pile lifter or any other type of mechanical agitation device. Then, all you have to do is vacuum your carpet to remove the powder along with any soil particles that are attached.
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3. Steam Cleaning
There are also DIY steam cleaning machines that you can rent to clean your carpet. As long as you know how to operate them, they can be highly effective and result in a clean, bright carpet that looks as good as new. When you use a steam cleaner, you typically need to use 1 tablespoon of detergent or less per gallon of water.
While you can buy a steam cleaning machine for DIY carpet cleaning, rental machines are better as they hold more water and have a wider wand. This makes them more effective for larger, dirtier or more high-traffic areas than purchased machines. Purchased steam cleaners are typically smaller in size, making them more portable and easier to store. They are easy to drag up and down your stairs and great for spot cleaning. However, whether you buy or rent a steam cleaning machine, make sure that you follow DIY carpet cleaning tips to avoid damaging your carpet and make your cleaning last longer.
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Tips for Effective DIY Carpet Cleaning Ideas
Cleaning a carpet may seem like a simple task but if you do not know the proper method and follow a few important tips, you may end up doing more bad than good, resulting in a damaged carpet. To make sure that you clean your carpet as effectively as possible, keep the following tips in mind:
1. Vacuum Properly
- To protect your carpet, you should make sure to vacuum high-traffic and entrance areas twice a week, and other areas of your carpet at least once a week.
- Make sure that you have a clean bag or filter before vacuuming – the vacuum’s suction power can be cut in half when the bag or filter is dirty.
- It is also important to vacuum your carpet at the right speed. You should vacuum slow enough to suck out as much dirt as possible. Make 2 slow passes over high-traffic areas and 1 quick pass over low-traffic ones.
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2. Clean Before Excessive Dirt Accumulates
- Depending on the carpet traffic in your home (if you have kids or pets), you can determine how often you need to clean your carpet. You should clean your carpet as soon as you notice a dull color. If you wait until your carpet is excessively dirty, it will be more difficult to get it cleaned. The job will also take longer and cost you more.
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3. Vacuum Thoroughly Before and After Cleaning
- Before cleaning your carpet, make sure that you vacuum it thoroughly to remove large dirt and soil particles.
- After cleaning and once your carpet is completely dry, vacuum it again to pick up soil and dirt that wick to the carpet while it was drying.
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4. Pre-treat High Traffic Areas and Stains
- If you have stains on your carpet, remember that it is important to pre-treat it. This is quite an important step in all DIY carpet cleaning ideas. All you need is a mixture of detergent and water in a spray bottle. Mist the stained area lightly. You can do the same for high-traffic areas as well. Leave the solution on for 5 to 10 minutes before you start the actual cleaning process.
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While it is a fact that carpet cleaning professionals get the job done more thoroughly, they are pretty expensive. If you cannot afford to call the pros every time your carpet gets dirty, the next best thing is DIY cleaning. As you can see, it is not that difficult and if you have the right equipment and know how to use them, you can clean your carpets yourself. When you are done, stand back and look with pride at the clean, fresh and new-looking carpet you have.
