We mentioned in a previous article how important regular carpet cleaning is. Nevertheless, in between a good carpet cleaning you are probably going to have a few bumps along the way. Two of your most basic problems include dirty doormats and food stains on your carpet. Don’t worry, this happens all the time and there are easy do it yourself carpet cleaning solutions to help.
Doormats are useful for stopping the dirt that is being tracked in from outside; however, they only work if they are clean. You might notice that no matter how many times you vacuum your doormat it never seems to get the dirt out fully. If you cannot put your doormat into the washing machine then follow this step-by-step DIY carpet cleaning process:
First, take your doormat outside and beat both sides of it with a stiff brush. This will loosen stuck-on dirt and particles. You will want to beat the mat until you do not see any more dirt or dust falling away. Next, vacuum your rug normally, and then flip it over and vacuum the back of it. You can do this even if the back is rubber or plastic. Vacuuming the back of your doormat helps loosen any extra dirt that did not come out while beating it. Finally, re-vacuum the proper side of your doormat and any dirt that has fallen onto the floor. Since this cannot be done on carpets, make sure to leave your shoes at the door!
Carpets with food stains on them are a bit trickier to clean. Try to get to the stain as quick as you can so that it has less time to set in. For this next DIY carpet cleaning solution, you will need two cloths, paper towel, a pot, and two spray bottles. Fill one bottle with cold water and the other with ¼ teaspoon of mild dish soap and 1 cup of warm water.
Spray the bottle filled with dish soap and warm water onto a cloth. Do not spray directly onto the carpet, as you want to avoid getting it too wet. Make sure to dab, not rub, the spot with the stain on it. Rubbing your carpet could ruin its fibers. Continue to apply the solution to your cloth and blotting until the stain is gone. Once done, spray your other cloth with cold water and blot until dish soap is cleaned up. Finally, soak up the water by placing some paper towel over the area and your pot firmly over the paper towel. After a few hours, run your fingers over the fibers and then let your carpet air-dry.
Interestingly enough, dish soap is also effective in getting stains out of clothing! Simply wash the stain first with warm water and soap, and then apply dish soap directly to the stain on your clothing. Let the dish soap set until the next day so that it has time to lift the stain. Finally wash your clothing again with warm water to get the soap out of your clothing. Voila! The stain will be gone!