How to Clean Your Own Carpet

Ultimate DIY Carpet Cleaning Guide For Homeowners

Keeping your carpets clean is so important for your home’s appearance and your family’s health. While regular vacuuming helps, true carpet cleaning requires periodic deep cleaning to remove embedded dirt, stains, allergens, and odors. Don’t worry – with the right supplies and techniques, you can totally handle cleaning your own carpet!

Highlights: In this how to article we will cover:

• Plan for 2-3 hours for cleaning carpets in a single room
• DIY carpet cleaning is perfect for beginners with some time and effort
• Budget $20-$40 for supplies like cleaners and equipment rentals
• Have all needed supplies on hand before starting
• For maintenance, aim to deep clean carpets every 12-18 months
• Take care to fully dry carpets before walking on them
• Follow key steps like vacuuming, pre-treating, and extracting for best results
• Your freshly cleaned carpets will look revitalized and healthy

Project Overview

Gather Your Supplies

Before getting started, make sure you have all the necessary supplies for the job:

• Vacuum cleaner – A heavy-duty upright vacuum is best, but a handheld vacuum will also work well for spot cleaning. Check that the beater bar is working properly.
• Cleaning solutions – Look for carpet shampoo, spot remover spray, or make your own solution using white vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, etc.
• Cleaning brush – Use a stiff bristle brush to help scrub the carpet fibers.
• Cloths and towels – Have lots of clean absorbent towels on hand. Paper towels work too.
• Fans or hair dryer – Speed up drying by blowing air directly onto the carpet.

Getting all your supplies together in advance. It will make the process so much smoother!

Test for Colorfastness

Before cleaning your entire carpet, it’s crucial to check that the colors won’t bleed or run. Here’s a simple way to test for colorfastness:

1. Choose an inconspicuous area of the carpet, like inside a closet.
2. Take a white cloth and dampen it with your intended cleaning solution.
3. Place the cloth on the carpet and press down. Let it sit for 1-2 hours.
4. Then check for any color transfer from the carpet.

If you notice the cloth becoming stained, try testing other cleaners until you find one that doesn’t cause bleeding. It’s so worth taking this quick test to prevent a carpet disaster!

1. Prepare the Room

Now that your supplies are ready, it’s time to prep the space for cleaning.

• Remove all furniture from the room to open up space to work. If any furniture is too heavy to move, place aluminum foil or plastic film underneath to protect the legs.
• Roll up any loose rugs or runners and take them outside to clean separately.
• Give the room a thorough vacuuming to pick up surface-level debris.

The room is now ready for some serious carpet cleaning action!

2. Pre-Treating Stained Areas

Before deep cleaning your carpets, it’s a good idea to pre-treat any stained or heavily soiled areas. This helps break down stubborn stains so they can be cleaned more effectively.

Supplies Needed

• Spray bottle for pre-treating solutions
• Clean white rags
• Stain-fighting carpet cleaner or homemade solutions like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, etc.

Steps for Pre-Treating:

1. Inspect the carpet for stains and notice heavily trafficked areas.
2. Mix up pre-treatment cleaning solution in a spray bottle as directed. Shake well before use.
3. Lightly spritz the stain or soiled area, soak for 3-5 minutes.
4. Blot treated area with a clean white cloth, pressing down firmly to lift out grime.
5. Repeat spraying and blotting until no more marks transfer o.
6. Do this over all stains and soiled high traffic areas.
7. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before proceeding with overall carpet cleaning.

Pre-treating is always worth the extra effort. It can boost cleaning results. Be patient and thorough when working on tough stains to fully lift dirt before the main carpet cleaning. Your carpets will come out looking amazing!

Warning: Never use hot or warm water when treating stains as it can set in the carpet stain. If unsure call an expert asap.

3. Cleaning Methods

There are a few different ways to clean carpets on your own. Pick the method that works best for your needs and carpet type.

Spot Cleaning

For small stains or soiled areas, spot cleaning is a great solution. The key is to act fast!

• For new stains, quickly blot up excess liquid by pressing down firmly with a clean, dry cloth. Avoid rubbing, which can spread the stain.
• Mix up a spot cleaner spray. A 50/50 white vinegar and water solution works on many stains. Baking soda or hydrogen peroxide are also handy natural cleaners to have on hand.
• Lightly spritz the stain, let sit briefly, then dab up with a clean cloth. Repeat as needed.
• Rinse the spot with clean water and blot dry when finished.

With prompt attention, you can take care of little spills and stains in no time!

Cleaning with a Rental Steam Cleaner Machine

For a thorough, deep clean to revitalize dingy, high-traffic areas, use a carpet cleaner rental machine.

1. Vacuum first to get up surface dirt.
2. Pretreat any extra-stubborn stains.
3. Fill the machine with hot water and cleaning solution as directed.
4. Work slowly in 3′ x 3′ sections with steady, overlapping motions. Press the spray trigger to apply the cleaning liquid, then release to suction it back up.
5. Once an area is done, go over it once more with just hot water to rinse thoroughly.
6. When finished, empty the machine waste tank before returning the rental unit.

Advice: Machine Cleaning vs. DIY Hand Cleaning

While renting or buying a carpet cleaning machine requires an upfront investment, it offers superior cleaning results compared to manual hand cleaning. Machines generate greater suction power for pulling up dirt from deep in the carpet fibers. They also allow cleaning larger areas faster compared to hand scrubbing.

However, if you only have small rugs or need to clean infrequently, the DIY hand cleaning method can work with more effort.

4. Drying the Carpet

Once cleaning is complete, proper drying is essential to avoid mold or mildew. Here are some tips:

• Open windows and doors to allow fresh air circulation.
• Place fans strategically around the room, directing the airflow right on the carpet.
• Move furniture back in only after the carpet is 100% dry, which typically takes 4-6 hours.
• Place protective plastic film under furniture legs at first to avoid rust stains as moisture evaporates.
• To speed drying, you can place absorbent towels and weigh them down with heavy books.

With enough air circulation, your freshly cleaned carpet will be good to go! Walk on it in socks at first to check for damp spots.

Here is a new section on hiring a professional carpet cleaning service:

Should you Hire a Professional?

While DIY carpet cleaning can save money, sometimes it’s best to hire a professional carpet cleaning service. Here’s what to know:

When to Hire a Pro

• For wall-to-wall carpeting in large open spaces
• If you don’t own the proper equipment
• For delicate or antique carpets
• To deal with serious pet stains or odors
• If you physically can’t handle the work
• For faster and more convenient cleaning

What to Expect

• A consultation to assess your needs
• Moving and replacing furniture
• Commercial strength cleaners and truck-mounted units
• Possible additional services like deodorizing
• Usually costs $30-$75 per room

How to find a Company

• Ask friends and neighbors for referrals
• Search for local established companies with good reviews
• Look for IICRC certification and insurance
• Get an estimate of cost beforehand
• Schedule services at least 1 month in advance

After Cleaning tips and advice

• Vacuum frequently to prolong results
• Consider frequent professional maintenance cleans
• Apply carpet protector every 12-18 months

Hiring pros ensures powerful cleaning results plus they normally gaurantee their services. If there’s an issue they should fix it for you.

Conclusion

While it takes a bit elbow grease, cleaning carpets yourself can save money and make your home look amazing. Here are a few final reminders:

• Always check carpet manufacturer’s instructions first.
• Test cleaners in an inconspicuous spot before use.
• Change cleaning solution often as it picks up dirt.
• Work in sections and rinse thoroughly.
• Allow carpets to dry  before walking on them.
• Vacuum frequently between deep cleanings.

Follow these carpet cleaning tips and tricks to keep your home fresh and extend the life of your carpets. Your clean floors will make all the hard work so rewarding!