The Ultimate Guide (step-by-step) How to Clean Carpets at Home With Home Remedies

Keeping carpets clean and free of germs can seem challenging. Especially if you have children or animals at home. Here are several options for cleaning dry carpets in the comfort of your home. This comes in handy if your carpet is large.

In another article we already saw  how to clean the upholstery of cars. Now we will talk about the different types of carpets and how to clean them.

Types of carpets

There are many types of carpets, and we must take this into account before cleaning. Depending on the material with which it is made, we will have to use some methods and products or others.

Handicraft professionals often use natural raw materials such as wool, silk, linen, cotton, esparto, jute or sisal. When made by hand, they are also dyed with natural pigments, a very important fact to take into account for cleaning and conservation.

Wool, silk and combined : they are made by hand and are from eastern countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan or Turkey.

Wool and cotton rugs: they come from countries in North Africa, such as Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria and are also made by hand. Like the previous ones, their value will depend on the amount of knots they contain on the reverse.

Of vegetable fibers: here we can distinguish between several kinds of materials: Jute, coconut fiber, sisal, mats and Sea Grass. The problem with these carpets is that, being made of vegetable fibers, they can deteriorate with moisture, except for Sea Grass as they are waterproof.

Animal fur rugs: they are made with the skin of cow, sheep or other animals. They are very resistant to friction but very delicate against moisture and the intrusion of some insects.

Combined carpets: they usually combine natural and synthetic materials, which can make the cleaning process even more difficult.

Synthetic: they are much cheaper because they are made with machines and low cost materials However, they are very resistant and we can find them woven with different components: acrylic, nylon, polypropylene or polyester carpets. With this last material the long hair carpet is usually manufactured.

How to clean carpets

Depending on the material with which our carpet is made, we will have to do the cleaning in one way or another.

1. The best method that exists to keep any type of carpet in perfect condition is to use a vacuum cleaner of great power and do it on a regular basis. This is essential for long hair carpet.

2. To clean jute or latex carpets you should know that they are not washable, being able to deteriorate with the use of water. Do not wet or immerse them, except to eliminate difficult and punctual stains. Finally, it prevents water from entering the base.

3. In the carpets of vegetable fibers, in addition to running the vacuum cleaner at least once a week, you can pass a damp cloth with water and neutral soap. Make sure it is well drained and then rinse with water only by the same procedure.

4. Pure wool and cotton carpets can be washed with neutral soap, cold water and salt to avoid mixing colors. However, if it is large, we recommend you take it to a dry cleaner to make sure it is left in prefect condition.

5. Also important is the fact that wool rugs should be collected in summer so that they cannot spoil insects such as moths.

Carpet cleaning techniques

To clean very dirty carpets, especially a long-haired carpet, vacuum cleaners and card brushes are usually the best options. However, bicarbonate is ideal for cleaning all types of carpets without damaging the tissues, as well as being very effective. You just have to mix it with a little salt, spread the powder on the surface to be treated, leave on for an hour and remove the remains with a vacuum cleaner. Baking soda releases tissue from dust and bacteria and improves its smell.

Vaporeta is a great alternative to clean all types of carpets. Remove dust and impurities without damaging the tissues and, if you spread some baking soda with salt on the carpet, you will optimize steam cleaning. Pass the steamer twice through the same area and let it dry completely.

Hot water with vinegar is also very effective in removing stains from your carpets. Spray the cloth with this preparation and rub the surface moistened with a bristle brush . You will see how even the most difficult stains will be removed without problems.

For oil or grease stains, cornstarch or cornstarch is very effective. Sprinkle a little on the stain and let stand for 30 minutes . Then, vacuum and review the treated area with a dry brush.

If you need to remove stains of wine or other strong liquids, mix a tablespoon of dishwasher with a cup of hydrogen peroxide and spread the mixture over the stain. Leave on for half an hour and spend a wet bristle brush gently rubbing. Then, dry the mixture with a cloth.

We hope we have helped you with the cleaning of your carpet, be it of animal, synthetic or long-haired carpet. There will be no stain that resists these tricks.