If you’ve got carpets or rugs in your home, something will probably get get spilled on them every once in a while. Even if you’re careful, accidents happen, and the occasional mess is unavoidable. However, spilling some food or a beverage on your carpet doesn’t necessarily have to be a catastrophe. As long as you know the cleaning tricks that actually work, you can get your rug or carpet looking pristine again without any problem. Here, we’ll take a look at a few of the most effective rug and carpet cleaning hacks for you to try in your home.
Clothes Iron for Liquid Stains
Most people mistakenly think that their clothes iron is only good for removing wrinkles from their shirts. However, that equipment can be an effective option for removing liquid stains from your carpet as well. Before you use an iron to remove a stain, you’ll want to vacuum the area to remove any particles. Then, blend a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water and use it to dampen a paper towel. Finally, place the damp paper towel over the stain and press the hot iron down on it, slowly moving it around the area. Shortly, you should see the heat from the iron transfer the stain into the damp paper towel, leaving you with a nice, clean rug or carpet.
Baking Soda for Oil and Pet Stains
For certain types of carpet and rug stains, baking soda can be an absolute lifesaver. For one thing, it’s inexpensive. Plus, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll already have it in your home when you need it. Baking soda works particularly well when it comes to oil stains and pet accidents, which are both notoriously frustrating stains to deal with. All you need to do is apply the powder liberally to the spill, then let it sit until it soaks up the stain and transforms into a crust-like substance. After that, you should be able to simply vacuum up the baking soda. Not only will the oil or pet urine be gone, but the baking soda will have absorbed the odor as well, and you’ll be left with a clean, fresh-smelling area.
Shaving Cream for Dirt Stains
If you have light-colored carpets or rugs in your household, they’re particularly susceptible to stains. Most commonly, these surfaces will end up with brown marks due to dirt from regular foot traffic. Over time, this can make your beautiful white or beige carpet look worn and dirty. That’s where shaving cream can really come in handy. Just like baking soda, shaving cream is inexpensive and found in most homes, and it can work wonders when it comes to dirt stains. All you’ll need to do is rub the cream liberally into the stain, let it sit for a while, and wipe it up with a damp towel. Not only will your carpet or rug end up looking clean and new, but the shaving cream will also leave it feeling softer to the touch.
Squeegee for Pet Hair
Having pets is great, but there are certainly a few downsides. When it comes to having cats and dogs, one of the main disadvantages is that their hairs tend to end up all over the house. And if you’ve ever tried to vacuum those pesky hairs out of a rug or carpet, you know firsthand that it doesn’t usually work too well. However, there is an effective way to get pet hair out of your carpet: Using a squeegee. Although squeegees are generally meant for cleaning windows, they can also do a surprisingly excellent job at picking up short hairs from rugs and carpets. If you wet the squeegee and slowly pull it across your carpeting, the vast majority of the pet hairs will stick to it. This method is quick, it’s easy, and most importantly, it works!
Lint Roller for Small Particles
While most people vacuum their carpets and rugs regularly, vacuum cleaners aren’t always effective at picking up small particles. Things like dust, small food crumbs, and hair are likely to get left behind when you vacuum, and that means the carpet won’t be as clean as it could be. One way to solve this problem is by going over the rug or carpet with a lint roller after you finish vacuuming. Because they’re so sticky, lint rollers are excellent at grabbing onto tiny particles, allowing them to do a good job of picking up whatever the vacuum cleaner fails to get. It will take a bit of time to go over a large area with a lint roller, but it’s an effective way to ensure that your carpet or rug stays pristine.
Trust the Carpet Cleaning Professionals
While these carpet cleaning hacks can be quite effective, they may not do the trick in every situation. In certain cases, you might encounter a spill or stain that you won’t be able to tackle on your own. When your rug or carpet has a major stain and none of these methods will cut it, the best choice is usually to contact local carpet cleaning professionals at Always Green Carpet Cleaner of Manhattan. For heavy-duty stains, your carpeting will most likely need to be treated by the experts if you want to have it looking great once again. Professionals in the field will have access to methods and equipment that you probably don’t have at home, allowing them to tackle the most difficult carpet issues. And in some cases, giving them a call may even be the difference between saving your carpet or having to replace it entirely. There’s nothing wrong with trying to get the job done on your own, but it’s important that you know when to let the pros step in.
