Cleaning Carpets and Upholstery The Green Way
The fabrics in our lives need a bit of attention to remain looking
good. We pay a lot for upholstered furniture and carpeting in our homes
and keeping them looking nice is really important. I can make a huge
difference to how our house looks and can give a better impression then
letting stains and dirt show up on these fabrics. There are a wide
range of harsh chemicals that are available for cleaning these
materials and there are expensive professional treatments as well, but
cleaning them can be inexpensive, easy to do, and can be done all
naturally with products you probably already have on hand at home (or
can easily find at the store). You can save tons of money and clean in
ways that are healthier for you, your family, those that visit you, and
even your pets.
Freshening Fabrics.
Fabrics of all
sorts need to be freshened. Pet odors, foot odors, and even organic
materials from outside leaving behind odors can make our lives a smelly
place. There are two great ways to help freshen fabrics and make the
world a better smelling place. The first is very simple. Baking soda is
your friend. It can be sprinkled on the carpets and on upholstery.
There are just a few rules to keep in mind. First, it isn't a good idea
to do this often, especially with carpet. The powder gets down into the
grain of the carpet and most vacuum cleaners aren't powerful enough to
suck up all of it. Over time powders can wear on the weave of the
carpet causing damage. It is best to use this as a once in awhile
treatment rather then a regular type of thing. This is also true for
any commercial powders available.
Make Your Own Scented Carpet and Upholstery Powder- Because
we all like to have wonderful fragrances in our home it is often nice
to have a scented powder to use in freshening fabrics. It is easy to
create your own scented powders. Simply take baking soda and add a few
drops of your favorite essential oil to it. You can get essential oils
at many craft stores and at lots of different sites online. They come
in a huge variety of options, are all natural, and many have aromatic
benefits. You will want to add a few drops to a cup or so of baking
soda. Then either stir well with a fork or sift through a sieve. Then
simply sprinkle it on the carpet or your upholstery, let it sit for a
short time, and vacuum it up.
The other way you can freshen up
your carpet and upholstery is to use a linen spray. There are lots of
options available in the store with Fabreeze being the largest most
well known option. These can work well, but are full of chemicals. You
can also make your own linen spray that will leave a great scent behind
and can be used regularly. To use simply spray on the desired area and
allow to dry. Because of the ingredients it will kill germs and leave
behind a pleasant scent.
Make Your Own Scented Linen Spray- To
make your own scented linen spray you will need to purchase a small
spray bottle. These are easily found in most stores, usually with the
traveling supplies (small packages of toothpaste, travel brushes, and
travel containers). Four ounces is the standard size, but other sizes
work as well. You will then fill the bottle with 1/2 alcohol. Rubbing
alcohol works and isn't as strong as other options, but it isn't all
natural or as healthy as your other options. Other then rubbing alcohol
you can use vodka or another strong clear liquor (such as Ever Clear).
Fill almost to the top with distilled water. Then add 10-20 drops of
your favorite essential oil or essential oil combination. Shake it well
and let it set for 24 hours. After that you can use as desired. It will
smell of alcohol at first, but as that dries it will leave behind your
pleasant scent. It also kills odor causing germs (and other germs as
well) because of the high alcohol content.
General Cleaning.
You
should vacuum both your furniture and your floors often to help
eliminate dirt, dust, food, and even organic materials tracked in from
the outside. This is easily said, but not always easily done. However,
having a regular vacuuming schedule can make it easier to keep your
carpets and upholstery looking young and clean. It can also make a
better impression on those that come into your home.
Stain Fighting.
Unfortunately
it doesn't matter how often you vacuum, stains do happen and they can
make our carpets look horrible. It doesn't have to be that way any
longer though (and you don't have to use harsh chemicals to make it
happen). To clean stains blot up any liquids and pick up any solids as
soon as possible. This can sometimes be done right away, but not
always. Then make a paste from 1/2 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of distilled
white vinegar. Spoon this mixture onto the carpet and use a soft
bristled brush to gently scrub the stain up. Rinse with clear water and
a cloth or sponge.
For stubborn stains- Most stains
come up very well with salt and vinegar, however some need a little
more stain fighting strength then that. For these stains you will want
to use 1/2 hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 water, and salt. First sprinkle the
salt on the stain. Then spray down with the hydrogen peroxide mixture
and scrub up. This mixture works on a lot of stubborn stains including
blood, wine, and tomato sauce. It is a good idea to do a test spot
first to make sure that this mixture doesn't bleach out the fabric's
color. It isn't known for doing it often, but it can happen.
For grease stains-
Grease is often hard to deal with. When it is on the carpet or the
furniture it is a good idea to cover the area with baking soda and let
it sit over night. Clean it up by vacuuming it. This will help absorb
most of the grease. Then you can easily clean the stain using salt and
vinegar mix.
For pet accidents- If you have a pet that
has used the floor as a bathroom (in either sense) it is a good idea to
clean it special. For these cases remove any solids and soak up any
liquids. Scrub any stains using salt and vinegar mixture. Then it is a
good idea to thoroughly spray the area with a mixture of either 1/2
white vinegar and 1/2 water or a mixture of 1/2 alcohol and 1/2 water.
In either case it will smell like the product until it dries. Also it
will kill bacteria and other germs, remove the original smell, and make
it less likely that your pet will repeat the mistake because of the
remaining odors.
Carpet Cleaning.
In this day and
age you can get a carpet cleaner for as little as $50 at Walmart. While
these machines don't have the power that commercial machines have they
can make a huge difference in the life of your carpet. To clean your
carpet well you have a few different options. They all have expensive
and chemical cleaning options. However, it is often a better idea to
use white vinegar in place of these. Simply fill the tank to the fill
line (that is meant for chemicals) with white vinegar. Then use as you
normally would. Try to get your water as hot as possible while still
following the "no boiling" water rule. Try to get as much of the water
out of the carpet as possible and put a fan on it to help dry it
quicker. If you have a lot of stains you can scrub these first and if
you have a really dingy look you can sprinkle salt on the carpet before
you begin.
Keeping your carpets and upholstery clean can be
done easily, with just a little time and care. It can also be done
afford-ably and without the use of harsh and dangerous chemicals. Start
keeping your carpets and upholstery cleaner, greener, and easier.
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Comments
That's great information. We moved to Spain eight years ago and have large rugs that we lay down in winter, and of course we have our soft furnishings to keep clean, too.
But there are no professional carpet cleaners here and so we have to do all of this sort of cleaning ourselves.
Your information will help us a lot. Many thanks.
Dave
There is indeed enough info on Hydrogen Peroxide to write a book! Great info! Thank you!
What a great article.
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