A broom, dustpan, and a bit of elbow grease will remove dirt and debris from carpets. The broom must have stiff bristles like Libman's Precision Angle Broom to effectively loosen and lift away the dirt from the carpet pile. You can use a small dustpan or one with a handle to reduce the need to bend.
Liberally pour baking soda, cornstarch, or flour onto your carpets and let them sit for 30 minutes to an hour. This method works best with area rugs that can be shaken outside. Or instead, clean up by sweeping up the excess powder with a stiff broom or carpet sweeper.
TLDR: Baking soda can be used to clean carpet because it is a powerful alkaline solution that when combined with acid produces dioxide gases. These oxidized gases are highly effective at removing stains from carpet and other materials with ease.
If you don't vacuum your carpet the bad things that can happen include mold formation, the spread of pet dander, stains, and breeding of pests, dust mites, and bacteria.
Although some carpet steamers and cleaners have a suction mechanism to remove the cleaning fluid and water from your carpet after cleaning the area, you should only use them for steaming or cleaning a carpet and never use them like a vacuum cleaner.
Sweep the carpet with a traditional, angled, household broom. Use short, quick strokes. You will need more pressure than when you sweep a smooth surface. Aim the dirt toward hard flooring, if possible, so you can easily sweep it up and collect it.
Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup borax and 1/4 cup vinegar, then apply this paste to deep stains or heavily soiled sections of carpet. Allow the paste to sit on the carpet for several hours until it dries completely, then vacuum it away.
When choosing between steam cleaning and shampooing your carpet, you really can't go wrong with both, but steam cleaning would be the better option. It removes more unseen pests and dirt, and can handle heavy-duty cleaning without making you wait long for drying.
To keep your carpet looking and performing at its best, The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends having your carpet professionally deep-cleaned every 12 to 18 months. Bear in mind that this recommended frequency is a general guideline only and can vary based on your particular circumstances.
If you decide to use the Bissell Crosswave as a vacuum, the only requirements are plugging in the unit and choosing a floor type. The rest of the work, aside from actually pushing the Crosswave, is controlled by the vacuum.
Unless you bring in a lot of dirt or sand, live in a dusty area or have pets, you only need to vacuum your hard surface floors once a week. Dust, dander and other allergens, however, can work their way into the cracks between floorboards so you don't want to let it go longer unless it's a room you rarely use.
In short: Yes, always vacuum first! The carpet should be vacuumed thoroughly with a regular household vacuum cleaner, before starting to clean it with a steam carpet washer or cleaner. This will remove loose dirt particles as well as any gravel/sand that has been tracked into the home.
Pet owners should clean carpets by vacuuming one to two times a week to keep up on loose pet hair, dander, and tracked dirt. Pet owners seeking a deeper carpet clean should shampoo carpet three to four times per year. Cleaning when the seasons change is an easy way to remember when it's time to deep clean your carpets!
Baking soda is an inexpensive solution that is safe for your entire family and the environment; it will even help to get rid of odors and stains with ease. You can just sprinkle it on the floor before you vacuum to revitalize the carpet.
Baking soda won't damage your carpet, but it may damage the underlay or the floors beneath. It may also be super difficult to vacuum every bit of baking soda from the carpet afterwards. The baking soda particles are so small that they can often find their way underneath the carpet fibers.
Using Baking Soda
Baking soda is effective in drying wet carpet because it removes moisture. Sprinkling it over the carpet and allowing it to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes will deodorize and dry up your carpet. Vacuum the carpet afterward to freshen it up.
Therefore, you want to be diligent in your cleaning routine for white or light carpets. This means you need to vacuum at least twice a week and shampoo them once every 6 months.
When finished shampooing, run a tank of clear water over the heavy cleaned areas (e.g. entrances and walkways). This will help remove excess shampoo and keep those areas cleaner for longer. It also helps to rinse out the shampoo from inside in the machine!
If you walk on it too soon you can track dirt and odors into the wet carpet which will defeat the purpose of the cleaning in the first place. With it being wet, it can allow for dirt to go deep inside the fibers as well as on top making it hard to clean for the next time you need a carpet cleaning.
Soak a clean sponge mop in the water/ammonia solution and wring it so it's not dripping, but leave it fairly wet. Then just mop your carpet like you would mop a floor. Change the water in the bucket often so you are not just spreading around more dirt. When you are done mopping your carpet and rugs, just let them dry.