Baking soda is the go-to solution for bringing your carpet back to life. Not only does it clean, it also kills bacteria, refreshes the pile and removes odours. Apply plenty of baking soda to completely cover your carpet then use a stiff brush to work it in, rubbing it in different directions.
Clean your carpet with baking soda and vinegar
Simple and inexpensive, this old-fashioned trick works wonders to revive dilapidated carpet pile. First work in the baking soda with a stiff brush (rub it in deeply, working in all directions), then let it sit overnight so that it can fully absorb odours and bacteria.
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.
Mix the white vinegar and warm water using one cup of vinegar per two cups of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want to cover the vinegar scent. It's not the nicest smell, so you can add essential oils like lavender, citrus, or sweet orange.
You can use baking soda (aka bicarbonate of soda) to clean and deodorize all kinds of carpet and area rugs, but the method used depends on whether the stain is grease-based (think pizza, oil, mayonnaise) or non-greasy (like mud, wine, blood). In all cases, the process starts by sprinkling baking soda over the stain.
Treat your carpet with a mixture of one cup of white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Use a spray bottle to gently mist over the carpet. Be careful to not oversaturate it as increased moisture can lead to mold growth. Pour a copious amount of baking soda – an amazing odor neutralizer – on the carpet.
Restoring with Salt Water Solution
It is possible to bring back some of the bright colors back by cleaning your carpet with a solution of 50/50 salt and hot water. Apply the solution with a damp cloth and let dry. Vacuum after it thoroughly dries and you should see some improvement.
1. Moisture, Mold, or Mildew. Does your carpet smell musty? Whether from humidity in the air, water dripping from indoor plants, flooding during a rainstorm, or simply a spilled drink, moisture can soak into your carpet and the pad underneath.
Sprinkle, Sprinkle
Sprinkle the mixture onto fabric surfaces, including carpeting, and let sit for 30 minutes or overnight. Vacuum up the baking soda mixture, and with it, those bad smells.
Baking soda is not dangerous to the fibers on your carpet so it's safe to let it stay on the carpet overnight. Baking soda works even better at neutralizing odors when it stays longer on the carpet. Sometimes, the odor is not so bad and the affected area is small. In this case, you can leave it on for an hour or so.
Sprinkle baking soda over the carpet, and allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes. An hour or even overnight is better, so long as you can keep everybody off the carpet, including your pets. The baking soda won't hurt them, but you want it on the carpet, not on paws and shoes.
Over time, those fibers break down. When the carpet begins to smell old, there is little that can be done. Carpet cleaning cannot take the old, musty smell from carpet. This is when it simply needs to be replaced.
Its natural absorbing properties make baking soda perfect removing stains and smells, and the natural disinfectant nature of vinegar means you can be sure the area is completely clean.
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Get the Recipe: How to Make a Baking Soda Carpet Cleaner
It's really as easy as it sounds: Just make a mixture of baking soda and essential oils. You can remix the recipe to suit your taste, but a good rule of thumb is about 10 to 15 drops of essential oil for every cup of baking soda.
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.
1 ½ tablespoons baking soda. 3 cups water. 30-40 drops of essential oil. Misting spray bottle.
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.
Over time, fabrics absorb a lot of moisture, and mold spores can soon take hold. Carpets are notorious for absorbing smells, so if you want to keep them, they will likely need a professional, deep clean; otherwise, it might be best to replace them altogether.
Brighten faded carpet and rugs by rubbing them down with a rag that has been soaked in salt water, then wrung out. You can also submerge throw rugs and drapes in a solution of salt water, then wash as usual.
Carpet will eventually fade over time of course due to a number of reasons such as sunlight, carpet cleaners and even certain spills or residue from medications and moisturises.