Every carpet owner has had that stunned moment of realization when they have spot cleaned their carpet and now that part is much lighter and nicer looking than the rest of it.
The buildup of dust and grime occurs so slowly you don’t even notice it’s happened or remember that your carpet used to be three shades lighter when it was newly installed.
If you’re currently in this situation, fret not. Deep cleaning your carpet does not have to be something you need to hire a professional for, and you also don’t need to spend thousands doing it. Yes, getting it done professionally might be more convenient, but doing it yourself costs so much less that it’s kind of hard to justify the spending.
Preparing the Room for a Deep Clean
To prepare your room for deep cleaning, you’ll have to move out as much furniture as possible. Lighter furniture like chairs and small tables can be taken out, and to prepare heavier objects like couches, put bits of aluminum foil beneath the feet.
After all the furniture is out of the way, vacuum your carpet as you’ve never vacuumed it before, especially areas that were hard to reach before. Take your time and get as much dust out of the carpet as possible.
Now apply a spot cleaning solution to any deep stains present. You can also make a carpet cleaning solution yourself by mixing a quarter cup of salt, a quarter cup of Borax, and a quarter cup of vinegar. This paste can be applied to stains and vacuumed off once it has fully dried.
To prepare your room for deep cleaning, you’ll have to move out as much furniture as possible. Lighter furniture like chairs and small tables can be taken out, and to prepare heavier objects like couches, put bits of aluminum foil beneath the feet.
Deep Cleaning Your Carpet
The first thing you will need for the actual deep cleaning portion is a carpet cleaner or steam cleaner as some call it. Steam cleaners look like vacuums, and they use steam and cleaning solution to deep clean.
This is a good investment if you have a lot of carpets and rugs, and if you deep clean multiple times throughout the year (as everyone should). If you don’t have many carpets, you can always rent one of these for the day.
To put inside, you can buy some carpet cleaning solution or just use really hot water. Many people prefer the latter because it avoids introducing any chemicals into the home.
Fill up the machine with the solution of your choice, or very hot water and then plug it in. Every cleaning solution comes with its own set of instructions on how to prepare and add it to the machine, so be sure to read the label and follow the instructions precisely.
If you are using a cleaning solution, you should test it by cleaning a small corner of the carpet that is usually hidden or not so noticeable. If the color stays the same then you are good to go.
Steam Cleaner
The steam cleaner will have two modes. One to release the water or cleaning solution and another to dry it. Spend most of your time using the drying mode. This will not get the carpet fully dry but after you have used it, it won’t take very long.
Start at the point furthest from the door in the room and begin your cleaning so that once you are done you can exit without having to step on the wet carpet you just cleaned and risk getting it dirty right away.
After the carpet has dried, you can go over it once more if you still see visible dirt. To dry the carpet, open all doors and windows and use a fan if you have one to keep air circulating. Dispose of the toxic water from the machine carefully, and do not put it down the drain.
Calling A Professional
If you can’t get complete a deep clean for your carpet on your own, try a local carpet cleaner. A professional carpet cleaner is trained in getting your carpets completely restored.