If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to tackle tough stains and foul odors, knowing how to clean carpet by hand is the way to go. If you have pets or kids, it’s optimal to try deep cleaning your carpet by hand four times a year.
When it comes to cleaning carpet, most people use a vacuum or hire a carpet cleaner to complete the job. But not everyone owns expensive tools, and hiring a professional cleaner is expensive.
Looking to get tough stains and marks out of your carpet? With a few materials (pre-owned or newly purchased) and home-made cleaning solutions, you can tackle just about any carpet-related issue—even without a vacuum.
Below is your complete guide to carpet cleaning with a little help from car and home insurance
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How to clean carpet by hand
If you don’t own a steam cleaner and aren’t interested in buying one, keeping your carpet clean can seem like an impossible task. However, there are several different methods you can use to clean your carpet by hand.
Whether you need to spot clean, scrub, deep clean, or refresh your carpet, you can do so using readily available tools and a few homemade cleaning solutions. Below we’ve compiled a list of what you’ll need before you get down to business.
Tools
Stiff-bristle scrub brush
A bucket (for your cleaning solutions)
We suggest grabbing protective gear, like cleaning gloves and goggles, since you’ll be handling chemicals.
Cleaning solutions
Ammonia (best for stain removal): When it comes to stain removal, ammonia is the way to go. You’ll want to mix 10ml of ammonia with 500ml of water, then add 1 tsp of your preferred washing powder. Make sure to stir the mixture well.
Vinegar (best for oily patches): Oily patches are some of the toughest stains to remove from your carpet. Luckily, vinegar knows how to put up a good fight. Just mix 1 tsp of vinegar into 0.8 L of water. This solution can be used for more common surface stains too.
Baking soda (best for odors and debris): Over time, your carpet will develop an odor. If you have pets, the smell is likely to be more pungent. But not to worry. Baking soda is a great solution for fighting and absorbing even the most ruthless of smells.
Laundry soap (best for general carpet cleaning): Sometimes, the simpler the better. You can clean your carpet using laundry soap, but you’ll want to make sure you mix it with water to avoid a unpleasantly dull finish. Mix about 5 g of soap with 0.6 L of clean water.
The solution you choose will be dependent upon the type of stain you’re trying to clean. Below we’ll go over some common carpet stains so that you can prep the correct homemade solutions to fight them.
How to spot clean common stains
We put our carpets through a lot, and knowing how to properly clean them can help them last longer. Below are the most common carpet stains and how to deep clean them by hand.
Coffee or tea
The approach to removing a coffee or tea stain will depend on if the stain is wet or dry. If wet, dab the area with a clean cloth, then dampen another clean towel with the vinegar solution mentioned above. If dry, simply dampen a towel with the vinegar solution.
From there, press the soaked towel onto the stain. Let the solution soak undisturbed for at least 24 hours, then use a laundry soap solution (mentioned above) and a stiff-bristle scrub brush to remove the stain.
Blood
Cleaning blood from your carpet is relatively simple. All you need is cold water and a clean towel. Start by soaking the towel in cold water, then scrub the carpet by hand with the towel. This should do the trick!
Wax or gum
If you accidentally dripped candle or paraffin wax onto your carpet, you can use ice to easily remove the stain.
Start by putting some ice in a small bag, then let the bag sit on the problem area for about 30 minutes. From there, use a towel to remove the wax, then iron your carpet to help it recover to its natural state.
For chewing gum, use the ammonia solution mentioned above. All you have to do is soak a cloth in the solution and apply to the gum stain. This should remove the gum with ease.
MORE: How to steam clean a carpet
How to scrub carpet by hand
Scrubbing your carpet by hand can help keep it looking fresh and new. You’ll need ammonia and a soft-bristle scrub brush to complete the job. Once you have both of these things, use the following steps to scrub your carpet:
Mix 2 tbsp of ammonia with 1 L of water
Apply solution to carpet and begin scrubbing
Wipe down your carpet with a towel and let it air dry overnight
Ammonia has a harsh smell—we suggest keeping a window open or turning on a fan to properly ventilate your space.
How to deep clean carpet by hand
Knowing how to clean carpet without a vacuum can come in handy, especially if your vacuum suddenly breaks. Below we’ve outlined how to deep clean your carpet by hand so that you’re prepared for the unexpected.
Pick a cleaning solution from above, based on need
Cover your carpet with the solution (avoid drenching)
Scrub carpet by hand, brushing in one direction the entire time
Press a dry towel into the solution. You’ll want to let the towel absorb as much as possible
Cover your carpet with tap water, then use a dry towel to soak the water up
Leave the carpet to air dry for at least 24 hours
Washing carpet by hand is fairly easy. If you’re not looking to deep clean, you can also toss your carpet in the washer. Be sure to read the tags, though—some carpets are dry-clean or spot-clean only.
MORE: How to get rust out of carpet
Keeping your carpet clean with readily available tools and homemade cleaning solutions is relatively easy and cheap. So next time your carpet needs cleaning, forget hiring a cleaner—this (free!) carpet cleaning guide has you covered.
Does home insurance cover carpet cleaning?
Depending on what type of dwelling coverage you have as part of your home insurance package, carpet cleaning may be covered. Typically, a repair service will only be covered by insurance if the damage directly resulted from a peril named in the policy.
While we’re on the topic, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best home insurance coverage at an affordable rate. With Jerry
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