Cleaning a carpet can be a real challenge. Carrying it to the dry cleaner is difficult and troublesome. On the street you can only knock the dust out of it, but not get rid of the stains.
If you don't have allergies, household chemicals can help out. But its biggest drawback is the cost. Then why spend extra money when you can effectively clean your carpet at home with vinegar and soda?
PREPARING SODA-VINEGAR SOLUTION
The cleaning product required is a mixture, for the preparation of which you will need:
1. Pour one glass of warm boiled water into a large bowl, preferably filtered with a filter with a minimum amount of mineral impurities.
2. Add 4-5 tbsp to the water. l. 9% table vinegar.
3. Add 1 tbsp there. l. washing powder (any will do) and 1 tbsp. l. soda The mixture will begin to foam actively, but you have provided for this by using a large bowl to prepare it.
4. Mix the resulting mixture thoroughly. The product can be used by first pouring it into a spray bottle or garden sprayer for better atomization.
Further use is simple: you apply the mixture to the carpet for 5-10 seconds, after which you remove the liquid with a sponge. The action must be repeated until the desired result is obtained, but at the same time make sure that the liquid does not saturate the carpet too much. The product demonstrates its greatest effectiveness at the stage of active foaming, so the mixture will better displace dirt from the deep layers of the fabric. Cleaning can be done at home; this method does not require moving the carpet outside.
It is also worth mentioning that it is not necessary to add powder: this component gives the mixture a pleasant smell and additional stain-removing properties. A substitute can be hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice, as they have bleaching properties and do not contain chlorine. As an option, you can also add a specialized carpet cleaner instead of powder, but do not forget about foaming - it can become even more abundant.
And resist the temptation to sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and pour vinegar on it. This way, you will not only not remove stains, but you can also damage the carpet due to deep impregnation with vinegar and remaining undissolved soda.
Features of removing contaminants with the prepared product
Before fresh dirt has time to be absorbed into the pile, it must be removed immediately. Stains are different and require their own removal method.
Stains are removed better by using a spray bottle
Chocolate, fruit and berry juices
Mix a liter of warm water, a spoonful of vinegar, laundry soap or Fairy soap well. Use a brush to scrub the stain. Using a sponge, periodically moistening it in clean water, remove the remaining soap solution.
Tea or coffee
Remove the stain with a napkin and wipe with a brush and soapy water. Clean old stains with glycerin (soak for 12 hours), then with soda and water and Fairy. It is also possible to descale the kettle with vinegar in one use.
Chewing gum
To remove chewing gum, freeze it in ice and then scrape it off with a scraper. Remove stains with dry baking soda.
Oily stains
Spray a solution of baking soda, vinegar, and detergent onto the stain. Wipe with a brush. Collect the solution with a clean natural cloth. If traces of fat remain, repeat the operation.
Urine
Vinegar not only removes stains, but also disinfects. You will need 0.5 liters of water + 1 tsp. "Fairy" + 1 tsp. soda + 2 tsp. vinegar. As soon as the foam settles, pour the detergent into a spray bottle and treat the rug. Leave the solution for 5 minutes. Clean the pile with a dry sponge. Dry the carpet in fresh air. The smell of vinegar disappears quickly.
Blood
To remove blood stains without allowing them to dry, scrub with a brush and cold water. To remove old stains, use the wet cleaning method.
CLEANING WITH SODA WITHOUT ADDITIVES
A simpler method of cleaning is using dry soda. You simply sprinkle it on the carpet, and after 30-40 minutes, collect the soda with a vacuum cleaner. This product shows good results, but is more suitable for imparting freshness to relatively new coatings that have not yet lost their original appearance.
Be careful: you cannot collect baking soda from the carpet using a vacuum cleaner with a paper or fabric dust collector or a HEPA filter. The optimal ones in this case are vacuum cleaners with a removable container or aquafilter, in which all sponge filters must be washed before use.
You can also use an aqueous solution of baking soda, applying it to the surface of the carpet using a spray bottle. To do this, mix soda and water in a ratio of 1 to 3 (for example, 100 mg of soda and 300 ml of water), as a result of which you will get a cloudy solution with a whitish tint. Despite its color, the product does not leave marks on the carpet.
An important condition when using soda: avoid applying it unevenly. If the powder or solution is applied to one area for 30 minutes, and to another for 40 minutes, then the difference in color saturation will very quickly become noticeable.
Is it possible to add soda to the tank of a washing vacuum cleaner for a better cleaning effect? In no case! Soda is a caustic substance, and if it somehow gets into the engine compartment, a short circuit in its winding will inevitably occur. The wire winding of the motor is very thin and is easily corroded by soda, and it is difficult to predict when this might happen - even in 10 minutes, even in a month. Therefore, it is better not to risk the performance of household appliances and carry out all manipulations with an aqueous soda solution manually.
An effective combination against pollution – sodium bicarbonate, vinegar, “Fairy”
Another proven folk remedy that allows you to quickly remove dirt and grease stains is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, table vinegar, and “Fairy”. When using the composition, keep in mind that you will have to rinse the floor covering thoroughly - the remaining liquid will begin to collect dust, which will lead to new contamination.
Preparation, use:
- Combine “Fairy” (20 ml), vinegar (20 ml), sodium bicarbonate (30 g), for greasy old stains, change the proportions - add a little more detergent.
- Distribute the mixed composition over the previously vacuumed carpet with a sponge.
- Leave for a quarter of an hour.
- Remove with clean rags.
- After drying, vacuum again.
It is recommended to dry the carpet on both sides. It is better to do this outside, under the sun's rays.
IN WHAT CASES WILL VINEGAR HELP?
Vinegar helps remove stains from cigarette ash, grease, wine, blood and others. And the higher the acetic acid content, the more effective the liquid is, but the concentration should not exceed 30%. Another thing is that now it is almost impossible to purchase undiluted acetic acid, so ordinary 9% table vinegar will do.
It is very simple to use: apply the liquid to the stain, wait 10-15 minutes and wash the area with any cleaning agent. The last step is optional, it removes the specific smell of vinegar, which disappears on its own after 3-4 hours.
Combination of washing powder, sodium bicarbonate, vinegar against stains
If there are persistent stains on fleecy surfaces, you will have to prepare a carpet cleaner based on table vinegar, sodium bicarbonate, or washing powder. The mixture perfectly removes old dirt, even grease.
Preparation, use:
- Mix vinegar (25 ml), soda (30 g), washing powder (25 g), water (1 l).
- Vacuum the carpet, remove debris and dust.
- Spray the prepared mixture in an even layer over the carpet.
- Clean the surface using a brush.
- Use clean, light-colored rags (wet, then dry) to complete the process.
- Dry the carpet surface completely.
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Home carpet cleaning using sodium bicarbonate should be carried out at least once a month. This is enough to keep the coating always fresh and clean.
HOW ELSE CAN YOU USE SODA AND VINEGAR?
A mixture of vinegar and soda is a universal cleaner that can be used on all fabrics except natural ones. This means that the solution may be useful for clothing, textile shoes, and some types of upholstered furniture.
You can also use baking soda and vinegar to get rid of stubborn stains (blood, juice, chocolate, etc.). To do this, you need to add table salt (not iodized) to the mixture, preferably the finest grind.
Overall, this is a simple, affordable and effective tool. The most difficult thing in using it is to quickly apply the mixture to the surface of the carpet immediately after preparing it, rub it in manually, and then remove the remaining foam.
Precautionary measures
Cleaning a carpet with soda is considered safe if you follow the following precautions:
- Try not to inhale the product. This can cause a severe coughing attack, especially in people with allergies or asthma.
- When working with vinegar solutions, be sure to wear rubber gloves.
- Handle the spray bottle carefully to prevent cleaning liquid from getting into your eyes and mucous membranes.
- If there are small children in the house, send them to another room - ingesting particles of the product can cause an eating disorder.
Attention! After cleaning the carpet, dry it thoroughly, otherwise mold and bacteria will begin to develop in the pile, and a musty smell will appear.
WHAT TO DO WITH A VERY DIRTY CARPET?
Do you have a very dirty carpet with a lot of old stains to clean? A mixture of soda and vinegar can help you in this case too, but under certain conditions.
So, a carpet that has been cleaned of dust must be soaked in the hottest possible water with powder. This will help soften old stains and prepare you for the main cleaning step. After this, the carpet needs to be dried and spread on the floor, then cleaned with a concentrated solution of vinegar and soda, spraying it with a spray bottle.
If to prepare a regular solution in 1 glass of water you added 4-5 tbsp. l. vinegar and 1 tbsp. l. soda, then for concentrated soda there are already 10 tbsp per 1 glass of water. l. vinegar and 2-3 tbsp. l. soda By default, it is assumed to use 9% table vinegar, but you can also use a less diluted solution of acetic acid, only the remnants of such a product must be removed from the surface of the carpet faster than usual.
Advantages and disadvantages
Every housewife has baking soda, with which you can not only clean dishes, but also give carpets and rugs their former shine.
Advantages:
- Price. The low price cannot be compared with any other detergent (except laundry soap).
- Safety. Soda does not cause allergic reactions in adults and children. With its help you can clean the children's room.
- Availability. This product can always be found in the nearest supermarket.
- Efficiency. Easily removes the most persistent stains, unpleasant odors from cigarettes, alcohol and animals, and refreshes the color of the product.
Flaws:
- The result of cleaning is not always visible the first time. Typically, 2-4 applications are needed.
- Old, stubborn stains often do not respond to sodium bicarbonate. In this case, it is recommended to take the product to dry cleaning.
- Soda treatment harms carpets made of natural materials (wool and silk).
WHEN SHOULD NOT USE THE MIXTURE?
A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is quite aggressive, so it should not be used to clean natural carpets. A sign that this method is not suitable for your carpet is its specific condition: after applying the solution, the pile becomes sticky and as if wet, and can remain so for several days. For such a carpet, it is necessary to use specialized cleaning products approved by the manufacturer. As a rule, you can get this information on the product label.
If your carpet contains silk, then it is strictly forbidden to use soda and vinegar to clean it. These substances reduce the strength of the silk thread, which is why the carpet will begin to tear very quickly, no matter how carefully and carefully you treat it between cleanings. It is better to trust the cleaning of silk carpets to professionals, whose services will still cost less than buying a new product.
In the same case, when cleaning a carpet made from natural materials at home is still necessary, you can use hydrogen peroxide. This product is universal and quite effective, but it is worth keeping in mind that it should not be used for brightly colored products - a bleaching effect is possible. For light-colored carpets, hydrogen peroxide is simply ideal.
As you can see, quick and effective carpet cleaning at home is quite possible without expensive products. Baking soda and vinegar are always available, which means that you can easily return your favorite carpet to its attractive appearance at any time.
Recommendations
Before starting work, read the recommendations:
- First, vacuum the surface on both sides.
- After wet processing, careful drying is required. To prevent the pile from absorbing new dust, it is forbidden to walk on a wet carpet.
- When using the dry method, do not use too hot water or a hard brush. Rough bristles can damage the pile. And too high a temperature will complicate the removal of stubborn stains.
- Before cleaning, check the reaction of the material to the substance: first treat a small area to make sure that the product does not harm the product.
- Soda ash or baking soda powder is traditionally used to clean light-colored surfaces. For dark ones, use tea leaves.
