Q&A for How to Make a Carpet Cleaning Solution

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  • Question
    What kind of vinegar is best for cleaning?
    Kadi Dulude
    House Cleaning Professional
    Kadi Dulude is a House Cleaning Professional and the Owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York City-based cleaning company. Kadi has over 10 years of experience and manages a team of over 90 registered cleaning professionals. Her cleaning advice has been featured in Architectural Digest and New York Magazine.
    House Cleaning Professional
    Expert Answer
    For a strong cleaning solution, use pure white vinegar instead of distilled vinegar. Pure white has a higher acid concentration than distilled, which means it can clean tougher stains more easily.
  • Question
    Can I use a liquid stain remover that is usually meant for clothes in my carpet cleaner?
    Community Answer
    Try pure peroxide ore mixed with cream tartar. Rub it in let it stand a few minutes, blot it with clean rag, rinse spot with moist rag and depending on size and how heavy stain is put a dry clean towel/rag over it with weight to absorb excess and let it dry. This is likely to be more effective than clothing cleansers.
  • Question
    How critical is it to use the shampoo that the manfacturer of the carpet cleaning machine recommends? i.e. "Use only Bissell shampoo in this Bissell machine"?
    Flutasmoradas
    Community Answer
    While I am not familiar with the brand, usually companies put those instructions for a specific reason. The shampoo could be specially geared to the machine, or other shampoos may have chemicals in them that could harm your machine. If you have any other questions, try contacting the company's customer service!
  • Question
    How can I clean feces from carpet?
    Community Answer
    You can mix water with dishwashing detergent that is non-bleach (1 cup per 1 tbsp). You can also add 1 tbsp of white vinegar. Spray it onto the stain and rub with a damp towel covered in this solution.
  • Question
    Can I use laundry detergent to clean my carpet?
    Community Answer
    You can, but you should only use small amount mixed with hot water. You can go over the carpet with a mop that has been wrung out well.
  • Question
    What is the best cleaner to get rid of a pet urine odor?
    Community Answer
    I use a solution of 24 ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 8 ounces of tap water and a quick squirt of Dawn mixed in a 1 quart spray bottle. If the stain is fresh, I soak it up with a white wash cloth. Then I soak the area with the spray solution. I let it sit for 15 or 20 minutes, then soak up the residue with a paper towels. If the stain is set in, I spray with the solution, let it sit, then soak up with paper towels. If it doesn't all come up the first time, I repeat. This solution removes pet stains and odors more effectively than any commercial pet stain remover I've used.
  • Question
    How can I get chewing gum out of carpet?
    Community Answer
    Get the spray can that freezes the gum, and afterwards you scrape it away. If there are any residues from the gum, perform a stain treatment so that you can clean the fibers much more thoroughly.
  • Question
    What's the best homemade product to use to clean pet urine from carpet?
    Community Answer
    Distilled white vinegar diluted with water breaks down cat urine. But it is important to be sure that the vinegar will not alter the color of the carpet by testing it in an out-of-the-way area.
  • Question
    How do I get ink out of a carpet?
    Community Answer
    Try the methods in Remove Ink from Carpet .
  • Question
    What can be done to save carpet that has rust stain spots?
    Community Answer
    Try the methods in Remove Rust from Carpet .
  • Question
    How do I clean dark stains or dirt from carpet around baseboards?
    Community Answer
    Use dryer sheets. Save up used dryer sheets and wipe the base boards. It may not work 100% but you should be able to immediately tell a difference and can clean the carpet with shampoo after.
  • Question
    Can I use 409 Carpet Cleaner on a cotton rug?
    Community Answer
    Yes as long as it is the concentrated kind that you add water to. Just be sure not to add too much if you're using a shampooer. I use 3 oz in my cleaners solution tank and the rest hot water.
  • Question
    The last time I tried to make a floor cleaner, my arms got covered in chemical burns and saran wrapped doesn't prevent it, is there anything that will protect my arms from chemical burns?
    Community Answer
    Heavy, long nitrile gloves can prevent any burns you are getting from chemicals commonly used to clean floors. You can order them online (do a search for heavy long nitrile gloves). Be careful about mixing household chemicals, have an understanding before you mix seemingly harmless items together. For example, bleach is harsh to handle, but not deadly, ammonia is harsh too, but, not really deadly to handle. But mix them together and they release pure chlorine gas, and lots of it, which can kill a human in seconds, just by breathing it. That's not the only dangerous mix of household items. Research, and have an understanding before mixing any household cleaners.
  • Question
    What cleaner can be used to remove soap residue from a carpet?
    Community Answer
    50/50 distilled vinegar and distilled water either in a machine or spray bottle - though with a spray bottle it’d be a very tedious job. Once you’ve gone over the carpet with your vinegar/water solution allow to fully dry and then vacuum. That should work.
  • Question
    My carpet is hosting a dirt party! What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Vacuuming regularly helps keep dirt and debris at bay, but for those stubborn stains, a baking soda and vinegar mix works wonders. Consider hiring professionals for a really deep cleaning.
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