Spring is the all-time right time to clean, restore and spruce up your house. While you are making your home seem more like a glowing castle, don’t forget that your carpet took a beating this winter along with the rest of the house. You can treat the majority of your carpet cleaning issues -stains, shagginess, padded-down spots- with some clever and non-toxic carpet cleaning hacks.
Baking Soda and Essential Oil Carpet Freshener
Want your carpets to smell as fresh as if you were walking through a field of daisies every time you step into your living room or bedroom? Make your own deodorizer by mixing about ten to twenty drops of any essential oil (I prefer lavender or wild orange) with about a 16-ounce box of baking soda. Mix it well so the oils are completely absorbed and store in a glass container and wait 5 minutes and then vacuum it.
Removing Stains with an Iron
Don’t put that iron away after you starch the collars on the laundered button-down shirts that will go in your newly-organized closet. It can actually be carefully used to remove some stains.
First, vacuum the carpets so there aren’t any particles left on it. Then, dampen any spots or stains with a towel concentrated with a solution made of one part white vinegar and three parts water.
Put the moist towel over the stain and use the iron to heat the towel. As you move the iron over the towel, the stain should start to lift into the towel. Stop ironing when the stain is all – or as much as possible – removed.
