What do you use to clean carpet?

[mommylove]

And I'm not referring to spot cleaning or deodorizing -- I mean deep cleaning the entire carpet.

[hey mommy]

We hire someone to do it...

[MarynMunchkins]

Are you doing it yourself? I use vinegar, TTO, and water as hot as I can get it. :)

[allisonintx]

I have Olefin, so I used hot bleach water

http://www.floorbiz.com/carpet/carpet-buying-guide/carpet-fiber/olefin-carpet-fiber.htm

[RealLifeMama]

We have a Bissel, but be warned, it will make your carpet look dirty again faster because no matter how much we rinse and suck, it still leaves residue.

[hink4687]

I make my own carpet cleaner for the steam cleaner and I use it for spot cleaning too. It works EXCELLENT and it doesn't make the carpet get dirty faster like when I used store bought cleaners before.

Its just a cup of hydrogen peroxide, a teaspoon of dish soap, and about 20 drops of orange oil; I just add all this to my big bucket of water or if its one of the steam cleaners that has a seperate spot for the solution you can just put it there undiluted. Smells great and works fabulous. When I mix a bottle to spray on the carpets I mix about half water, half hydrogen peroxide and the just use more orange oil..I don't really measure it out all that well.

[JJsMom]

Thank you Nici! I think I'll try that with our steam cleaner but with lemon oil. :)

[hink4687]

Thank you Nici! I think I'll try that with our steam cleaner but with lemon oil. :)


Well you might still add a few drops of orange with the lemon too if you have it because its not just for smell. Orange oil cuts dirt and grease. :) I'm not sure about lemon oil though...it may too.

[mommylove]

Thanks Nici -- that's exactly what I was looking for! With your "recipe" I think I can justify the purchase of a steam cleaner. :cool I haven't in the past because I wasn't sure how to clean without the chemicals.

[JJsMom]

I just went to the coop and forgot to buy orange oil. :doh I was thinking lemon bc my dh doesn't really like the smell of orange, but orange it is! :)

[Oliveshoots]

Would that work on dark/colored carpets as well? I'm guessing since it's diluted in the water it wouldn't discolor it? :think I spilled a bottle of HP on MIL's carpet on our last visit and dh freaked thinking it would discolor it. It wasn't discolored by the time we left, but I have discolored some wash cloths before with straight HP. :shrug

Nici, so you used that solution in a commercial (rented) steamer? I'm thinking of renting one from the grocery store to clean my carpets before our new couch comes in, and if I can put my own "mix" in it, I'll definitely do it. Otherwise, I may just spot clean. But I'm still going to use your recipe! Thanks for sharing!

[mommylove]

Would that work on dark/colored carpets as well? I'm guessing since it's diluted in the water it wouldn't discolor it? :think I spilled a bottle of HP on MIL's carpet on our last visit and dh freaked thinking it would discolor it. It wasn't discolored by the time we left, but I have discolored some wash cloths before with straight HP. :shrug

Nici, so you used that solution in a commercial (rented) steamer? I'm thinking of renting one from the grocery store to clean my carpets before our new couch comes in, and if I can put my own "mix" in it, I'll definitely do it. Otherwise, I may just spot clean. But I'm still going to use your recipe! Thanks for sharing!


Great questions! I'll sit tight for a reply, as I've got dark green carpet & prefer to rent a Rug Doctor. :O I do know that with the rented machines, you have to sign something agreeing to only use their brand of cleaner.

[Soliloquy]

Thanks so much!!!! We are moving to a house w/ carpet after being blissfully carpet-free for years. I'm thrilled to be moving but was wondering how I would keep the floors clean.
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[afternoonrain]

I'm not entirely sure this goes for carpet, but it might be useful. I am a member on a long hair forum and when seeking info on how to lighten hair, I found this:

Mixing peroxide with lemon juice makes no sense - peroxide is an oxidizer, the vit C in lemon juice is a reducer, they cancel each other out. If you want it to be less strong, I'd just mix it with water.

[Sweet Life]

Its just a cup of hydrogen peroxide, a teaspoon of dish soap, and about 20 drops of orange oil; I just add all this to my big bucket of water or if its one of the steam cleaners that has a seperate spot for the solution you can just put it there undiluted. Smells great and works fabulous. When I mix a bottle to spray on the carpets I mix about half water, half hydrogen peroxide and the just use more orange oil..I don't really measure it out all that well.

I used this formula for spot cleaning, then steam cleaning this morning. There are some spots on our carpet that quite frankly will probably never come clean, and still didn't. But overall it worked really well. And it smells sooo good.