Cleaning Your Carpet With Basic Household Liquids

The hardest carpet stain to try and get rid of is one that has dried down deep in the fibers. You need to get them out, though. Not only will your carpet start to smell bad, but germs and bacteria multiply in dirty carpets which could cause people living in the house to get sick. These stains are not as hard as you would think to get rid of, and you can do it with simple household items which are much less expensive than buying commercial cleaning products.

The Benefits of Water

For fresh stains, water is your best stain remover. Hot water and a few rags will clean the stain without straining your budget. Make sure that when a spill happens, you take care of it right away. The water method will only work on fresh stains and will be ineffective on those that have dried into the carpet.

Ammonia Smells Bad but Works Great

Another household liquid that is effective on stains is ammonia. Make sure the area is well-ventilated before you even open the bottle. Mix one tablespoon of ammonia with a half-cup of water. Undiluted ammonia will be too strong for your carpet and could cause damage. Blot the stain with the ammonia mixture using a clean rag. Leave it to work for two or three minutes. Then use a clean sponge and clean water to blot the area. After allowing the ammonia to loosen the stain, you should be able to soak it up with the sponge.

Vinegar's Not Just for Pickles Any More

Vinegar is another excellent cleaning product when used on carpet stains. Mix a third of a cup of white vinegar with two thirds of a cup of water. Don't use it straight. Blot the mixture onto the stain. This works great for beer stains that can smell bad. By using a sponge and water, you can then blot the stain so that it is absorbed into the sponge.

Rubbing Alcohol is Good for Just About Anything

Rubbing alcohol can be used just the way it comes from the bottle to remove stubborn, sticky stains like ink. The rubbing alcohol takes the stickiness out of the stain so that you'll be able to wipe it away. You can also use rubbing alcohol with water to remove blood stains.

Before trying any cleaning product on a stain, always remember to test the product on an inconspicuous area in case the solution reacts negatively with your carpet. The last thing you want to do is make the damage to the stained area worse by using a cleaning product that does more harm than good.

It's nice to know that if you have a sudden spill you'll have the things you need to clean it up right in your cupboard. Since it's important to tend to a stain as soon as possible, you'll be able to get right to it instead of having to run to a store to buy some kind of commercial cleaning product.

Autor: Christopher W Smith

For more carpet cleaning tips including how to remove tough stains from your carpet, visit http://www.carpetcleaningcare.com

Added: February 4, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/