Sprinkle the carpet with the mixture and then use steam, instead of cold water, to dampen the mixture. Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. The magic carpet brush is designed for light manual agitation of low moisture granules for carpet cleaning. If you are cleaning an area rug, take extra precautions to protect the floor beneath the rug from moisture damage.

Whether you have wall-to-wall carpeting or area rugs, regular vacuuming at least once per week is a must—more frequently if you have pets or kids. Change or clean HVAC filters to trap dust particles circulating in the air before they land on the carpet. If you are using a steam mop, use the microfiber mop head or a carpet attachment to go over the baking soda mixture on the carpet.What a cracking little tool this little brush is, it’s very helpful when you are spotting and you can use it in places where the CRB can’t go (under radiators, and other awkward areas etc). For the most thorough vacuum job, take the time to move furniture and any other items from the carpet. Before beginning the deep-cleaning process, spray the vinegar solution on the carpet in a hidden location to test the colorfastness of the carpet. I’ve also found that it comes in very useful when you’re doing combination LM/VLM cleaning on stairs (vacuum, prespray Hydro202, apply Solutions Dry Carpet Powder, agitate with a magic brush, and wind dry vacuum).

For do-it-yourselfers, especially those who have pets or small children that soil carpets frequently, there are home carpet cleaners like the Tineco Carpet One Smart Carpet Cleaner that work well to remove soil and stains using liquid carpet shampoo. After the initial clean-up, follow the recommendations on a stain removal chart to remove specific types of stain. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. However, if you don't have a vacuum, there are other ways to clean carpet, like an old-fashioned broom, carpet rake, or carpet sweeper.

If you must use the room while the carpet is damp, place plastic sheeting or tarps on the traffic pathways to prevent staining. Consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning company or doing a deeper clean yourself at least twice a year. Katie Berry is a cleaning expert with 30 years of household management experience and 12 years of writing about cleaning methods and routines for Housewife How-Tos.

Using a professional cleaning service is easy but can be costly if your carpet needs frequent cleaning. If you are using a clothes steamer, hold the steamer head about six to twelve inches from the carpet. Working in a small 3-feet x 3-feet area, spray the vinegar solution onto the carpet until it's very damp. Allowing dust and soil particles to remain on carpet fibers causes them to look dull and retain odors, and it eventually wears out the carpet backing and fibers.

For more solid mud stains or dropped food, use the edge of a credit card or a dull knife to lift away the solids. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Always begin any cleaning process by spot cleaning stains and then vacuuming the carpet to remove loose soil, dust, dirt, and debris.