No matter how hard you try, you can’t avoid getting marks or stains on your carpets forever. They happen so quickly when a glass is absentmindedly knocked over, when furniture is moved and leaves a mark or when dirty shoes aren’t taken off before running through the house.
I’m lucky to have laminate flooring throughout most of my house, but in the living room, where we do most of our entertaining and spend most of our time, we have a cream carpet. As pretty as it looks, it does mean my heart skips a beat when I spot a grubby mark or a stain.
Trust me I have tried every product out there when it comes to carpet cleaning and have recently started making my own. I love doing this because I can keep track of exactly what chemicals I am using, and therefore inhale. Whether you’re hoping to remove a tricky stain or to give your carpet a good spring cleaning, have a scroll through these fantastic homemade carpet cleaners.
1. Carpet Cleaner Spray
I’m a big fan of cleaning products in a spray form. I used to like aerosols until I started thinking about just how many excess chemicals were being sprayed into the air and then inhaled by my family. Sprays are the best of both worlds as they have the same element of ease as an aerosol but are more precise to use.
The ingredients in this Carpet Cleaner Spray are inexpensive, and it’s likely you’ll already have most of them in the house. To make the spray, you combine all the ingredients in the bottle. Because this recipe makes a big batch but requires little product each time it is used, you won’t repeatedly have to make more.
2. Carpet Cleaner Solution for Machines
As this recipe states, it isn’t the most natural way of removing marks from a carpet. However, when I have a tough stain that won’t budge I am willing to try anything, and considering how little you need to use at a time there’s nothing to worry about.
Bear in mind this recipe makes a concentrated mix which you then need to dilute with water before adding to your machine, don’t be popping it in straight away. I love the thought of whipping up this extremely simple Carpet Cleaner Solution for Machines, letting my carpet cleaner work its magic and when moving it away, see a sparklingly clean floor.
3. Foaming Carpet Cleaner
I always tend to reach for Foaming Carpet Cleaners; I think it’s something to do with the satisfaction of watching them foam up and start working. This specific recipe only includes three ingredients meaning it will take a matter of minutes and will hardly cost a couple of dollars per use. The addition of lavender essential oil is a lovely touch that will leave your whole room smelling sensational.
This article also includes essential oil carpet freshener recipes as well as tips on how to best remove specific stains, so it’s a great one to bookmark and refer to when in a panic.
4. Carpet Freshener Powder
I’ve never actually tried a Carpet Freshener Powder, but I’ve always been intrigued by them. All you need to do is sprinkle them over the carpet and then hoover them away again, so if they work, it’s incredibly worth it.
Because this particular powder recipe uses both dried herbs and essential oils you can guarantee your carpet will smell divine afterward. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the scent spread throughout your entire home. There are multiple different scent combinations you could go for; you could even have different scents for different rooms. Think calming lavender and rosemary for the bedroom for example.
5. Natural Carpet Cleaner
If you’re hesitant to use chemicals of any kind when it comes to cleaning your home then fear not, this Natural Carpet Cleaner is here to help you out. I always love it when a recipe gives a little description of each ingredient and exactly why it’s included; it makes me feel far more knowledgeable than I probably am.
Again, there are very few ingredients in this quick and easy recipe, and they’re all entirely natural. This is a multipurpose product as you can use it to remove stains on a specific area or use it to give a whole carpet a little sprucing up. If lavender isn’t your thing, have a play around with different essential oils.
6. Three Ingredient Carpet Cleaner
You can use this Three Ingredient Carpet Cleaner as either a strong stain remover or a general cleaner with the addition or removal of hydrogen peroxide respectively.
This carpet cleaning method is slightly different to the others as you first apply the baking soda and then spray the vinegar on top, as opposed to mixing the two together in advance. I like the idea as you can mark which areas you want to clean with the powder before adding a liquid to be sure to get every spot. It claims to be a deodorizer which is a bonus.
7. Carpet Cleaning Powder
I would never have thought to use either cinnamon or bay leaves to give a carpet a slightly spiced fragrance, but come to think of it they would both give off a beautifully light and subtle scent. If you’d prefer not to use floral essential oils, like most of these recipes do, give this one a go.
As I said, I’ve always wanted to try a Carpet Cleaning Powder and this looks like a great one to start off with. Despite containing multiple different cleaning and scented ingredients it’s incredibly simple to make, and one batch can be stored in a jar and used time and time again.
8. Natural Carpet Cleaner for Machines
We’ve already seen one solution to use in carpet cleaning machines, but if you prefer to stick to products with all natural ingredients, this will be perfect for you.
Not only does this article give you a fantastic Natural Carpet Cleaner for Machines, but it’s also highly informative regarding every aspect of keeping your carpets fresh and sparkling. I am, of course, hugely sold on the fact that it includes essential oils as having a home that smells delightful is something very important to me. This would be the perfect thing to use before guests arrive.
9. Lemon Carpet Stain Remover
No other scent screams cleanliness quite as lemon does. I’m always drawn towards lemon cleaning products in stores, and now I’ve started making my own you can bet I am trying to make them lemon scented.
This Lemon Carpet Stain Remover only has two ingredients in it, lemon essential oil and hydrogen peroxide, so if it works well, it could just be a miracle product. To make it even better you can also use this spray on upholstered furniture and there’s nothing I love quite as much as a multi-use cleaning product.
Conclusion
I’ve been proud of my conversion from store-bought to homemade products recently and can’t wait to continue that with a new carpet cleaner. There’s something to cater for every carpet and every stain, so you’ll never find yourself calculating new carpet prices again.
Of course, I’ll be trying out the Lemon Carpet Stain Remover for any tricky marks, and to make my home smell citrus fresh. I’m also excited to delve into the world of carpet cleaning powders and hope I fall in love with them as much as I think I will.