S
Shifter
Guest
Anyone got any tips for getting carpets clean without resorting to Vanish or anything similar? I'd much prefer to use a natural/gentle cleaning solution.
S
Shifter
Guest
No, but aren't they quite pricey to hire?
If it's not too stubborn a stain, I've always used a bit of laundry detergent in a washing up bowl of water and just scrubbed it. If you're using an eco-friendly detergent, that would make it a fairly green way to deal with it. If you're left with any slightly manky smells, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on it (the carpet needs to be dry), leave it overnight or as long as you can, then hoover it up.
Reena Nerbas has two fantastic books on cleaning with things that are already in your house. I don't think I have ever seen a bottle of cleaning "stuff" in my mom's house, and I grew up washing windows with vinegar and ammonia mixed with water! I didn't know what Windex was till I got older 
Anyway, these books are FANTASTIC. This is Reena's amazing carpet stain recipe. It works every time. Follow the instructions to the Tee!
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) clear dish detergent and 1 cup (250 mL) warm water. Use this to blot -- not scrub -- the stain. Leave it for five minutes, then pat the area dry using a white paper towel.
Now mix together 1/2 cup (125 mL) hydrogen peroxide and 2 tbsp. (30 mL) ammonia. Dip white paper towel into the solution and blot onto the stain. Cover the stain with clear plastic wrap and weigh it down with heavy books. Make sure the books don't touch the carpet, Nerbas cautions, because if a book gets wet, dye from the paper could seep onto the carpet. Leave for 12 hours.
Blot dry. Then blot with warm water and dry two to three times. Dry with paper towel as much as possible. Then air dry. When dry, blot with white vinegar and leave.
It works like a charm. Good luck!
If you want to buy the books, they're at www.householdsolutions.org
Anyway, these books are FANTASTIC. This is Reena's amazing carpet stain recipe. It works every time. Follow the instructions to the Tee!
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) clear dish detergent and 1 cup (250 mL) warm water. Use this to blot -- not scrub -- the stain. Leave it for five minutes, then pat the area dry using a white paper towel.
Now mix together 1/2 cup (125 mL) hydrogen peroxide and 2 tbsp. (30 mL) ammonia. Dip white paper towel into the solution and blot onto the stain. Cover the stain with clear plastic wrap and weigh it down with heavy books. Make sure the books don't touch the carpet, Nerbas cautions, because if a book gets wet, dye from the paper could seep onto the carpet. Leave for 12 hours.
Blot dry. Then blot with warm water and dry two to three times. Dry with paper towel as much as possible. Then air dry. When dry, blot with white vinegar and leave.
It works like a charm. Good luck!
If you want to buy the books, they're at www.householdsolutions.org
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