Lounge carpet doing my head in...please save me!

broclo

I rent and the carpet is VERY thin, it is not old, just very cheap. Kind of carpet that goes flat etc

Anyway I'm constantly cleaning it(spot cleaning) where DS will chuck food and juice or wet himself, plus guests always walk straight in etc.:mad:

Recently I have had to clean major patches where DS and guests have killed it(beige grrr) and now it firstly has brown patches(possibly from pulling the dirt up from old maky underlay???) and is crusty(must be the various nasty sprays I have used leaving residue) and flat(just because it is rubbish lol).

I cleaned about a quarter of the lounge last weekend and now this bit which looked fab is looking worse than before, loads of strange marks and seems to attract the dirt terribly.

I seem to have made it worse!

So does anyone have any ideas on how to fluff up the crusty pile, remove a few standard stains, remove the residue of the spot cleaners, solve the issue of the odd brown patches where dirt is possibly rising up etc? Any tips aswell on not getting it too wet yet cleaning deep down? Took DAYS to dry last weekend!

I can say do a maximum of half the lounge at half a time or DS will end up wet!

Not really bothered how 'old style' the tips are...although would be good!

Can not hire a machine as my back will not cope with it. Do not want to get pros in as hate to pay when a bit of elbow grease will save the £'s !

The bits I have in stock so far are 1001 carpet liquid(stopped using sprays and foams), bicarb, stardrops, surgical sprit(lol this helps with DS's peeing smells lol), non bio liquid, non bio powder, proper srubbing brush and loads of old rags and towels etc, Can obviously go grab some vinegar/bio bits

So any ideas of the best concoction to use and how to stop my carpet being as wet as a paddy field after?

Save me from my desperation someone please!:rotfl:

broclo

Whoops...that was LONG. Even I am amazed by the length of my post just asking about my carpet!!!

troo

Anything with detergent in it will leave a residue which attracts dirt (as you've found out!)

The pros use a brilliant cleaner which isn't available to us mere mortals :rolleyes:

So you either need to get a pro in, or chat up the owner of a small independent carpet shop and persuade him to order some cleaner for you and then hire an industrial machine from a hire shop. Normal machines (like Vax, etc) don't do a really deep-down clean, and they don't have the strong suction that industrial machines have, so the carpet stays wetter for longer.

You'll need 2 people to lift the machine in and out of the car, they're very heavy.

broclo

troo wrote: »

Anything with detergent in it will leave a residue which attracts dirt (as you've found out!)

The pros use a brilliant cleaner which isn't available to us mere mortals :rolleyes:

So you either need to get a pro in, or chat up the owner of a small independent carpet shop and persuade him to order some cleaner for you and then hire an industrial machine from a hire shop. Normal machines (like Vax, etc) don't do a really deep-down clean, and they don't have the strong suction that industrial machines have, so the carpet stays wetter for longer.

You'll need 2 people to lift the machine in and out of the car, they're very heavy.

Sorry the info must have got lost in the post as it was so long!

I will not be using a machine

My back will not withstand using one and I do not drive to collect one

I do not want to get someone else to do it, I refuse to 'HIRE' someones services when I can do something myself and save money, especially as i'm a single mummy

The landlady's carpet has to be the cheapest per square metre in known history, have a feeling that a machine will destroy it

So...i'm looking for suggestions that involve me doing a bit of hard graft, especially as I've made some scones and I need a reason to eat some!

jess1974

Oh dear, your carpet sounds like the one i had when i moved in, it was an absolute nightmare, the more i tried to clean it, the worse it looked.

Everytime i spot cleaned it, it left a darker water mark which looked worse than the original stain.

In the end i bought a huge rug which covered most of it, in March i replaced all my carpets with decent ones....good luck

troo

Oops sorry I went back and re-read your post, dunno how I missed the bit about no machines

Not sure you actually NEED a reason to eat scones :think: :rotfl:

I've removed dried-in cooking oil from the kitchen carpet with soda crystals dissolved in warm water - don't ask me what the ratio was, I just kept spooning them into the water til I thought 'that'll do'

Before you clean the carpet, brush it (in the opposite direction of the pile). Then use an old towel to dab the solution on - don't rub it in, it'll push dirt further into the carpet. Leave it for an hour but don't let it dry, then put towels on the floor and walk on them to get as much moisture out as possible.

You might need to do this a few times depending on how bad the carpet is, then again cleaning carpets too often can ruin them so you have to be careful not to soak it.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I'd go with the rug suggestion.To be honest I don't think there's much you can do.The more you clean the carpet the more it's going to mark it.

broclo

Cheers

Rug not really an option as it would need to be HUGE(really huge!) which means expensive and I'd rather spend money on my DS etc...plus that would cost as much as hiring the pro's. Also would not need it when I left the rented accomodation so it would be a waste

carriebradshaw

when we do our carpets we put a bit of fabric softener in the rinse water (we use a machine but you could do in a bowl like I do when spot cleaning) it does help to repel the dirt a bit apparently. After spot leaning I get a big towel spread it over the wet are and walk on it to get the worst of wetness out of it and it will dry much quicker.

As for rugs maybe you could get a couple of those light cheap cotton ones to cover the main carpet up with for now,you can throw them in the washing machine and dry over a clothes horse which will make life easier,while your little boy is toilet training,rugs always come in handy over the years I've found but they don't all have to be hulking great heavy ones You can take them with you when you leave and put them away in case you need them again

oystercatcher

I'd go for smaller rugs to go over the busiest areas. As poster above says if you chose washable ones you can take them with you and they will last for years. Also add your own character to rented places.

After potty training and buggies you get muddy feet problems , especially with boys! Believe me you will be using rugs for years and years. I have three boys and they attract other boys so you will have a house full of boys (with muddy feet) in years to come !!

Oystercatcher

mary43

Our kitchen serves as a sort of 'family room' as well and the carpet (now over 20 years old) is not just flat - the odd hole has worn through ! With the traffic of cats, and at one time two dogs, plus teenage foster children in and out all the time the poor carpet stood no chance.
So, I bought a couple of nice rugs (cheap from a boot far but in good condition) and they cover up most of the bits that are too horrid to mention.
So, if it were me............go for the rug option.