Muddy carpet!!!

leemina

My kids have had their friends in and out all week, and my carpet has little bits of dried mud all over it. I've tried soap and water, detergent etc, nothings shifting it, any ideas? Would the stardrops that everyones praising work?? I'm new to this site, and really trying to focus on clearing debts, spending less etc, but still want the house and ourselves to look decent. I've read them the riot act, even had them cleaning it themselves (to prove the point), but nothings working.

Essex-girl_2

Doesnt brushing it whilst dry work - this is what I normally do - just make sure noone touches it when its wet then use a stiff brush when its dry.

Other than that if it is really bad I would hire or borrow a carpet cleaner.

purpleimp

Yup, I agree, leave it till it's really dried out and looking like plaster or clay, then dake a good hard brush to it then hoover over the top, if you've still got stains under that 1001 maybe? I use that for most things and it works wanders to rescue my oatmeal carpet from coffee stains!

cardigirl

Hi, my dog is a nightmare for scratching up mud after he's been in the garden. Seem to spend half my life wiping his paws, but to no avail.I've bought so many carpet cleanings sprays,mooses etc to get to mud up out of the carpet but nothing seems to work.
Have a steam cleaner too but thats no good either.
Tried white vinegar and water and bicarb too.
Anyone got any tips,on the cheapy side, to share?
Im at my wits end, my garden is indoors!
Thanks:o

TAG

Mmmm I have this problem, but with DH and the kids. Came down the other morning to a lovely set of size 10 muddy boot prints on the living room carpet. TBH I always let the mud dry and then hoover it up.

As for keeping the carpet looking fresh I have a Bissell Carpet Cleaner that I do the living room and rest of the house if any carpets need it once every three months. My carpets would look awful if I didn't.

So sort of money saving as deep cleaning the carpet will make it last longer.

Having had cats and dogs in the past I know what you mean though. I used to make my dog stay in the kitchen til he was dry. Well I'd try to but you could guarantee someone would let him in before he was.

Hopefully someone else will be along in a minute that can help you more.

Gingernutmeg

Mats!! Honestly, they're the best answer. We've just moved into a new place with cream carpets (why landlords put these in I don't know) and the hall especially was filthy. The garden path is a mess so whenever anyone comes in, no matter how much they wipe their feet, the carpet gets muddy marks on it. I tried everything, from carpet cleaners to mousses, and I decided that the only way to keep the carpet clean was to stop it getting messy in the first place lol.

I bought a good doormat, and a couple of large mats for the hall (£3.99 each from Wilko's). I shake and hoover them regularly, but they're cheap enough to either try washing them or chuck them when they're really grotty. You need to be careful that they're not a trip/slip hazard though - I always take them up when OHs elderly parents come round.

HariboJunkie

I've seen these advertised and it may be a worthwile investment.

blue-kat

we have various washable mats like in the link above, look at different brands as some take long time to dry.
I keep a big old towel oon the floor for the dogs to walk over after the mat when they come from the garden which reduces muddy pawprints.

in time I plan to get rid of carpets and it's a never neding job hoovering them ( we have 2 dogs and 3 cats), and replace with laminate or sand floorboards, which somehow never look as grotty, and the dof forms hariy dust bunnies, better than maddy stains and dog hair all over.

scuzz

We have a similar problem with out pooch. We squirt the prints with 1001 carpet spray, cover with kitchen towel and leave it for a couple of hours, then hoover. Seems to work for us

Good luck

angchris

i have a washable mat at the back door, i`ve had it about 4 years now and is looking a bit worse for wear as it gets washed weekly. the mat takes the brunt of the dirt from the dog then he gets shut in the kitchen until his paws are dry which at the moment is taking well over an hour, then he gets let into the living room and clumps of garden drop out of his paws when he walks around :rolleyes: every other day the dog escapes from the kitchen before he has dried out and i get a nice trail through the house :mad: leave it to dry and then hoover it does come out eventually. you could always buy some doggie wellies at a last resort :rotfl:

cardigirl

thank you all so much.
Got a few mats and carpet offcuts down but i think the dog or my ds plays with them and they never stay in the same place:rotfl:
Dog wellies is excellent, thought about getting him a little cart to drag him around on, the dog that is not my ds lol
Thank you all for your help
:T