diy carpet cleaning

shiningfaery

I have a cream carpet throughout my house. (Not my choice) and in the high traffic areas there are some very noticeable stains. How can I clean this myself with no carpet cleaner. Are there any good products I can use or make at home solutions?

I have 2 young children and cats so need to keep that in mind for chemicals etc.

Ebe_Scrooge

You need to be careful of cleaning just a part of the carpet. You'll probably get the stains out no problem, but then it'll be cleaner than the rest of the carpet and you'll notice it. You really need to do the whole thing.

Simplest way is to hire a carpet cleaner. You can usually hire them for a weekend, a day, or 4 hours. Not that expensive, and by far the easiest way of doing it. You could hire it for a day and do the whole house if you wanted to.

If you do go the hire route, get everything ready beforehand, e.g. moving furniture. You don't want to be wasting the hire time by shifting stuff.

Hope this helps.

shiningfaery

I did think of hiring something like a rug doctor but in an attempt to not spend any more than I have to I wondered if anyone had any alternative solutions

Ebe_Scrooge

Well you could try a solution of warm water and ordinary biological washing powder. The problem with doing it by hand is getting is dry again afterwards. Bear in mind, if you get it too wet, then the underlay as well as the carpet will absorb the water, and it's very difficult to get it dry.

But if you're careful not to over-wet it, you will probably be OK. Choose a nice warm day, and leave the doors & windows open afterwards so it can have a good blow through.

Owain_Moneysaver

You need a carpet washer machine.

Anything you spray or rub into the carpet may dissolve the dirt but unless you can suck that dirty solution out of the carpet it will eventually evaporate leaving the dirt behind.

According to B&Q website, 24 hour hire of a Rug Doctor is £22. Worth spending a little more money to do the job properly than wasting money on magic products that won't work.

shiningfaery

Thanks, looks like I am going to have to go with a rug doctor then. Now to try and free up some time to move the furniture and keeps kiddies entertained..

ic

Screwfix's carpet cleaning solution is FAR cheaper than the branded rug doctor stuff one of the sheds or supermarkets will try to sell you with the hire of the machine.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-carpet-cleaning-detergent-5ltr/70509

warmhands.coldheart

shiningfaery wrote: »

Thanks, looks like I am going to have to go with a rug doctor then. Now to try and free up some time to move the furniture and keeps kiddies entertained..

Rug Doctor machine is good but please "FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER"

Do not let it sit in one spot too long or it's soak the carpet underlay which is harder to dry out. Ventilate room well after and I'd even suggest turning the heating on in that room to help drying.. I've used it twice now and does work well no matter what bad reports you get as long as you use it right..