How to clean a carpet cheaply?

karakus

Hello

I just moved in a new houseshare and I got the feeling the carpet in my room hasn't been cleaned in a while. It doesn't stink but doesn't smell good either. Any tips/products to clean it without making (too much of) a mess or spending a fortune?

Thank you

Alter_ego

Rent a machine and DIY

HappyMJ

karakus wrote: »

Hello

I just moved in a new houseshare and I got the feeling the carpet in my room hasn't been cleaned in a while. It doesn't stink but doesn't smell good either. Any tips/products to clean it without making (too much of) a mess or spending a fortune?

Thank you

Hire a carpet cleaner. If it's that bad you'll need to wash it.

You could put bicarb down let it do it's work overnight or during the day and vacuum it up but that's something you do on a regular basis to avoid it getting this bad.

karakus

Alter_ego wrote: »

Rent a machine and DIY

this will be expensive I guess? if not, could you recommend a place to rent it from ?

Towser

The Rug Doctor is cheap at £22.99 per 24hrs. Google and find closest with store locator. Simples.

maman

Quick fix is to scatter talcum powder, leave overnight and vacuum up. Similar idea to the bicarb but with nice perfume.

katkin

maman wrote: »

Quick fix is to scatter talcum powder, leave overnight and vacuum up. Similar idea to the bicarb but with nice perfume.

I'm not sure talcum would work on a darker carpet.

If the carpet is bothering you, you could get down on on your hands and knees and clean it with a scrubbing brush with some hot water and a weak solution of biological washing powder and vinegar. Leave windows open etc to dry it off before vacuuming.

If its really bothering you it's worth the investment of a hire carpet shampoo machine as already mentioned. They really do make a difference. Hire machines are easy to use and the results are worth the effort. Just think how nice your room will feel with a properly cleaned carpet

oystercatcher

Alernative idea, look out for a cheap rug to cover over nasty carpet, added advantage , you can take it with you if you move !

Edited to add, any type of sprinkly granule stuff (bicarb, talc, shake and vac) will not vacuum up if the carpet is slightly damp. We had a terrible problem when trying to leave a rented room nice and clean, white streaks all over the place that wouldn't shift.

lisa110rry

Another plus for Rug Doctor. Additional cost is the proper fluid for it though. It will make a difference. Big machine, need a car to get it to your room. Maybe talk about all the sharers combining? Could do the equivalent of two rooms, hall stairs and landing and have time over in 24 hours, so perhaps up to six sharers? I reckon that would make it less than £10 each. I have used this method on my son's let property when a particularly grubby tenant left it. It worked beautifully.

rosie383

Having just moved also and finding some pretty dodgy carpets, I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed them using a bristle brush from Wilko's for 75p and a carpet and upholstery cleaning spray from poundland. I will see if I can find a link.
The carpet in the living room is beige and was covered with black marks, the moving day was wet and the people moving out, and the delivery men, have obviously tramped all over it.
A friend came round yesterday and commented on the really good quality, clean carpet!!!

http://etspeaksfromhome.co.uk/2013/02/household-review-aggie-mackenzies-probiotic-cleaning-products.html

This is the stuff that I used. It's great and smells very natural if that makes sense. Easy on sensitive skin too. Didn't hurt my hands at all and I was at it for hours.

This is the brush. But it was only 75p in my store rather than £2.

http://www.wilko.com/brooms+dusters/wilko-scrubbing-brush-wood-medium/invt/0056915

karakus

rosie383 wrote: »

Having just moved also and finding some pretty dodgy carpets, I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed them using a bristle brush from Wilko's for 75p and a carpet and upholstery cleaning spray from poundland. I will see if I can find a link.
The carpet in the living room is beige and was covered with black marks, the moving day was wet and the people moving out, and the delivery men, have obviously tramped all over it.
A friend came round yesterday and commented on the really good quality, clean carpet!!!

http://etspeaksfromhome.co.uk/2013/02/household-review-aggie-mackenzies-probiotic-cleaning-products.html

This is the stuff that I used. It's great and smells very natural if that makes sense. Easy on sensitive skin too. Didn't hurt my hands at all and I was at it for hours.

This is the brush. But it was only 75p in my store rather than £2.

http://www.wilko.com/brooms+dusters/wilko-scrubbing-brush-wood-medium/invt/0056915

thanks for the links, very useful :beer:

regarding Rug Doctor. don't know if I can use it as I live in a small property (very narrow stairs and my room is upstairs) amd the machine might be a struggle to take up. plus I live with my landlord and pretty sure he will disapprove, he's a bit of a loner and doesn't want people round the house !

Regarding Bicarb, is it actually safe for all carpets? mine is brown/oriental-ish style, not dark. it might be easier to sprinkle bircarb in the morning, then hoover it at night, would people recommend that?