Carpets are a great eye-catcher and provide a good dose of comfort in your home. Even though they feel nice and cozy on your feet, dirt is harder to remove from carpets than from tiles or laminate. Regular vacuuming is important, but only removes the coarsest dust. Stains in particular are stubborn and can often only be removed with expensive cleaners. These tips will help you decide whether the stains can be removed with household remedies or whether professional carpet cleaning is recommended:
Clean the carpet, but only with the right technique
Regardless of whether you clean the carpet yourself by hand or get professional help, it is always important that the stain is removed from the carpet as quickly as possible – ideally while it is still fresh. You should never try to rub the stain away or rub it around, as this will only work the dirt deeper in. So just pat it dry with caution. When you remove the stain , always work from the edge of the stain towards the middle.
Plan enough time for carpet cleaning, especially for larger projects. The cleaning agents often have to soak for a long time and the carpet needs enough time to dry. Regardless of the type of cleaning agent, you should always test it on an inconspicuous part of the carpet first. If the material tolerates the cleaner, you can get to work. However, if the carpet fades or is damaged in any other way, please do not continue! But what can you use to clean the carpet?
Universal tip: Mineral water works wonders on fresh stains. Simply pour the water onto the stain and use a towel or microfiber cloth to soak up the dissolved dirt. Again, please do not rub!
Carpet cleaner or household remedy – which is more effective?
The great thing about home remedies is that they are cheap and effective and can be found in almost every household. They are natural and have been proven over generations.
Baking powder:
Thanks to the sodium bicarbonate it contains, baking powder is a real miracle cure for all types of stains and dirt. It also gets rid of bad smells. Simply sprinkle the baking powder on the stain and then carefully pour hot (not boiling!) water on the spots – this is the only way to open the fiber pores! This mixture should now take effect for a few hours – even better overnight. You can then carefully dab off the powder. If the stain is still there, the process can be repeated. Vinegar can also be added to the water. But be careful: vinegar has a bleaching effect, so it is only suitable for light-colored carpets.
Salt:
Salt is considered the ultimate remedy for red wine stains on carpets. Put the salt on the stain immediately and let it sit. The salt absorbs the red wine and turns reddish. Then vacuum the salt away. Make sure to only treat the stain from the outside in, otherwise it will only spread further. If the red wine has already dried, white wine, mineral water and vinegar water will help. Since these products contain acid, you must first test the colorfastness of your carpet in an inconspicuous place.
lemon juice:
Lemon also has a bleaching effect and should therefore only be used on light-colored carpets. Simply sprinkle a little lemon juice (from a bottle will work too) onto the stain and carefully wipe it off with a cloth.
Glass cleaner:
You can also use glass cleaner to remove stubborn stains from the carpet. Spray some onto the stain, let it dry and then brush it out. You can use a standard hand brush, for example.
Shaving foam:
Shaving foam is a cheaper alternative to carpet foam. It is important, however, that the foam is uncolored and does not contain any additives such as menthol. The shaving foam is applied to the stain, carefully worked in with a brush and then vacuumed up.
Carpet foam:
Before applying the carpet foam, the carpet must be vacuumed thoroughly to remove any loose dirt. Now test the foam on an inconspicuous area. If the color has not faded, the carpet foam can be used without hesitation. To do this, proceed as with shaving foam: spray on, work in with a brush and then simply vacuum off.
Nature helps your carpet all year round
When spring cleaning is due, your carpets should be cleaned thoroughly. The good old carpet beater is particularly useful for dust. It is important to only beat the underside of the carpet, otherwise the dirt will be worked much deeper into the carpet.
When it’s nice and warm in the summer, this is the ideal time to wet clean the carpet. It can then dry quickly in the sun, but be careful: the sun can easily bleach the carpet, especially in combination with certain cleaning products such as lemon juice.
And you can freshen up your carpets in winter too. You can also lay your carpet in the snow. Simply lay it face down on the snow and wait a while. The moisture will clean the carpet, but it won’t get soaking wet and won’t take too long to dry. If you’re still unsure whether your carpet meets the requirements for this cleaning, you should consider having it professionally cleaned.
Can carpets be washed in the washing machine?
In principle, this is possible and the bathtub can also be a good alternative. However, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and do not wash the carpets with too hot a water temperature.
Larger carpets, however, absorb the moisture and become so heavy that you can no longer transport them easily. They also take an extremely long time to dry. So you should get a professional to do it.
If the carpet was expensive or the stains just won’t come out despite all the tips, professional carpet cleaning is recommended. In general, an intensive cleaning by an expert should be carried out at least every two years. This is especially true because invisible vermin such as dust mites or clothes moths like to spread out on carpets. Not only does this sound disgusting, it can also lead to health problems such as allergies. Even small children can quickly come into contact with these bacteria by crawling on the rugs. This is why regular vacuuming is important (at least once a week).
If you wash the carpets with soap or even detergent, always make sure that they have been rinsed out completely. Otherwise, future dirt will be stubbornly bound. Wool detergent and dishwashing detergent may be mild, but they attract dirt like a magnet and cause the carpet to fade and turn grey. Washing a large and heavy carpet completely is almost impossible. So think carefully about whether you would rather leave your beloved carpet to a professional. You can now easily book a carpet cleaning service through Helpling:
You enter the length, width, number of stains and type of carpet to calculate the cost of professional carpet cleaning. After we receive your booking, you will receive an information email as soon as a suitable partner company has accepted the order. And you already have a binding cleaning appointment!
One last tip: once the carpet is clean, you should waterproof it so that it doesn’t get dirty too quickly in the future. You can use a commercially available textile waterproofing spray for this. Simply spray it onto the carpet and let it dry briefly. This will strengthen the carpet material and the daily dirt will roll off. Now the vacuum cleaner has an easy job!
