We know it happens – you have your carpets professionally cleaned and they look amazing! And then your dog runs through the house with muddy paws or your toddler figures out how to remove the lid from his sippy cup in your family room.
Don’t panic! We’ve been at this for a long time and have some tips to help you get to your next cleaning.
Say No to DIY Carpet Cleaners on Pinterest
No matter what you do, please don’t make concoctions and potions from Pinterest to treat your carpet! Many DIY carpet cleaners actually set the stain in for good (looking at you, rubbing alcohol) or create a whole new problem with the dirt attracting residue they leave in your carpet (dish soap)
I showed my husband Mike, our lead cleaning tech, some of the DIY carpet cleaner horrors I found on Pinterest and his mouth actually dropped! He said “There’s a great chance that would permanently bleach carpet with those ingredients, and a 99% chance your carpet would look awful a week later because of all the residue. Please don’t use that in your carpet!”
Stay far, far away from dish soap, oxy cleaners, and laundry products when it comes to your carpets. They might seem like an easily accessible, cheap solution, but it’s not worth the long term damage to your carpet. Your carpet was a big investment and will last years if taken care of properly. Don't use a $1.00 per gallon DIY cleaner on it!
So What Should I Do?
If you need to spot treat in between cleanings, here is what we suggest:
Right Away: Absorb the Moisture
Blot, don’t rub. Don’t scrub a stain into your carpet, this just pushes it deeper into the carpet fibers. Take a deep breath and an old cloth or towel and blot, blot, blot.
Get up as much moisture as possible.
We actually keep a stack of old, ripped towels at our house for this instead of tossing them. Fold a towel so it is thick and place it on the spill. Then stand on the towel for a minute or so to apply pressure and absorb moisture deeper in the carpet. Just doing this normally helps the situation a lot!
Treat It
Greener Cleaner Spot Cleaner to the rescue! Did you know that you can use the same cleaning solution we use in our professional cleaning service to treat spots at home in between cleanings? Of course it's non toxic and fragrance free too! Liberally saturate the spot with our cleaning solution and agitate it with the bottom of the bottle to work it in. Wait 5-10 minutes and then apply old towels, and place something with weight on top to apply pressure. Have full laundry baskets laying around? Put them to work! A stack of books work well too! Depending on the type of spill, you may need to do this a couple of times for best results.
If you're really feeling green, our Stain Remover is now available in a concentrate that makes three 16 ounce bottles! Head here to check it out.
To keep carpets looking their best, call us every six – twelve months depending on the foot traffic in your home for a professional cleaning.
Besides treating stains like a pro, you can also help the overall appearance of your carpet by vacuuming them at least once a week. Small particles like dirt and salt from outside can make it on your carpets even if you take your shoes off at the door, especially if you have pets! Vacuuming on a regular basis helps remove those particles and keep your carpet pile happy!
Ready for a cleaning? Give us a call and we'll find a time that works for your schedule! 248.496.1800
Written by Tina Ersig
Hi, I'm Tina! I'm the behind the scenes gal at the Greener Cleaner: answering phone calls, writing blog posts, and answering emails. I have the best job because I get to work in comfy clothes, be home when my kids get off the bus, have "office dogs" and get to talk to other moms on the phone every day.