Did you know that you can make a cheap and effective carpet cleaner out of baking soda? The trusted home remedy is a milder alternative to heavier cleaners that might include harmful chemicals. And, it’s easy to make.
Incredibly versatile, baking soda will neutralize odors, cut through grease, dissolve dirt and can be used as a mild scouring agent for hard surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen.
It is a mild alkali agent that can dissolve grease and dirt easily, especially when combined with water or white vinegar. A baking soda carpet cleaner is ideal for deodorizing carpets and textile upholstery while removing stubborn stains.
Baking Soda Carpet Cleaner: The Recipe
It is easy to make your own baking soda carpet cleaner at home. You just need:
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 1 cup of salt
- 1 cup of white vinegar
This remedy is ideal for non-greasy stains and is ready within minutes:
- Simply work baking soda, salt and white vinegar into a paste.
- This mixture can then be applied to the stained carpet and left to dry for at least 3 hours – it is also possible to leave it overnight.
- Once dried, just vacuum off the remaining mix, and your carpets will appear fresher. This process can be repeated if necessary.
It is important to note that normally baking soda is very safe and should not damage or bleach your carpets. Even woolen carpets will be unaffected. However, if in doubt, test your baking soda carpet cleaner mix on an unexposed part of your carpet, just to make sure there will be no unexpected damage left afterward.
How to Use Baking Soda for Greasy Carpet Stains
As we know, greasy or oily stains are a bit trickier to remove and will need a slightly different approach to deal with them.
- Use an absorbent paper towel or rag to soak up as much of the greasy residue as possible. Light dabbing will do – avoid scrubbing as this will just make it sink deeper into the carpet.
- To clean the carpet stain, sprinkle dry baking soda on it and leave it overnight. Just note that the longer that you allow it to sit, the more grease the baking soda will be able to soak up.
- The next day, vacuum the affected area to see if you need to do anything else. If the stain persists, you can try a small amount of water and mild soap mix. This will gently break down the remaining grease. Using paper towels again, lightly soak up the excess moisture and soap.
- Once mostly dry, you can then sprinkle another layer of dry baking soda on the stain again. Leave for at least another three hours and then vacuum once more. In most instances, this method should remove the greasy stain successfully.
Banish Bad Odors in Carpets and Upholstery with Baking Soda
Beloved pets will sometimes leave bad smells on your carpet. To get rid of the odor, just sprinkle the carpet and/or upholstered furniture with dry baking soda. Leave for 30 minutes and vacuum afterward. Your living areas will instantly smell fresher without needing aerosols and heavy cleaning products. Best of all, baking soda is cheaper than other carpet cleaners, readily available virtually everywhere and gentle on the environment.
Did you know? You can also fight smelly shoes with home remedies. Here’s how: Shoe Odor Remedies: How to De-Stink Smelly Shoes
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