#TipsTuesday: 4 Nontoxic Carpet Cleaning Tips
Posted September 18th, 2012 by Claire MoshenbergBetween kids and pets, it’s easy for the carpet in your home to become stain-central. Swap toxic carpet cleaners for handy nontoxic ingredients that are probably already in your pantry, and try simple steps to reduce stains and smells in your carpeting, the nontoxic way!
Photo credit: Photo by Flickr user Michael Kappel
Odor Control: Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and let it set for 30 minutes to an hour before vacuuming. Baking soda absorbs odors and moisture; to further improve odor, National Geographic Green Living recommends trying a few drops of lavender oil or ground cloves to the baking soda to improve indoor odor.
Stain removal:
- Coffee: “Blot up what you can using a dry, clean towel. The blot with a mixture of water and distilled white vinegar, and let that sit for 15 minutes. Then blot up with a slighty damp rag.” -The Smart Mama
- Red Wine: eHow shows you how to use easy kitchen ingredients to remove a red wine stain in “How to Remove a Wine Stain with Salt“
- Grease: Organic Authority has a quick tip on how to use corn starch to soak up grease stains.
- Diaper cream: eHow has a few easy tips on how to remove diaper cream stains from your carpet.
- Potty training: Still potty training, or maybe have a new puppy or pet in the house? Good Housekeeping has an extensive guide to cleaning up stains from “accidents,” while LiveStrong has simple tips on how to remove urine stains.
Vacuum: Vacuuming regularly is one of the quickest, easiest ways to keep your carpet clean. If, like me, you often forget to vacuum, try adding a reminder to your calendar to make sure you stay up to date (Aim for once or twice a week. Not possible? Don’t worry about it! Do it as often as you can based on your schedule). You can also do double duty and protect your carpet while cleaning up your indoor air by using a HEPA filter vacuum. HEPA filters trap fine particles of pollen, dust, and other allergens.
Lose the shoes: Lower your toxic chemical exposures, and keep your carpets cleaner, by leaving your shoes at the door. Lead-contaminated soil from the outside creates the majority of lead dust inside our homes. Leaving your shoes at the door can cut your lead dust levels by 60 percent, and also reduce your exposure to pesticides, dust mites, and more. To maintain carpets, wear socks or slippers instead of going barefoot indoors: Healthy Child, Healthy World says that natural skin oils can release from bare feet and attract dirt on the carpet.
Additional Resources:
- How to Keep Your Carpets Green and Clean, by Groovy Green Livin
- Easy Tips for Green Cleaning Carpets & Floors, by Healthy Child, Healthy World
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69 Comments
October 8, 2012 at 2:03 pm by JoshPreventative carpet cleaning is the key to effective, cost-efficient floor care.
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Ivan Reply:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
One very important tip to prevent odors or heavy soil in high traffic areas is to hire a professional carpet cleaning company. Do your research beause not all companies are the same. Find someone who is knowledgeable about their profession. Ask important questions such as:
1.What kind of cleaning method do you use?
2.How hot does your steam get?
3.Do you use a two step cleaning process?
4.Are you insured and bonded
5.Do you guaranteed your work?
Remember everyone will promise the cheapest price. However, if someone can answered the questions correctly without hesitatiation they just might be done it right. All carpet mills recommend you to have carpets professionally clean once a year. check out our web for more information @ http://www.aquateccarpet.com
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There are several means by which carpet cleaning for the removal of stains, dirt, grit, sand, and allergens can be achieved.
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October 4, 2012 at 7:00 am by DanicaIn cleaning your carpets, you have to remember some tips that you can use in ensuring that your rugs will be cleaned effectively. There are rugs that need to be cleaned with special materials to maintain its quality as well.
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October 4, 2012 at 3:45 am by Carlton CleaningWow! These are a powerful set of tips that are great for anybody to know, even if you don’t have kids! Thanks for sharing Claire.
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October 3, 2012 at 3:01 am by nellydeanThats a lot of class 1 methods/ remedies. I’m sure its a lot of compitation for the professionals.
I had my home tiles cleaned by cyclone pro cleaner!! the service was great. the thing i liked the most is their products were biodegradable, phosphate free and anti-pollutant.
http://www.cyclonepro.com
you can find all the information in this site.
hope this helps.
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October 2, 2012 at 2:09 pm by chandler carpet cleaningLove the name of this blog, TipTuesdays
Great tips that you have here especially when many people have children and pets at home.
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October 2, 2012 at 3:54 am by Business Cleaning ServicesThanks for sharing this awesome post. Non toxic cleaning tips are very useful for each home.
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September 28, 2012 at 6:35 pm by Sarah WeithThis is great! I now have an idea how to clean my carpet, and remove the odor that has bothered me for days.
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September 18, 2012 at 2:48 pm by Fred G.ArrantThanks a lot for sharing these ideas. I will definitely try your suggestions about carpet cleaning. I am looking forward to see more updates from you. If you are elderly and do not have the strength or the energy to shampoo, vacuum, or steam your carpets regularly, hiring professionals that regularly perform carpet cleaning in Indianapolis is one of the best moves that you can make.
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September 18, 2012 at 2:21 pm by AnitaThis is great. Ever since reading Arlene Blum’s work on how flame retardants and other chemicals migrate from our electronics and seat cushions into household dust, I’ve been a lot better about remembering to vacuum!
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