March 19, 2021
Carpet Cleaning (2 Ways to DIY)
If you could only do one Spring Cleaning task, what would it be? Having the carpets cleaned (whether it’s done by me or by a pro) is my top priority for spring cleaning. With children, pets and those random spills and drips, our carpets can take quite a beating. It doesn’t have to be difficult to remove stubborn spots and giving our carpets a little refresh.
How about mixing up our own carpet cleaners – one for the SPOTS and one for general, ALL OVER carpet cleaning.
I like to start by tackling the individual spots and stains first, followed by a general carpet cleaning. The first step is to mark just what needs attention and take care of a little spot treatment. Be sure to do this in the daylight hours so you don’t miss anything.
I like to walk around with little Post-It notes to mark the spots.
After you have marked what needs some individual attention and spot treatment, it’s time to get out the cleaners. Really, the ingredient list doesn’t get much easier and is two things you probably already have on hand: white vinegar and baking soda.
The key to this cleaner is to apply the two in the correct order: vinegar followed by baking soda. Pour a small amount of vinegar on the stain, followed by a sprinkle of baking soda. The vinegar works to saturate and soften up the offending mark while the baking soda does the lifting and deodorizing. Together, they bubble a little and work as a team to lift the stain to the surface. If you have a minor stain you can just leave the mixture until it dries and vacuum it up, or you can let it sit for 30 minutes or so and rub or blot up the stain with a damp cloth if if’s a little more of a stubborn stain. Let it dry thoroughly and then vacuum. That’s it! I have found this concoction to work wonders on all sorts of stains, from pet to food and goodness-knows-what.
- Pour a little vinegar to cover the stain.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the vinegar.
- Let the vinegar and baking soda bubble up and absorb the stain.
- Rub away stain with damp white cloth – let dry and vacuum up!
After spot-treating and vacuuming up the residue, it’s time to freshen up your carpets with an all-over cleaner. Again, this is simple: vinegar is the only (yes, only!) ingredient besides water. You may want to check out your local big box store for an economy size jug of vinegar since you will be using a fair amount of it. Our local Costco carries a 1.32 gallon jug of white vinegar for under four dollars. Can’t beat the price!
I have the BISSELL Pro-Cleaner steam cleaner and love it. It works perfectly for area rugs, the stairs, and hallways, as well as tackling a room or even the whole house. If you need to get your whole home done in one day, professional carpet cleaning is always an option, but I love this cleaner and method to fluff up and deodorize our carpets. The beauty of vinegar is that it leaves no residue behind and brightens and removes light staining or discoloration like a champ. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial cleaners leave a tacky or sticky residue on carpet fibers that attract more dirt and dust and make all your hard work pointless.
Mix equal parts hot water and vinegar and pour in your carpet cleaner’s reservoir tank. Clean your carpets as per your cleaner’s instructions. Yes, vinegar might leave a temporary pickle smell in your home but it dissipates and disappears as your carpets dry. I can’t take credit for this concoction – it was my professional carpet cleaner that let me in on this little-known secret concoction.
It doesn’t get much easier to clean your carpets than that! Two household ingredients are all it takes to freshen, brighten and clean your carpets.
To get a version of this recipe and many more amazing cleaning recipes, tips, and tricks, check out my books.
amy mcclatchy Says
good morning! It’s early and I haven’t had my coffee yet so I need tiny bit of clarification. I have two reservoirs on my steam cleaner – one where the water goes and one where the cleaner goes and the machine mixes them together. Do I put the vinegar and water together where I put the water or should I put the vinegar where the cleaning solution would normally go and let the machine mix them?
Thanks so much and love your blog:)
Becky Says
Post authorHi Amy!
Mix one part water and one part white vinegar where the cleaner would normally go. Put water in the water spot too 🙂
xo, Becky
Kim Says
Thanks! I was wondering this too 🙂
L Bray Says
For the carpet cleaner you mention mixing equal parts in the reservoir of the machine. Then it will be diluted more when placed on the carpet since it will be mixed with the water when it is put on the carpet, right? Would it be better to just put all vinegar in the detergent area and then it will dilute when it is put on the carpet? Or does you machine have the option to just use only the stuff in the detergent reservoir and rinse later? Thanks!
Becky Says
Post authorHi L Bray!
Just mix one part water and one part white vinegar where the detergent would go. Put water where you’d normally put water for the rinse.
xo, becky
Cathy Says
I think I understand what L Bray is saying.
In my machine, the detergent reservoir is less than a tenth of the size of the bigger water reservoir. If I put the 1:1 vinegar/water ratio in the detergent reservoir and plain water in the bigger reservoir, it would be severely diluted by the time it got on the carpet.
Of course, unless you’re saying what should actually go onto the carpet to clean it is less than a 20:1 vinegar to water ratio.
You also did not mention there was a need to rinse with plain water after the vinegar, so your instruction is confusing.
I’m thinking just put the 1:1 mixture straight into the bigger plain water reservoir. Then, you could use the detergent reservoir for a baking soda/water mixture (ratio? – possibly a 1:3) for the tough stains.
Therefore, you would be using the “rinse only” for doing the whole carpet with a 1:1 vinegar/water ratio, then switch on the “clean” to use the baking soda mixture for the tough spots.
Does that sound right?
Kristy Says
Don’t put baking soda in your machine! It can clog it up!
kimmie Says
That’s fantastic!!!!! Thank you for sharing!!
karren Says
For years I been ‘rinsing’ my carpets with the 1:1 vinegar mixture after cleaning with carpet cleaner. I found this removed the carpet cleaner residue. Thank you for letting me know I the vinegar mixture is enough!
Love your website. Thank you for your helpful ideas.
Brandi Says
So I only read the 4 step spot removal instructions with pictures & spot treated our carpets as you said, before my husband went ahead & cleaned all over with our normal cleaner. I now have bleached white spots all over the off-white carpets where I spot treated! Very disappointing! Would using the vinegar & water mix all over as you suggested in the rest of the instructions have prevented this? Could it fix the problem now? I have to go rent another carpet cleaner to redo but if it would fix the bleach spots it could save a couple hundred in rent deposit…..
Becky Says
Post authorThe vinegar and baking powder will not bleach your carpet. I am guessing that you might have an abundance of baking soda still on/in your carpet. Probably from not letting it dry and going over it with the carpet cleaner(?). Try plain, lukewarm water on a rag to get that up from your carpet. Let it dry and vacuum with your vacuum cleaner. Hope this helps! xo, Becky
Malia Says
Thank you for this question Brandi and THANK YOU for response. I decide to spot clean all over the house and all over off white carpeting ( wall to wall) and followed directions ( vinegar first then baking soda _ it ‘s cool how it bubbles and foams and let it dry and then vacuumed. My husband came home to white spots all over the house was on the phone with carpet cleaners and possible installers to replace. I tried getting a brush and rubbing it out and more vacuuming- nothing. I ruined the whole upstairs even my little 7 year old said thanks a lot. Then i saw this post – got a white thin towel and ran it under water- squeezed out excess water and went to town rubbing each and every spot and whew! it was disappearing. I may need to go back again but we thought we were out thousands of dollars and I thought I bleached out the white rugs but it was just baking soda residue that gets down deep.
LG Says
I’m hopeful this works for me too. I did this on a brand new memory foam mattress cover, which I spilled on then cleaned with baking soda. It left a huge white spot, which I thought had bleached out. After reading this post, I could feel the texture of the spot was stiff; had to be excess baking soda. Now I’ve removed the cover and repeatedly rinsed in the sink with warm water to help dissolve the residual soda, and laid it out to dry. Man, I hope this worked. Cause now I have to get this cover back onto this huge 300 lb king sz mattress… by myself. No joke, it almost crushed me when I was trying to remove it. Pray for me! lol
race anne Says
Do you have advice on using vinegar cleaning with. Kirby?
Jeanette Says
Race Anne, you can use the same water/vinegar mix in the Kirby. I have for years. I suggest spot cleaning as mentioned here, then spray in sections the whole area you want to clean with water/vinegar mix followed by sprinkling baking soda over the same area. Fill the cleaner attachment tank on the machine with the water/vinegar mix. By the time you start using the machine on the first section, it should have done it’s job and be ready for the rinse.
Definitely want a nice powdery shower of baking soda to avoid the white blotches. Suggest using a parmesan cheese shaker like the ones they have on tables at restaurants. A reused dry parmesan cheese container is what I typically use, but the clumps that come through the holes are still too large.
Stephanie Says
Thanks so much for these tips. Carpet cleaning is on my to do list today. Good think I have lots of vinegar and baking soda. Can’t wait to try this.
Starla Says
When spot cleaning, how long do you recommend leaving the mixture on your carpet before wiping up?
Becky Says
Post authorLet it bubble up and you can let it dry and vacuum after about 24 hours or you can wipe it up with a damp cloth too after you see the bubbling stop and the stain appears in the baking soda.
ROBBIE Says
Aloha Becky, Thanks for posting all your helpful detailed comments about using vinegar and baking soda.
My carpets have old pet urine stains that I didn’t remove properly and it left a slight ‘stinky’ smell in our home. I bought the Bissell steam cleander similar to what you have. I’ve contacted Bissell and reviewed tips on their website and they instructed me to do these steps as follows:
1) water rinse first to rid other methods/cleaners that I used before
2) pretreat spots with their pretreat formulas; place damp cloth over to let enzymes work better
3) shampoo carpet with their shampoo
4) water rinse again to remove shampoo residue; dry carpet well
I noticed it still had a slight ‘stinky’ smell . . . so I ‘over-sprinkled’ the carpet with baking soda thinking that a little more will definitely take away the smell. I then vaccumed as much baking soda as I could with my ‘vaccum cleaner’; however, those areas felt a little ‘tacky’ like it would be a magnet for dirt. I ‘water rinsed’ those areas again and it still feels very little ‘tacky’.
Do you think your half vinegar / half water mixture put into the ‘detergent area’ of the Bissell carpet cleaner which will mix with the water tank . . . will help take away the very little ‘tacky’ feeling?? Should I water rinse first before doing that?? Or should I water rinse after that . . . or don’t need to water rinse at all??
I’m having guests come over within 2 weeks and want to take care of this problem. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
~Robbie
Becky Says
Post authorI would rinse first and then try the vinegar/water combination – good luck!
ROBBIE Says
Thanks Becky for the quick response . . . I’ll try the water rinse again and then the vinegar/water combination. Do you think I can do the vinegar/water combination right after I do the water rinse??
Or do I need to let it dry first and then do the vinegar/water?
I look forward to your suggestion again.
~Robbie
Becky - Clean Mama Says
I think I’d let it thoroughly dry and then assess the situation and decide if the vinegar/water is necessary.
ROBBIE Says
Thanks Becky for the quick response and GREAT suggestion . . . I’ll try water rinsing only first, let it dry thoroughly and then assess the situation to see if the vinegar/water is necessary.
Thanks again for your time.
~Robbie
Lesley Says
I’m just wondering how it turned out Robbie….did it remove the tacky feeling from the carpet?
Keri Says
Becky,
Do you think this carpet cleaning method would work on furniture as well?
Becky Says
Post authorYou could test it, but I’d be leery about using it on furntiture….
Gina Says
I have used this same treatment on our mattress when my daughter had an accident in our bed. I used a towel to soak up as much urine as I could. Then I sprayed with vinegar and sprinkled baking soda over top. Let dry then vaccuum. It worked well to get out the smell. I just felt like i needed to be very careful not to oversaturate the mattress. Also I Think it left a little bit of a water spot on the mattress. I was not too concerned with it since I am going to cover it with a sheet but I would be very careful with furniture because there are so many different fabrics.
Amy Says
wow — I was so impressed with how well this worked! We are moving into an older home that had lots of really yucky dark spots on the beige carpeting in the den. I spent some time today using the spot-treating method (haven’t done the steam cleaning yet) and was amazed at how much better it looks! Most stains came out and the rest are at least significantly faded. So great to be able to clean with healthy, cheap ingredients!
Becky Says
Post authorYay! So happy it worked for you Amy!
maria Killeen Says
Hi, can you advise If this will work on a mattress stain, my dog was unwell and urinated on the spare mattress, have used varies cleaners and you can still see a stain
Becky Says
Post authorYou can try it, just be careful not to saturate the mattress.
Heather Venezia Says
I used Bissell shampoos in our carpet cleaner and now the carpet is sticky. Water rinsed with only water 3 times letting it dry in between each time. It’s better but still sticky. Our machine has a clean water tank and a detergent tank. Do you think water rinsing with vinegar as above will help break down and remove the residue? I think a 1:1 ratio in the tiny detergent tank only might not be enough? Also, should the heat option on the machine be turned on or not?
Becky Says
Post authorI have a Bissell carpet cleaner – probably the same one. I would rinse just with water until it isn’t sticky anymore and definitely use the heat option.
Heather Venezia Says
I’ve already done that 3 times. I need advice about the vinegar (see my questions above) before proceeding. If I’m reading this correctly it might save me many hours of effort.
Becky Says
Post authorHi Heather! Yes, I saw that in your question, but I don’t think adding vinegar to the water will necessarily help break down the solution, it’ll just add more to your ‘mess’. That was why I suggested getting it thoroughly rinsed out. The vinegar won’t hurt, but it won’t necessarily speed up the process.
xo, Becky
June Huston Says
Vinegar and baking soda! My cleaning superheros! If someone has not try it yet..Do it!
Kate Says
What if its not bubbling at all? Does that mean I put to much baking soda?
Becky Says
Post authorPossibly…
Ruth Oliver Says
I want to assure the other readers that this carpet cleaner really works! I tried it and I really like the final result!
Sue Rova Says
I read another site that recommended pouring vinegar around outer edges of old dried pet urine stain. & then soaking stain with vinegar followed by lightly sprinkling baking soda on area. I was a little heavy on the sprinkling! ( it did bubble) It recommended placing paper towel over it for 24 hr to let it dry, then vacuum. I did & it looks bleached !
I then read your blog & a few storie’s. I tried a wet towel to soak up any left over baking soda, let it dry & vac again. Still looks bleached ! Any suggestions ?
Please help ! Sue
Sue Rova Says
I forgot to mention, I was a little nervous pouring strait vinegar on only, so I sprayed diluted vinegar/ water solution on rest of stain to saturate. Then sprinkled baking soda. It did bubble . I noticed though only a slight yellow stain on paper towel next day when I lifted it & baking soda was still white. It didn’t absorb the stain. Sue
Sue Rova Says
Hi Becky, do you think I should Start over again, with straight vinegar & sprinkle of baking soda? worried I have ruined this carpet.
Thanks, Sue
Becky Says
Post authorI would try rinsing with water again – I think you have too much baking soda on the stain.
Faith Grant Says
Vinegar and baking soda are amazing cleaners! I don’t know why people use so many chemicals when there are natural ways of cleaning that work great!
Cory Waltmathe Says
Thank you for the tips, it’s really helpful to me. Now I know how to clean my carpet in a simple way. I appreciate it. Well done.
teresa Says
Its amazing how much money we pour into the high marketing products that are on the store shelves, when we should ask our grandmothers for advise on what they used back in the day for cleaning
Kathy Says
Watch the price of vinegar sky-rocket! I had read another blog on using vinegar in a front loader washing machine to get rid of and control the mold. Works great and softens the clothes. So many good uses for vinegar! The companies will hear about this and have an “aha” moment – LOL.
tammy crain Says
I used a carpet cleaner on my off white carpet and when it dried there was orangish spots all over my carpet I tried just water rinsing and they are still there after the carpet dried. Will the vinegar and baking soda help remove these spots
Becky Says
Post authorGive it a try 🙂
Shanee Says
If I used my carpet cleaner with full strength vinegar on my heavy traffic area, then sprinkle the baking soda on it. Will the results come out the same once I let it sit over night and vacuum?
Becky Says
Post authorI only recommend a half water/half vinegar combo in a carpet cleaner 🙂
Jane Thelaner Says
Found this article on Pinterest and it’s very timely! We recently moved into a home with lots of carpet and had it cleaned when we moved in…$$$. I’ll want to clean it again soon and would like to try your method and invest in the Bissell cleaner which will quickly pay for itself. There are so many types…would you be able to recommend a model number? Thanks so much!
pegg Says
I think all the models are pretty equal. I habr a Hoover that we have been using for years. Look forbwhat you can afford and easily use. Some are quite heavy to drag around.
Maybe you can find a sale!
Peggy Says
Hi Becky.
I am looking for some help. Have a serious carpet problem. The carpet is a berber that is about 15 yrs old. I was
unable to clean for about a year and I did decide to preteat an use my hoover steam machine(1993 purchase). Now I have dirt streaks through all the high traffic areas. I tried vinegar and it left orange streaks which I was able to remove with a cold rinse. Can the carpet be saved? What steps should I follow. I have ordered the Bissel Green Machine from Amazon and expect it on Wednesday.
Becky Says
Post authorI think I’d have a professional carpet cleaner come in and see what they can do.
Diane Says
In addition to buying my white vinegar at the large box store (Sam’s), I also bought a 13.5# of baking soda. I use a “bit” of baking soda for lots of cleaning, as well as home-made deodorant/anti-perspirant. Regular commercial deodorants made me break out and the more natural ones did not work for me. Thank you for all your tips. . .I’ve been switching to more eco-friendly and healthier cleaners, etc., for over 20 years–have learned a lot over the past 2 decades and continue to learn more. . .even at my age (retired). 🙂
Delores Lyon Says
Thanks for sharing this! IT is good to know that there are so many things you can do to keep your carpet looking nice and clean. I really shouldn’t let my carpet get so dirty in the winter. It makes spring cleaning such a big hassle for me. Maybe I’ll just hire professionals so I don’t have to worry about it.
Melanie Says
I usually don’t comment.
I just wanted to say to those who at worried about “bleached” spots. The baking soda is really hard to get out completely. I thought I had bleached them to at first lol. It will wear off. What I usually do if there is a lot left is I spray vinegar and half water and wipe it off. Repeat if necessary.
Really works great for spot cleaning.
I used the vinegar in the carpet machine and I’m unfortunately not impressed. Now trying baking soda/vinegar in the spots it didn’t come out great.
Sandy Says
i thought I’d try this on grout on my kitchen floor. Worked great.
J.W. Says
THANK YOU! I shared your link with this review on my facebook: I have to share this tip, because I’m SO pleased with the results! Some of you know that we inherited beige carpet with ugly black & brown stains from the previous tenant. Part of our deal for moving in early was that the owner wouldn’t replace the carpet. I’ve spent a year trying to get them cleaned with every method I could find. I’ve also hired professional cleaners, even scrubbed on my hands and knees with ammonia and a face mask (not good). The stains would disappear for about a day or 2 and then slowly come back! Did I mention that our dining room is carpeted & our children love spaghetti? Ugh! So last week I decided to try a simple solution of baking soda and vinegar just because I had tried everything else. And it works!!! The stains are completely gone. It’s so simple & non toxic. It’s magic!
Stanley Hoult Says
I have some vinegar and baking soda. I hope these tips will make my carpet cleaning task better.
Kaylee Says
Hi Becky!
I know I’m a little late with this comment, since it’s been over a year since this was posted haha. But I was wondering, would apple cider vinegar work instead of white vinegar?
Becky Says
Post authorNo, you have to use distilled vinegar – the apple cider would probably stain your carpet 🙁
Sascha Says
Hi Becky!
I have a question for you – I have a Bissell steam cleaner for carpets as well. We have an area rug in our living room/family room that sees a lot of use between traffic, kids playing, sleepovers, etc. Hardwood floors underneath. Could I use this method with the Bissell? Any tips for this? If I shouldn’t do this, any tips on freshening up area rugs? Thanks so much!
Meg K Says
Hi, Becky!! I was wondering if I could use your spot-treat method on three almost-invisible “crunchy” stains on my carpet left by my lovely dog when she got into the diaper bag and demolished three box-drink containers of baby formula. I didn’t notice this until well after, the incident happened while I was out of the house. I only know there’s any staining because the formula has dried into the carpet and it’s kind of crunchy under-foot. I’d rather my husband didn’t figure out why the dog keeps licking the carpet. Help, pretty please?!
Becky Says
Post authorTry a small amount of warm water and half vinegar over the top – if you don’t see anything the baking soda isn’t necessary. Let it sit for a couple minutes and blot it up. The vinegar should neutralize the baby formula.
xo
Tracy S Says
I’ve read through all the comments hoping there was an answer to my question, but I didn’t see one so I am very much hoping you still answer on this thread lol.
I rent, and the carpets are old and, for lack of a better word, nasty. They were stained when we moved in and life with two dogs and a baby (baby being more recent but no less destructive) has just made the carpets cringe worthy. We recently acquired a Bissel Pro Heat Pet, but the sprayer no longer works, my husband thinks the vinegar solution we put in it might have knocked some old calcium loose, so we just use a spray bottle.
Yesterday I was trying to clean the floors and I noticed a huge strip underneath a table that has totally gummed up. It’s not even really carpet any more, there are no individual fibers or loop-y things. So, my question, can I use the spot treatment but brush it in to loosen the carpet back into carpet? I got this great brush with my Pro Heat, I think it might work. Would you recommend it?
I hope to hear back soon as my floors are driving me crazy!
Becky Says
Post authorHi Tracy!
I’m not sure about the strip – I’d avoid it with the carpet cleaner. Maybe ask your landlord about it – you wouldn’t want to damage it more and get blamed for it 😉 Good luck!
Idog Says
Tracy S.- I have the same carpet cleaner and the sprayer died. I contacted Bissell Customer Service and they directed me to a local shop to repair it for free. Apparently this is a known problem with this model. Good luck!
Mair Says
Good advice about tackling the spots and stains first, it’s amazing what you can do using white vinegar and baking soda. Very good blog you have going 🙂
Stephanie Says
Thank you so much for posting this!! I cleaned my carpet, and thought I was going CRAZY, because they were sticky! I’ve now cleaned one area twice! Still sticky. I am glad there is a simple smelly 😉 solution, that will dissipate as they dry. I just wish I didn’t have to do it yet again! I also notice this particularly where I used a perioxide/water/baking soda blend, with a small bit of dawn. It took the stains up beautifully…however left the undesired stickiness behin :'(.
Stephanie Says
Is there an easy way to print this? Or perhaps a printable view? Thank you.
Becky Says
Post authorI’m sorry I don’t have that but I’m looking into it 🙂
Stephanie Spackleton Says
I’ve done this with my carpets and for really “stinky” stains (like pet accidents, for example), I’ve used this method first, then ammonia or a couple drops of tea tree oil in about a cup of water. Works like a charm!
Bert Says
I do not have a carpet cleaner. How would you suggest I clean my carpet with your vinegar/soda/water solution?
Becky Says
Post authorJust spot clean by blotting the solution on any spots.
Jeannette Says
I tried this carpet cleaning with vinegar & baking soda, and it bleach my carpet ????
Becky Says
Post authorRinse it a little more Jeannette, chances are it’s the baking soda residue.
Veronica Says
This solution works great. I live in a house with 3 dogs and 2 kid. My brother and hubby always come in with shoes so there are lots of tracks. This cleared up the black back to beige! Thank you so much!
Tracee Says
I can’t wait to try this! I have beige carpet with the black spots too, from the ex when he used to polish his shoes inside! Ugh! And I have pet stains too. Next time I go to the store I’m getting a huge thing of vinegar!
Tracee Says
Thanks Becky for the great tips!! I’m definitely going to try this!! My carpet looks horrible! I have a small hand held Bissell carpet cleaner, hopefully it works with that. If I remember, I will post my results! Just gotta get a big thing of the vinegar first! Thanks again!
Ardella Crawford Says
Have you ever tried hydrogen peroxide as a cleaner? I have a recipe that is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, few drops of Dawn dish soap and bit of baking soda that works so well on pet spots. One of our kitties tore a back claw and bled all over the place–hydrogen peroxide took it right out.
Becky Says
Post authorYes, I love it!
Mary Hess Says
I have some old spots on my carpet that are red from some kind of drinks ( not wine) that my daughter’s cat knocked over. Will this work with red stains?
Becky Says
Post authorGive it a try!
Miranda Says
Hi! Im wondering about mixing the baking soda and vinegar w/ hot water in the reservoir tank of my shampooer. Has any one else done this? Or just straigt vinegar and water?
Katie Buck Says
Hi there. I did this on some old pet markings and now they have turned a bright yellow colour! Not sure what to do as we are renting this place. Any ideas?!
Becky Says
Post authorIt’s probably pulling the stain up from the carpet pad – I’d keep rinsing and blotting until you don’t see any yellow.
Elle Says
The same thing happened to us! 983 beige carpet turned bright yellow! What do you suggest finding with? More vinegar or just water?
Becky Says
Post authorJust water – it’s probably a stain up from under the carpet 🙁
Diane Says
I just purchased a steam cleaner to clean my carpets. I was wondering if I should scrub my carpets with my carpet cleaner first and then use the steam cleaner or steam clean the carpets first then use the carpet cleaner. Can someone help answer this question??
Naomi Says
Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base. When they combine, they undergo a reaction – this is the bubbling you see – and the end result is salt and water.
This is probably working for everyone because water is a natural solvent for most dirt and salt is abrasive, but you are not cleaning with vinegar or baking soda when you combine them.
Katie Says
My little one got the tummy bug last night and of course the last thing he had was red juice- so needless to say- he woke up puking and I have pink stains on his white carpet! This took a few applications, but it worked like a charm!!!! Thank you, Thank you!!
Becky Says
Post authorYay for stain removal! Hope your little one is feeling better!
Debra Grover Says
You mentioned you love your Bissel pro steam cleaner. Can you tell me the model number? I want to buy but the reviews are all over the place so was hoping to get a model that’s been tried & true.
Becky Says
Post authorCheck out this post:
http://www.cleanmama.net/2016/03/how-to-clean-your-own-carpets.html
NM Says
Hi Becky,
I had used baking soda,vinegar and lemon juice(1/2 the quantity of vinegar). My carpet looks bleached. is it bleached? will the warm water trick work..? anything you suggest?
Thank you
Becky Says
Post authorLemon juice shouldn’t be used on the carpet – I’m guessing that might have lightened it – try rinsing it thoroughly!
Angela Says
Hi Betty,
I tried your solution on my beige colour carpet last night. So far (after nearly 24 hours) it has turned out to be a white and yellow mark. Is there anything that I can do to save the carpet? Will this mark go away as it dries? Shall I re do the steps? Appreciate your advice.
Becky Says
Post authorThoroughly rinse it with water.
Ina Molinari Says
Hi…everything sounds like it could help me. I have bad asthma and my husband still uses products with chemicals where I can’t breathe.Right now I am spending a week up in be away from Living room..Will the vinegar/water solution neutralize the ammonia smell left in carpet…It is awful.
Becky Says
Post authorI wouldn’t mix vinegar with ammonia – sorry!
Jessica Says
Hi there! Is it going to damage my rugs if I add an essential oil to the cleaner mixture before an all over cleaner? I realize they are oils so I wasn’t quite sure. Thank you! All the best!
Becky Says
Post authorI would not add any essential oils – sorry!
Maya Says
Hi Becky ,
can I soak a white cloth in vinegar + water solution and use it ? In short can I use this method without machine ?
b r Says
Post authorYou can definitely try!
Maya Devan Says
My vacuum doesn’t have option for cleaning liquids , it’s just a normal vaccum cleaner that’s why.
BM Says
I tried this, and it worked. However, when I looked at the carpet this morning, the spot that had the vinegar and water looked like it’s “hardened”. It’s clean, but you can tell that something was put over it to clean it. Any suggestions?
b r Says
Post authorRinse well with warm water and soak that water up with a towel.
Rachel Says
I never comment but just have to say that I used the spot cleaning technique on some very unfortunate dog stains on our brand new carpet. I mixed a little tea tree oil in with the vinegar mixture and did the baking soda for about 30 mins. It worked so well! Thank you! I really thought all hope was lost.
b r Says
Post authorYay!
Alicia Says
Hi Becky!
Thank you for this cleaning method idea! My question is do I do the spot cleaning first wait for it to dry and vacuum then do the overall cleaning with the Bissel? Or can I do do the Bissel cleaning right after I do the spot cleaning without letting it dry and vacuum first?
Thank you!
Alicia 😍
b r Says
Post authorDo the spot cleaning through the house or room and then go ahead and use the machine while it’s still wet.
Dee Says
I have Persian carpets that is very old but in good condition, only very dirty. Can I use the vinegar and baking soda salution on them safely? Thank you in advance Dee
Clean Mama Says
Post authorI wouldn’t!
Pingback: Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide: Know How to Spring Clean Your Entire Home - City of Creative Dreams
Vicki Ross Says
Can you use white cleaning vinegar for stains and carpet cleaning?
Clean Mama Says
Post authorYes! Check out this new post:
https://cleanmama.com/how-to-clean-carpets-like-a-pro/
Tammy Treiber Says
Do you have any real secrets for cat urine? I did the black light smell and hydrogen peroxide and backing soda, now I will shampoo with vinegar. Any other suggestions?
Thank you
Clean Mama Says
Post authorThis is a great cleaner for urine:
https://amzn.to/3QOLGYx
Cassie Says
I tried this method and the solution ate away at the silicone on my carpet shampooer where the solution goes. I always cleaned the machine after I was done using. However the last time I was so exhausted to clean it out I then found day or so later it came apart. I only used the machine the one time so I don’t know if it was because I left it in there or because the solution is not good for the machine (company said never to use vinegar but who knows if they just want us to use the toxic stuff they sell…). I contacted the company and they replaced since within warranty I have been Leary on trying again.
Have you heard of this happening? I recently shampooed but didn’t use a deodorizer and my husband whom never smells anything said he smells dust or wet carpet so I’m looking for other options but don’t want to run into damaging my machine again.
Clean Mama Says
Post authorI’ve never heard of this happening but I would recommend checking out this post instead:
https://cleanmama.com/how-to-clean-carpets-like-a-pro/
Ken Says
Hi my son spilled some chocolate milk on the side of his bed, (on carpet) it was there for a day or two tops before I noticed… do I need a mildew cleaner for the stain or is the vinegar / baking soda enough? I don’t see any visible, but just wasn’t sure. Thanks.
Clean Mama Says
Post authorDo you have my Laundry Detergent Spray? If you do, you can spray it on the stain! Regardless, I would blot it up with cool water and white vinegar and see what you can get with that. If it isn’t moldy, you don’t need to treat it as such but Oxygen Whitener would work too!