Did you know that you can clean your carpets by using just a few inexpensive ingredients found right in your own home? Effective, nontoxic cleaners create a safer environment for your family, especially for pets and children who are in close contact with the floor.
Choose eco-friendly carpet cleaners. Many over-the-counter carpet cleaning products contain pesticides, formaldehyde and other harmful toxins similar to those used in chemical dry cleaning.
These chemicals release fumes called volatile organic compounds (or VOCs), and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, they can cause many short- and long-term health problems, such as headaches, vomiting, asthma attacks, skin allergies, loss of coordination, cancer and damage to the kidneys and liver.
Homemade Carpet Cleaners
Clean carpets with natural ingredients, like vinegar, water, baking soda and plant-based soap.
Deodorize, disinfect and remove light stains by spraying soiled carpet with a mixture of 1 part distilled white vinegar and 1 part water. Let sit for a few minutes then rinse the area with water.
To make a simple, nontoxic carpet shampoo, mix a cup of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil-based soap. Rub the mixture into the carpet with a brush. Rinse area thoroughly with clean water.
For tough stains, replace commercial carpet detergents with a thick mixture of baking soda, water and plant-based soap.
Remove fresh red wine stains with full-strength club soda.
Make sure to porvide adequate ventilation when using water and liquid cleaners on carpets to prevent the growth of mold.
Homemade Steam Cleaners
Instead of using commercial steam-cleaning detergents, pour tap water or a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water in the steam cleaner’s reservoir.
For soiled areas, use more vinegar, just make sure to test the mixture on a small area first to check for discoloration. Use the steam cleaner as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure to provide adequate ventilation to prevent mold growth. The vinegar smell will disappear when the carpet dries.
Baking soda naturally absorbs odors and moisture from the carpet.
To remove greasy stains, mix 2 cups baking soda and 1/2 cup cornmeal or cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture across the carpet and let it sit for at least a half an hour. Vacuum the area.
For stains with odors, add 1 tablespoon ground cloves and 5 crumbled bay leaves or a few drops of lavender essential oil to the baking soda mixture.
Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to http://greencleancertified.com and http://maidbrigade.com. To learn more about the asthma and allergy triggers in your home, or to learn more about household products and breast cancer, please log on to http://www.greencleancertified.com/greentv.
