You can hardly expect to keep your carpets in decent condition unless you wash them regularly. Many people choose to delegate the task to a professional. Still, most carpet treatment methods involve detergents, some of which may harm you or the environment. There is a safer solution not only to the environment but also to our health: using natural carpet cleaning instead.
The Benefits Of Organic Carpet Cleaning
Natural carpet cleaning methods are not only as effective as traditional chemical cleaners but also offer a significant advantage – they are not harmful to humans and animals. These non-toxic cleaners do not cause allergies or air pollution. By choosing organic cleaning methods, you protect the environment and extend the carpet’s life. With natural cleaners, you can clean your carpets as often as you like without any negative impact on the carpet or your health, giving you confidence in your choice and the effectiveness of these methods.
Another benefit of using natural carpet cleaning products is that they are dry, and you do not have to wait for the carpet to dry as you do with traditional steam cleaning products. Moreover, it is very unlikely mould will appear on your carpet after it has been treated with natural products. Mould is challenging to remove when cleaning, and the carpet must be replaced in most cases. Baking soda, for example, is an excellent deodoriser for the carpet and could help fight hard stains.
There is a variety of products on the market, and you have to be careful when choosing a suitable detergent. It is very important you are familiar with what is contained in the commercial cleaning products and you should avoid buying cleaning products containing those dangerous ingredients. There are products whose labels claim they are 100% natural, but be careful and read what they are made of. Natural carpet cleaning products are not only safer but also a more cost-effective alternative to the standard products you currently use, making you feel financially savvy.
Anyclean’s Natural Cleaning Recipes
Some of these recipes for natural carpet cleaning products will require some searching for obscure ingredients—try your local chemist or even ask a high school chemistry teacher where you can get them.
Stain-removing carpet soap
- 4 oz Fuller’s earth
- 1 oz turpentine (preferably the plant-sourced variety; mineral turps will do instead, but this does give off foul-smelling fumes and isn’t as natural. This ingredient is added as a solvent, so if you can’t get hold of natural plant turpentine, then you could try substituting strong alcohol, which is another natural solvent often used in cleaning products)
- 8 oz potash (aka potassium carbonate)
- ordinary soft soap, grated.
Melt the soap in a double boiler or microwave set on low until it becomes gooey. Stir in the other ingredients and blend well. Store in an airtight jar. One variation on this recipe is to use soap gel instead of making carpet shampoo. Another variation is to add 10–20 drops of essential oil of your choice to the ingredients.
Home-made dry cleaning carpet shampoo
This is good for carpets with natural fibres that tend to run colour—handmade rugs from exotic places tend to fit this description.
Mix Fuller’s earth and water to make a paste. Apply this paste to the spot on the carpet you want cleaned and allow it to dry in place before vacuuming off.
Carpet fragrance
Commercially produced carpet scents of the shake-on-and-vacuum-off are among some of the worst offenders for sources of household toxins – even worse than window cleaning products, as people (especially people under the age of five) often get close to the carpets and breathe them in. This recipe will have your carpets smelling nice and fresh – eliminating foul odours and putting a fresh scent into your house – without the hazardous toxins.
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 20 drops essential oil (suggested oils: lavender, lemon, neroli, grapefruit, petitgrain or cinnamon)
Blend well and store in a screw-top jar in a dark cupboard for a week to allow the essential oils to permeate the baking soda. Sprinkle the powder as generously or sparingly as you like over your carpets and leave it to sit for about five minutes or more to absorb unpleasant odours. Then, vacuum the powder up. As a bonus, the scent will get blown out of the back of your vacuum cleaner as you continue cleaning the whole house.
Anti-insect recipe
While regular vacuuming is your best ally against preventing fleas from infesting your pets and furniture, sometimes you need extra help. This spray will chase the fleas away, thanks to the pennyroyal. After all, the Latin name for pennyroyal is Mentha pulgefugium, which means “mint that makes fleas run away”.
- 20 drops of essential oil of pennyroyal
- ½ pint vinegar
- ½ pint water
Shake the ingredients together in a spray-top bottle and squirt lightly over any carpets or pet bedding you suspect to be infested. If you can’t get the essential oil of pennyroyal, boil the water and vinegar together, add a large bunch of fresh pennyroyal to the mixture, and allow it to steep, covered, until cool. Strain and bottle, then use as usual.
