Cleaning a carpet is not easy. The Environmental Protection Agency has reported that the toxic cleaners most people use on carpets and other surfaces can cause problems like air pollution, water pollution and health issues. There are alternatives that will not harm the environment or affect your health. Most are normal non-toxic household products. Here are a few ecofriendly ways to clean your carpets.
Dishwashing Liquid
If you are cleaning a small area of carpet or dealing with a stain, then dishwashing liquid is a good non-toxic solution. Peace Frog Carpet & Tile Cleaning suggests, “Use basic dishwashing liquid with no special additives. Mix it with warm water and the smallest amount of baking soda. This mixture can be used with a soft brush to clean deep into your carpets. Allow everything to dry and then vacuum the area about 24 hours later.”
Club Soda
Club soda can be used to clean carpets and remove minor stains without leaving any residue behind. Pour club soda over the areas to be cleaned. Pat down with a clean cloth when done. Use a damp cloth and clean water to wipe down the carpet and remove excess club soda. Vacuum the carpet once dry. This is one of the most ecofriendly ways to clean a carpet.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the most effective and versatile ecofriendly carpet cleaners you can use. It is far better than the 53 percent of toxic cleaning products that can harm your respiratory system as reported by the Huffington Post. You just sprinkle the baking soda all over the carpet and stains. Let it sit overnight and vacuum everything up the next morning. This will brighten your carpet and remove most foul odors.
Salt, Borax and Vinegar Mixture
A powerful environmentally friendly cleaning solution can be made by combining a quarter cup of salt and vinegar with a half cup of pure borax. Put the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray this on really dirty carpets and scrub with a soft brush immediately afterwards. You might need to repeat the process two or three times to get extremely dingy carpets clean. Allow the carpet to dry when you are done. Vacuum the carpet to finish.
Steam
Steam is a final green carpet cleaning solution that will really get out most of the dirt and grime that has collected. Buy or rent a steam cleaner. Fill it with a mixture that is four parts water and one part vinegar. Steam clean the entire carpet thoroughly. This will remove stains, smells and brighten the colors. Do this around once every one to three months. Steam has no negative impact on the environment even when used with a little vinegar.
