How to make your old carpets look like new

Whether you have wall-to-wall carpeting, a stair runner, or decorative rugs, your home’s high-traffic areas are subject to a lot of wear and tear over the years. To prevent these soft surfaces from looking worn out and dingy, it’s important to clean your carpets regularly.

From spot-treating occasional spills to deep-cleaning strategies that eliminate dirt and allergens, here are a few ways to get carpet stains out and keep your home feeling fresh.

[Photo Credit: REDPIXEL]

Rugs and carpets can get stale and stinky over time, so be sure to deodorize these areas every few months as part of your regular cleaning routine. Sprinkle baking soda evenly across the carpet and let it sit for a few hours (or overnight), allowing the powder to absorb odours trapped within the fibres. Once finished, vacuum up the baking soda and voilà! – fresh smelling carpets.

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If you wonder how to get carpet stains out quickly and efficiently, try these DIY stain-removal ideas. And remember, the key is to blot and dab the stain rather than scrub it into the carpet.

• Homemade cleaning solutions: If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, a variety of common household products can be used to create your own homemade carpet cleaner. To treat pet stains, combine 2 cups of white vinegar, 2 cups of warm water, and 4 Tbsp. of baking soda and dab the solution on the mess. For coffee spills, soak up the liquid with paper towel and then apply a mixture of ½ tsp. white vinegar, ½ tsp. liquid dish soap, and 2 cups of warm water.
• Club soda: Pour a small amount of bubbly club soda onto red wine spills and blot the surface with a dry cloth or paper towel to lift the stain.
• Rubbing alcohol: Acetone-based cleaning products and rubbing alcohol can help lift highly pigmented liquids and materials from your carpet such as lipstick, nail polish, or grape juice.
• WD-40: WD-40 is not only a go-to lubricant, it’s also a surprising stain removal tool that can help eliminate everything from crayons marks and ink spills to ketchup stains and melted candy.

Spot cleaning is a great way to treat one-off stains, but what happens when your entire carpet starts to look dingy? If you want to make your carpet look like new, rent or buy a steam carpet cleaner. These devices use high-pressure vaporized water to dissolve dirt, get rid of harmful bacteria, and kill bedbugs, fleas, and other carpet critters. If you’ve never used a steam cleaner before, follow these simple steps:

1. First, vacuum your carpet thoroughly to remove dirt, dust, pet hair, and other loose particles.
2. Fill your steam cleaner with distilled water as recommended and try adding a dash of white vinegar to help with deep-set stains.
3. Run the steam cleaner back and forth across the entire carpet to sanitize and disinfect the area.
4. Ensure your carpet is totally moisture-free before walking on it. Drying can take up to 12 hours so use a fan or dehumidifier if you need to speed up the process.

Vacuuming, spot-treating, and deodorizing your carpets should all be part of your regular cleaning routine, but experts recommend having your carpet deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months to prevent the accumulation of mold, dust mites, germs, and allergens. While cleaning yourself can save you money, carpet cleaning services provide a professional level of service and attention to detail. These experts can also help with deeply soiled carpeting or rugs that are permeated with hard-to-beat smells like cigarette smoke.