Pauline is a retired teacher with 27 years experience teaching English to high school students. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts and a Master of Education Degree. Now retired, she writes for eHow, Demand Studios, Bright Hub, and Helium. She has awards writing fiction including a published story with Women on Writing.
If you want to go natural when cleaning, don't forget the carpet. There are products in your home to keep your carpet clean. It's cost efficient to use natural products. If you want to buy commercial products, natural cleaning aids also exist. Therefore, you have a choice. Clean your carpet with natural home remedies or clean your carpet with green products. Whichever products you choose, you are helping the environment.
All Purpose Cleaning Ideas
Mix 1/4 cup of dish detergent and warm water. Spray small areas of the rug. Do not saturate the rug. Brush lightly with a sponge. Use a paper towel to absorb excess liquid. Another recipe is from Nature Moms. It consists of 4 tsp. of Dr. Bronner's castile soap, 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar, 25 to 30 drops of lavender essential oil, 30 to 50 drops of grape seed extract, and one to two scoops of Oxyclean. Mix the ingredients and spray the rug in small sections. Do not saturate the rug. Rub lightly with a sponge and blot with a paper towel. A commercial and organic product for carpets is BabyGanics. It works on floors and rugs.
Ways to Remove Stains
Mix equal amounts of salt, borax and white vinegar. Apply the paste to the stain and leave it for two hours. Vacuum. Another mixture for stains is 1/4 cup of ammonia or vinegar and 1 cup of warm water. Spray the stain and blot with a paper towel. Club soda works on some stains. Drip the soda onto the stain, being careful not to saturate the rug. Blot with a paper towel or a clean white cloth. Repeat if needed. A commercial product that is non-toxic and biodegradable is Seventh Generation.
Ways to Deodorize
Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it set for two to three hours. Vacuum. For an added scent, crush 1/2 cup of lavender flowers into 1 cup of baking soda. Sprinkle on the carpet and let set. Vacuum. If you like essential oils, add 20 to 30 drops of any combination of oils to 4 cups of baking soda. Sprinkle on the carpet and let it set. Vacuum. For a commercial product, try Aubuchon Hardware's Natural Miracle Carpet Freshening Powder.
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