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Cleaning Up:  Homemade Carpet Shampoo  |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 09:08:12 AM
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It's time to clean my carpets, and instead of grabbing for the usual suspect, that chemical-laden stuff, I'd like to make homemade carpet shampoo. Any tips? I've made my own laundry detergent, and I was thinking about just using a quarter to a half cup of that, some vinegar, and water, but, I'm not sure if that will work or not. Any help would be appreciated!
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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birdie71
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Robin
Glendale
Arizona
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 09:39:23 AM
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Thanks Megan for putting this out there! I would like to know this too!
Robin
Farmgirl #1301
Farming in the Sonoran Desert? Hmmm?! |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2875 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2875 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 12:20:41 PM
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My solution....
Rip up the carpets! |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 12:29:53 PM
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If I would, I could. I HATE carpet. I'm working on convincing DH to come to "The hardwood floor dark side" LOL.
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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birdie71
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Robin
Glendale
Arizona
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 12:48:44 PM
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Ha! Ha! Lisa! That's true! We are actually going to do that to most of our house! We will leave the bedroom carpet in! That's why I want the natural solution!
Megan ~ I am SOOO with you! It takes time for the DH to come around! Mine didn't come around until we had a cat that was sick and had several accidents and DH was tired of cleaning them up! Hang in there girl, he'll come around!
Robin
Farmgirl #1301
Farming in the Sonoran Desert? Hmmm?! |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 2:44:49 PM
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Well, if it helps, I've read that some people use vinegar and water, some dilute Tide, and others use ammonia (I don't want to use the ammonia because of the cats and dogs getting confused by the ammonia smell and making messes) I think I'll do vinegar and water. I've read that the vinegar smell goes away when the carpet dries. If not, I'll be sleeping upstairs! LOL.
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2010 : 08:58:13 AM
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if your using a rented steam cleaner you can use equal parts vinegar and water. Make sure the carpet cleaner has a good extractor so that the vinegar smell dries and dissipates.
Don't use Tide.
Commercial dry laundry detergents have cotton seed hulls as filler and there's all kinds of phosphates and such [ruins the carpet cleaner machine].
Megan is right about the ammonia.
Carla
"You shot it Tarzan-
You eat it."
Dave Ramsey |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2010 : 4:17:46 PM
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just a thought...we have to use non toxic and perfume chemical free. i use a small amount of tsp and i pour the solution thru a cloth filter catches anything that might clog the rented machine. i then go back and rinse with vinegar. i use 2 cups vinegar to a rug doctor tank of water. then when carpet is dry i sprinkle a small amount of de into the nap. this keeps fleas ticks etc. out.when i make my solution of tsp i disolve in hot water first. i use 1/4 cup dry tsp to a tank. rinse well. the tsp will lift soil oil now i have ripped up all my carpets and they are all solid floors now. just a thought sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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tweedlebee
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Samantha
Spokane Valley
wa
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2010 : 06:47:37 AM
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I shampooed my carpets yesterday by putting vinegar and lavendar oil into my cleaners detergent reservoir and it cleaned my carpets beautifully. No vinegar smell at all, and it left my carpets really soft and very clean- much cleaner than when using commercial cleaners. I was pleasantly surprised!
Farmgirl Sitster #1327
www.tweedlebeeandtweedlebum.com |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9324 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9324 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2010 : 3:40:11 PM
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Sherry,
what is tsp please?
God is good....all the time.
Denise
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2010 : 9:33:58 PM
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Isn't that funny how the vinegar makes everything soft. I just finished doing the carpet in the middle room. No oil, just vinegar and water. [The ceiling filled up with water -again. This is a rental and they have been a bit slow about fixing the ceiling and roof leaking. And the carpet in the middle room got mildewed.]
Couldn't sleep another night with that smell in the house. Hope the vinegar doesn't keep me awake, but at least I know I won't have little animals trying to take root in my airways!
Carla
"You shot it Tarzan-
You eat it."
Dave Ramsey |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 08:18:24 AM
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Ew! I did the vinegar/water mix over the weekend-I could hardly stand the smell all day, but, by night time it was hardly noticeable, and it did a great job of cleaning. I finally bit the bullet and ordered some EO to put in the cleaner for next time!
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 08:21:48 AM
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the tsp is tri sodium phosphate. it is used for heavy cleaning. you can use it to prep walls for painting it cuts grease with no bubble. that why it will work in a machine. it makes the water slippery. this allows it to attract the tail on dirt monlecules. you can buy it in the paint dept. almost anywhere. also some grocery stores carry it in a small box. i use it out in the barn to clean also. you can get a phosphate free one. not sure how they do it. no smell what so ever. be sure to strain the water and tsp before filling the machine. not to strong a solution. it will remove grease etc well. just a thought sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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Dawniamw
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
Dawnia
Mapleton Depot
PA
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Jul 04 2010 : 7:16:36 PM
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I think tipnut has some homemade recipes for carpet cleaning as well. Some use vinegar, but mention to spot test first (did anyone have a problem with that?).
I rent a house that not only has carpeting in the living room and hallway, but it had it in the entire kitchen as well. My kids burnt a hole in the carpet in the kitchen area--NOTE:(they put a popcorn bag in the trash-a precaution friends--set them in the sink to cool before disposing). I asked the landlord to put down linoleum or tile. She chose rolled linoleum (I'll politely say that I don't recommend it).
Given my kids and my own allergies, I am very glad to see this post and will try the vinegar on our remaining carpets, both for soaking and for using in my carpet cleaner.
Blessings,
Dawnia |
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Cleaning Up: Homemade Carpet Shampoo |
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Homemade Carpet Shampoo
