When not in heels I love to go barefoot, but there´s nothing worse that snuggling bare toes into what appears to be a clean plush carpet only to find it dusty or full of little hairs. And speaking about little hairs, since I have three cats, who love curl up on the carpet in front of the fireplace, I know that no amount of vacuuming removes them completely.

How Not To Clean Your Carpet

For carpets that are removable, I’ve tried rolling them up and taking them outside to beat them with a stick like a furious granny. I’ve tried spraying small carpets with a garden hose, disinfecting with liquid detergents and spraying with Lysol, only to find they sometimes shrink or don´t dry completely and later have a musty smell. For areas in the house where carpet has been professionally installed and can´t be moved for cleaning, its even a bigger challenge to keep them fresh and toe-snuggable.

So in the quest to have super fluffy, soft and daisy-fresh carpets, I vacuum lots, blot spills so they don’t cause stains and, and have tried a bunch of different carpet deodorizers to keep them smelling nice. Carpet deodorizers consist of granular powder you sprinkle onto the carpet and then vacuum up. The problem is that they leave a powdery residue and if there’s humidity in the air, the carpet soon has a sticky feeling. If there’s no humidity the powder settles into carpet backing and rises when you plop yourself down on the carpet causing a little dust cloud that makes me sneeze.

So I’ve tried to get rid of the dust and deodorizer residue with liquid carpet shampoo only to find its impossible to rinse out completely and often leaves carpet even stickier and sometimes the fibers often have a crunchy feeling. Unsatisfied with all my attempts to clean my carpets, I began researching what I was doing wrong and asking others what they do to care for their carpets.

Removing old Residue before Carpet Shampooing

Everything I read, and everyone I talked to, agreed that the only solution to carpet cleaning was dry carpet shampoo sold from most vacuum cleaning stores. For sure it is a great way to keep new carpets perfect, but what about those of us who have carpets already filled with sticky powders and crunchy fibers from attempts to clean using liquids. How could I remove the residue already built up in the carpet fibers?

Someone recommended a trick and I tried it and it worked. Here’s the secret:

The first step is to get a regular shampoo machine that cleans with water. These machines can be rented at department stores, supermarkets and other vacuum shops. Where normally you would pour the liquid carpet shampoo, use a vinegar solution instead.

The formula is: 1 cup of vinegar for each 2 ½ gallons of water.

Usually these machines use warm water or steam and vapor to penetrate down into the deepest darkest fiber regions of the carpet and suck out all the grime. When you use them with shampoo, the shampoo doesn’t get totally rinsed out, and that causes the crunchy carpet syndrome, but since you’ll be using only vinegar and water, it will act like an astringent removing the powder deodorizer muck and liquid shampoo residue.

After using the vinegar solution over the entire carpet, do it once more with only warm water. The old liquid shampoo that remains in the carpet fibers will probably bubble and become active once again as you pass over the carpet with water, so it may not be enough to do it once or twice but continue using fresh warm water until the dirty water is almost as clean as when you started. Now you can be sure the residue of old products has been removed.

Once the carpets have completely dried, and appear clean from residue, it’s likely they will not feel soft and plush to the touch because you have used water, and the drying process can make them stiff. But now you can use a dry foam carpet shampoo effectively to restore the soft texture and silky smoothness of the fibers.

You may choose to call professionals to perform the final carpet shampooing procedure or you can do it yourself with carpet shampoo machines specifically designed for dry shampoo.

If you also give the carpets a scotchguard treatment after the final carpet shampooing, maintaining them will be easier and stains will not penetrate the fibers so easily.

The products I discuss in this article are ones that are available at many different home improvement centers and supermarkets and the brands are recognized in many different regions and countries.

Nature’s Miracle Carpet Shampoo

If you can find the product called Nature’s Miracle carpet shampoo, this would be a good choice because it penetrates carpet and upholstery fibers to clean and to remove bad odors as well as dirt and grime. It is good also because it does not foam up very easily and so requires less rinsing. This product is especially designed for water based home carpet shampoo machines and for rental steam cleaning machines.

Bissell Pet Odor and Stain Removal Formula

If you have pets there is a product called the Bissell Pet Odor and Stain Removal Formula that will work really well with a Bissell Little Green machine or even a Bissell Spot Lifter that you may own. It can also be used in other carpet shampooers that require a water based carpet shampoo product.

Encapsulating Carpet Cleaning Detergent

There are some good low moisture encapsulation carpet shampoos that are rather innovative when it comes to carpet cleaning products because the cleaner actually encapsulates the dirt and lifts it out of the carpet fibers more easily than just regular shampoo and water. Most of these Encapsulating Carpet Cleaning Detergent will have a hydrogen peroxide and an anti-resoiling crystallizing polymer as a base so that your carpets will stay fresh and soft longer and will not get dirty so quickly as with other types of carpet shampoo.

Parish Carpet Extractor Detergent

For hot water and steam carpet cleaning machines there is another product that might work well, called the Parish Carpet Extractor Detergent, which is a liquid emulsifier that is said to produce very little foam and leave behind a minimum of residue that can build up in the fibers.

Fiber All Carpet Liquid Cleaner

If you need a general all purpose upholstery and carpet shampoo you may want to give Fiber All carpet liquid cleaner a try. It is highly concentrated and can be diluted to use for sofa covers and cushions and even overall carpet cleaning carpet cleaning. It is also an emulsifier specially designed for delicate fabrics and carpets that may not take well to harsher chemicals.

Biodegradable Carpet Shampoo

There is also a green biodegradable product that is called Second Nature and may be available in your area. It is one of the few natural products that is a tough enough carpet shampoo to handle ingrained pet odors and eliminate the unwanted smells that sometimes persist even after a steam cleaning by professionals. Don’t try to cover up pet odors with deodorizers and air fresheners. Get the carpet fresh by using the right carpet shampoo that will eliminate the germs that cause the odor.

Making your own Carpet Shampoo

If you live in an area where it is difficult to purchase specific carpet shampoo or carpet cleaning products, then you may choose to make your own from things you have in your home. You can use laundry detergent and bleach, very little bleach, just a teaspoon or so per gallon to disinfect. Vinegar is a great carpet shampoo replacement because it helps to eliminate odors as does baking soda, just make sure it’s very well diluted. The other thing to remember is that you may not need carpet shampoo at all. If they have been previously cleaned with shampoo there is probably enough shampoo residue in the fibers that the carpet will even foam while it’s being shampooed just from the residual product at the base of the fibers. It’s a good idea to clean your carpets every other time with only water and no shampoo just to lift out the residue. So don’t worry too much if you can’t find specific carpet cleaning products, use what you have on hand or just warm water.

Where to begin?

First, you will have received (or purchased) the necessary carpet cleaner shampoo and the pre-treatment stain remover. So begin by inspecting your carpet and finding all the nasty little stains that will be the hardest to remove. Spray these areas with a pre-treatment carpet cleaning solution and let them soak while you prepare your supplies. You’ll need a small brush, a sponge and a pail with warm water.

Now go back and work the stains free with your brush and blot with the sponge and try to remove as much of the stain as possible without damaging the fiber. Do not leave excess water to rest on the stains; try to do it with as little water as possible. You may give the worst stains an extra spray of cleaner and then move on to the next step.

Using The Carpet Cleaning Machine

The carpet shampoo machine you have just rented has a water container. Remove it and begin filling with it hot water, but don’t ill beyond the line indicated.

Now you can add the carpet shampoo you have been recommended to buy or given with the machine. Do not just use any other kind of soap or detergent because these machines may create lather or too much foam that you will not be able to remove later. (If it is your own machine you can experiment, but not with a rental.) Usually you don’t need very much carpet shampoo per gallon of water. Do not use more than recommended because this will cause a film or residue that will make your carpets become dirty faster.

You may also decide to use only hot water with no carpet shampoo, or you may want to use a hot water and vinegar solution, which is a good idea if you’re using a carpet steam cleaner to remove previous shampoo build-up.

Now reinsert the water tank into the carpet shampoo machine.

You’re almost ready to begin, but if you haven’t just vacuumed with an ordinary vacuum cleaner, then you should do so now. This will pick up the loose bits and dirt so the steam can focus on the heavy duty deep grime.

If it hasn’t been about half an hour since you treated the stains, sit down and take a break or go and have a look at the stains to see if most have vanished before you proceed. If they are still very visible, give them a little longer to soak or give them another pre-treatment with the spray carpet cleaner.

Not much will change if they are still visible after 30 minutes so go ahead and move on to the next step because the steam will probably help to lift them out.

Switch on the carpet shampoo machine and using the hose with the brush work on small sections of the room. Here is how: use two strokes, one that is forward and the other backward. When you move forward release water into the carpet and on the backward motion scrub and remove the water.

When the carpet has been cleaned in this manner, section by section, do not go back and repeat what you’ve done and do not walk on the carpet. It will be wet and will leave track marks and dirt as it dries. Leave it alone and do not permit anyone to walk on the wet carpet.

Open the windows, place fans nearby or do whatever you think may help the carpet to dry faster.

Clean the water tank immediately so it does not have time to leave a scummy film that will be difficult to remove. You must return the machine clean.
When the carpet is dry to may want to fluff up the pile and give it a nice nap by vacuuming with your normal vacuum cleaner. Go over it in many directions to restore the fibers to their softest possible selves. Finish up with a protective spray so it will become soiled too quickly. Allow the scotchguard to dry and you’re done!

Steam carpet cleaning involves extremely hot water being sprayed and then immediately extracted or sucked up by a pump. The carpet shampoo solution is pressurized and therefore will penetrate through the thickest types of carpet. The heat and pressure of the water, as well as the special formula in carpet shampoos loosens grime that may have been ground deep into the carpet fibers.

The best results will be achieved if a high powered extraction vacuum system is used to remove the water that has been infused into the carpet. In fact it is imperative that the water be removed to ensure a healthy carpet after shampooing.

Professional Carpet Cleaning or Home Carpet Shampoo

The process of steam carpet cleaning with a carpet shampooer can be done by a team of professionals who use commercial grade carpet shampoo cleaners and carpet shampoo machines that are industrial strength.

Carpet shampooing can also be done by a home owner if he/she has a portable carpet shampoo machine like the Kirby carpet shampoo machine or the Hoover or Electrolux carpet shampoo equipment that is readily available. Carpet shampooing can also be done DIY by getting a carpet shampoo rental from a supermarket or other rental location.

Since there are so many choices, from portable steam carpet cleaners to powerful truck-mounted units, it may difficult to decide how best to spend your money. Since one steam carpet shampoo cleaning may cost over $100 and buying some of the portable machines may be only $200, it really comes down to how often you need to have a carpet shampooing treatment. Because the same basic result will be achieved whether you buy a portable carpet shampoo machine or hire a professional to do it for you.

The basic principal is based on hot water, carpet shampoo and some form of extraction method. (There is also dry foam carpet shampoo but that is another article.)

What you want is to remove stains and generally make your carpet come back to life. You also want to care for your carpet so it lasts longer and carpet shampoo cleaners help to achieve this.

Problems with Steam Cleaning Carpet Shampoo methods

The major problem that arises with steam cleaning your carpets with carpet shampooers are that often the carpets are left too wet and may a long time to dry and thus cause potential problems with mildew or mold. If the suction, or extraction of the water, is done with proper equipment, this side effect can be minimized greatly.

What kinds of Steam Cleaning is Best

When looking for the best carpet steam cleaners for your home you must consider that there are two main forms of steam cleaning currently in use. The first sprays hot liquid into the carpet, then with agitation brings up grime and dirt, and finally is extracted with more hot water. This is an effective carpet shampooing option as long as the carpet is properly rinsed; otherwise there may be residue in the carpet that makes it more prone to re-soiling afterward.

The other carpet shampoo method is to use an emulsifying pre-spray which is applied to the entire carpet, the fibers are moved and brushed, and then the fluid is extracted with a wand while a special solvent rinses the residue from the fibers. Because of the final step with the use of a rinsing agent, this form of steam cleaning, or carpet shampooing, is the most effective of the “wet” methods.

…My husband and I moved into a rustic country house in Spain. It was exquisite because it came furnished with Spanish antiques and carpets that were perfectly suited to the region.

We were both delighted until we couldn’t stop scratching the little red bumps that seemed to appear like magic every time we sat on the beautiful antique rug in the salon. After mush speculation we determined that the carpet was infested with fleas!

No more fleas please!

My husband’s first instinct was to toss the rug into the garage and forget about it, but the rug was so lovely that I decided to attempt cleaning it. There had to be a carpet rug shampoo available somewhere that killed fleas. Since it was a rural mountain area, this proved harder than expected.

Carpet shampooing was almost unheard-of in the south of Spain and most people either did not own carpets or only had small area rugs that could be easily washed or shaken. So, I applied a variety of flea sprays that did absolutely nothing and finally decided to do some research on carpet shampoo. Since everything is available by online, I set to work.

Here’s what I discovered:

Carpet shampoo for flea control is not only available but highly effective if used several times and if the carpets are regularly cleaned and if pets are also regularly treated for fleas. Hot water steam cleaning, along with a carpet shampoo usually destroys fleas. I also discovered that flea control carpet shampoo on the market today is not laden with toxic chemicals as I had supposed.

Okay, so I made a makeshift carpet shampoo machine by heating water and adding the carpet shampoo I had bought online. I then drenched the rug with this solution and used a wet- dry-vacuum to suck out all the water and fleas.

I used this odd carpet shampooing technique several times over the course of two months and vacuumed the rug daily with my Electrolux. The carpet fibers were starting to get a little stiff from all the water and I was wondering if I hadn’t ruined the carpet while eliminating the fleas.

Then I found that there was a dry foam carpet shampoo available in the UK, so I ordered some and gave it a try.

Since I didn’t have the compressor to make the foam I had to improvise, but I eventually had lots of foam which I spread over the rug. Since dry foam carpet shampoo crystallizes, it didn’t stay wet and I was able to vacuum up the granules. The rug regained its soft texture after doing this only twice.

The rug now rests in the salon in front of the fireplace, flea free!

• Nature’s Miracle carpet shampoo penetrates carpet and upholstery fibers and removes odors and allergens. It is a low foaming formula designed for water based rug cleaning machines.
• Bissell Pet Odor and Stain Removal Formula for deep carpet cleaning that works with the Bissell Little Green, Bissell Spot Lifter, or other area carpet shampooers.
• Encapsulating Carpet Cleaning Detergent offers low moisture encapsulation even for commercial carpet care. It uses the Hydroxi Pro Carpet Cleaning formula to clean and deodorize with hydrogen peroxide and an anti-resoiling crystallizing polymer.
• Parish Carpet Extractor Detergent is a liquid cleaner and emulsifier for use with hot water steam cleaning machines. This product produces little foam and eliminates sticky residue build-up.
• Fiber All carpet liquid cleaner is a highly concentrated emulsifier recommended for use on all types of carpeting and upholstery.
• Second Nature is an eco friendly carpet detergent that is bio-degradable and made to clean tough pet stains. It is concentrated and designed for deep cleaning carpet shampoo machines.

Specialized carpet cleaning products are often unavailable or not practical due to price. Here are some suggestions for the best carpet shampoo cleaners for your carpet shampoo machines.

Use about a quarter of a teaspoon of laundry detergent with bleach for each gallon of warm water.

Just remember that you don’t want a mountain of foam so use only a teeny bit of detergent and not as much as you might think necessary to clean carpet. To rinse the detergent out of the carpet so there is no residue; use a fresh tank of warm water with a cup of white vinegar for each gallon of water. Rinse the carpet with this solution several times. Make sure that your shampoo your carpets on a warm or dry day, and open the windows to help the carpet to dry faster.

Do not walk on damp carpets. Wait for them to be completely dry or they will just be dirtier than when you began.

You can also use a little dish detergent, about a teaspoon per gallon and to rinse use a few drops of ammonia. Again the key to carpet cleaning and using alternatives to dry foam carpet shampoo is to not let the carpet get too sopping wet so it can dry quickly.

There are also products that can help maintain the carpets between carpet shampooing treatments, like a carpet cleaning product called Spot Shot. It is applied by spraying on the stained area and then blotting out the stain or patting until there is no mark left. Some people use a little of this product as a carpet shampoo in their carpet shampoo machines, instead of detergent or other products. Just use a teaspoon or two per gallon of hot water. But don’t forget to pre-treat the stains before shampooing.