How To Sanitize Carpet Without A Steam Cleaner

How To Sanitize Carpet Without Steam Cleaner
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Everyone wants to have fresh and clean carpets in their home. Having a steam cleaner with which to clean your carpets is great because the hot steam it uses not only cleans your carpets thoroughly but it also loosens debris and has a sanitizing effect.

Do you need a steam cleaner to sanitize your carpet? Although it’s nice to have, you don’t need a steam cleaner to achieve germ-free carpets. There are other effective ways to sanitize your carpets and keep them free of bacteria.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to sanitize your carpet without a steam cleaning device. Let’s first explore why sanitizing your carpets is so important. 

Contents

Why You Need To Sanitize Your Carpets, Not Just Clean Them 

Why You Need To Sanitize Your Carpets, Not Just Clean Them 

When you clean your carpets, you remove dirt and debris that can leave them unhygienic. But sometimes the ingredients you’re using to clean your carpets don’t disinfect them.

That’s why you need to use the correct ones that will not only clean and refresh your carpets but keep them free of germs.

Sanitizing your carpets varies from cleaning them because it removes viruses and bacteria. This makes your indoor air much healthier and it prevents illness. 

How To Sanitize Carpet Without Steam Cleaner 

If you want to freshen up your carpets and keep them healthy, here are some easy methods you can use, no steam cleaner is required! 

Method 1: Use salt and baking soda 

Method 1: Use salt and baking soda 

Baking soda works well to absorb odors in your carpet and remove stains. As for salt, it also works well to remove stains, therefore working double duty to keep your carpet healthier and cleaner.

What you will need: 

  • 200 grams of baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 250ml vinegar 
  • 250ml warm water 
  • 20 drops of tea tree oil 

Instructions

  • Start by sprinkling baking soda on the carpet. Let it work for a few hours. 
  • Next, sprinkle salt on the carpet. 
  • Mix equal parts vinegar and warm water, and put it in a spray bottle. 
  • Add 20 drops of tea tree oil to the bottle. This natural disinfectant will help to sanitize the carpet while it also leaves a lovely scent. 
  • Shake the spray bottle and then spray it onto the carpet. Leave it for 30 minutes to work. 
  • Vacuum your carpet so that you remove the baking soda. 

Method 2: Vinegar and dish soap

Method 2: Vinegar and dish soap

The use of dish soap in this recipe will help to clean your carpets while the white vinegar works particularly well as a disinfectant because it removes some bacteria and viruses.

Here’s what you need for this DIY cleaning method:

  • Liquid dish soap 
  • White vinegar 
  • Water

Instructions 

  • Add equal parts cold water and vinegar to a bucket. 
  • Add a few drops of liquid dish detergent. 
  • Mix the ingredients well – you want to see that the solution becomes foamy. 
  • Dip a scrubbing brush in the bucket and use it to scrub your carpet. 
  • When you’ve scrubbed your carpet, let the solution work for five minutes. 
  • Empty the cleaning solution and then add cold water to the bucket. 
  • Dip a rag in the water and then rub the carpet. This will help you to remove bacteria and dust that the cleaning solution has loosened in the carpet.
  • Let the carpet air dry. To speed up the process, open windows in the home or run a fan.
  • When the carpet has air dried, finish off the process by vacuuming it. This will effectively remove any dirt that’s still on the carpet as well as any cleaning product residue. 

Method 3: Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

Method 3: Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective disinfectant for use around the house, as long as it has a solution of at least three percent hydrogen peroxide. 

To use it, all you need is hydrogen peroxide and hot water. Mix them together so that it produces foam. Apply this to your carpets. It works well to remove stains, so target those.

When the carpet is dry, you can vacuum it. If you still have some unpleasant odors in the carpet, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it work overnight before you vacuum it.

Method 4: Borax cleaning solution

Method 4: Borax cleaning solution

If you want a strong disinfectant for your carpet that also removes mold and mildew, and can deter ants from the home, borax is a good choice.

Borax is sodium borate, a type of salt that works well to clean your home. It can also be used to dehydrate fleas and their larvae. If you want to use it for this purpose, you will have to leave the borax in your carpet for 24 hours before removing it.

The great thing about using this method to sanitize your carpet is that it doesn’t involve any water or other liquids, so you won’t have to wait for the carpet to dry.

What you’ll need: 

  • ½ cup borax 
  • ½ cup baking soda 

Instructions

  • Mix together the borax and baking soda. 
  • Put it in a container and then sprinkle the mixture onto your carpet.
  • Work it into the carpet fibers with a rake or broom. 
  • Let the powders sit for about 30 minutes, then vacuum them up.  

How To Test Carpet Sanitizing Solutions Before Use

How To Test Carpet Sanitizing Solutions Before Use

It’s a misconception to think that just because you’re using a DIY or natural cleaning solution on your carpet that it’s safe.

You never know how your carpet will react to the ingredients, so it’s always wise to test an inconspicuous area of it with the cleaning solution you wish to use.

This will ensure you can see just how the carpet reacts, such as if the solution causes it to fade or become damaged.

Spray some of the solutions you’ve mixed together on your fibers. Let it work for about five minutes.

Then, blot the solution with a white cloth. Make sure it’s clean so that you can see if there’s any color transfer when you blot the solution. If you notice this, then don’t use the solution on your carpet.

Tips For Keeping Your Carpets Clean 

Tips For Keeping Your Carpets Clean 

Once you’ve disinfected your carpet, you’ll want to ensure you maintain a clean, hygienic carpet. You can do this by following these tips.

  • Vacuum your carpets once a week. You should vacuum slowly in repetitive strokes, moving back and forth. This picks up more soil and dirt from your carpets than if you move too quickly. 
  • Treat stains as soon as they occur. This prevents them from setting into the carpet fibers, making them more difficult to remove. 
  • Leave your shoes at the door. This will prevent you from bringing germs, bacteria, and dirt from outside into your home and letting them get onto your carpets. If you don’t want to remove your shoes before entering your home, you should consider installing doormats around the house. 
  • Keep your pets clean. If you’ve got pets who love to walk, sit, and sleep on your carpets, keeping them clean will go a long way to keeping your carpets clean.
  • Get your carpets professionally cleaned once a year. Steam cleaning is still considered to be the gold standard for deep cleaning carpets. This is because the steam penetrates the carpet fibers and it lifts debris as well as pollutants. This is why if you don’t have a steam cleaner, you should get your carpet cleaned professionally. 

Related Questions

What is the difference between borax and baking soda?

Both borax and baking soda are salts, but borax has a higher pH, which makes it more alkaline. This makes it a more powerful cleaning ingredient.

What stains can salt remove from your carpet?

What stains can salt remove from your carpet?

Salt can remove a variety of stains, such as gravy, red wine, and grease-based stains.

How often should you sanitize your carpet?

You should aim to deep clean your carpets at least twice a year. During this process, you should also sanitize your carpet. 

Conclusion

If you need to disinfect your carpet, you don’t have to rely on chemical products. These can contain harmful toxins that you don’t want in your home. That’s why natural, homemade disinfectant solutions are a better choice.

In this article, we’ve given you four different sanitizing solutions for your carpets so you can keep them fresh, healthy, and clean.