How often should you vacuum your carpet? How much time should you spend cleaning my carpets? Is it really necessary to clean them at all?
Carpet is a common floor covering material found in homes across the globe. Carpets come in various types such as wool, nylon, polyester, etc. They are usually soft and durable.
Cleaning your carpet regularly is important because it helps prevent dust mites from breeding and spreading allergens. Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments, especially those where pets sleep or eat.
If you don’t clean your carpet regularly, they can breed and spread into other areas of your home.
How Often To Clean A Carpet
This may not be something you want to hear, but contaminants are brought into our homes every day by our shoes, clothes, and pets.
Coughs and sneezes are also responsible for this, and all these bacteria end up settling on surfaces, and carpets are one of them.
While it is hard to completely disinfect a carpet due to its size and construction, there are ways you can greatly reduce the number of bacteria that stays lingering on them.
You should vacuum your carpet several times a week (or use a roomba regularly) to remove any debris from the outside. This is especially the case if you and your pet love the outdoors (looking at all you granola girl types and hiking crews).
You should also consider having your carpets deep cleaned at least twice a year, or seasonally.
Cleaning your carpet can be a very tedious job, especially if your whole home has carpeted flooring. You can hire professionals to do this, but this will be a costly job.
This article is going to give you some tips on how you can disinfect your carpet yourself with some household items.
Disinfect Carpet With Vinegar And Steam
Vinegar is an excellent way to get rid of odors and germs from your carpet. It is an extremely effective natural disinfectant that won’t cause any harm to your home or yourself like bleach might.
Steam cleaners are also wonderful machines that can help clean your home, especially your carpets. Mix equal parts vinegar and water together in a spray bottle and use it to spray onto the carpet.
Fill the steam cleaner with 3 parts water, and one part vinegar. This will create a steam that contains vinegar in it. Plug the machine in, and begin to vacuum the carpet with it.
The heat from the steam should kill off any bacteria, mold, fleas or carpet beetles that are growing in the carpet. Once you are finished, you should open any windows near the carpet, so it can air dry.
Disinfect Carpet Using Vinegar, Baking Soda, And Dish Soap
Mix together equal amounts of baking soda, dish soap, white vinegar, and water. Mix together until foamy, and then pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
Spray the solution on the carpet and leave it for around 5 minutes. Then, with a cloth, wipe off any excess, and then vacuum the carpet using the scrubber brush appliance.
While this is a great way to clean your carpet, it will only disinfect what is on the surface. It will not disinfect any of the deep layers. Despite this, doing this regularly will really keep your carpets clean.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide To Disinfect Your Carpets
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent disinfectant. It kills germs, viruses, and bacteria. It is safe for use on most fabrics, including carpets.
To disinfect your carpet, mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water. Mix together until you are left with a foamy texture. Spread the mixture onto the carpet with a sponge and let the carpet air dry.
Once dry, sprinkle some baking soda over the carpet and leave it overnight before vacuuming it up in the morning. This will get rid of any remaining odors.
To ensure that you get rid of any germs left behind, you should repeat this process once a month at the very least.
Disinfect Carpet With Baking Soda, Borax, And Cornmeal
Borax is another effective cleaning agent. It works well as a deodorizer and helps to eliminate odor-causing bacteria.
To clean your carpets using this formula, simply sprinkle 1/2 cup of baking soda over your carpet, followed by a sprinkle of borax, and finally a cup of cornmeal.
Brush these substances into the carpet using a broom, and let it sit for around 3 hours, or overnight if you can. Once this time passes, vacuum the carpets, and you should have some beautifully fresh carpeting!
Disinfect Carpets With Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is also an effective cleaning agent. It is acidic, which means that it can easily break down stains on the fabric.
To disinfect carpets using lemon juice, simply cut a lemon in half, squeeze out all the juice, and mix it with water in a spray bottle. Once the solution has been mixed, spray it directly on the carpet and let it sit before wiping away any residue.
You should repeat this process every two weeks to ensure that your carpet stays clean.
Tips To Keep Your Carpet Clean Longer
Disinfecting your carpet is great, but you must do this regularly if you want to maintain a clean carpet. Here are some tips to keep your carpet clean for longer:
Consider removing your shoes when you enter your home and have the rest of your family do so as well. This will prevent any debris or dirt from the outside from getting on your carpets.
Ensure you are vacuuming several times in one week to get rid of any bacteria or dirt particles.
When it comes to one of the deep cleaning methods above, try doing them once every two weeks, or even weekly if your schedule allows. This will ensure you are removing mold, dust mites, and any bacteria deep within the carpet.
Consider investing in a steam cleaner. These are effective at removing all kinds of bacteria deep within the carpet, and they are also very effective in cleaning most areas of your home.
Final Thoughts
Carpet cleaning is something that everyone needs to take care of. Once you establish a carpet cleaning ritual, you’ll never go back after seeing how much better your carpet looks.