Can You Clean Your Carpet Without Chemicals?

Carpeted floors are great, right? After all, they’re soft, warm, and cozy…I mean what else could you ask for? Unfortunately, they are also an ideal reservoir for everything from mold and mildew to dust mites, and all kinds of nasty little chemicals and micro-organisms! So,

what’s a home-owner to do?

Well, you could douse the carpet in your favourite all-purpose cleaner, but some products contain even more scary chemicals and substances than the ones you’re trying to remove, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of ways to clean your carpets safely and effectively without the use of any harsh and potentially unsafe chemicals, and we’re here to share a few of them with you.

1. Vacuum (Twice a Week at least)

This one is a bit more of a preventative measure, but vacuuming regularly will get rid of dirt before you even notice it’s a problem. We recommend at least twice a week in order to ensure that all dust and fine particles is removed before it starts building up, effecting your carpet’s appearance and possibly your health.

2. Clean up Spills Immediately

It might seem like we’re stating the obvious, but cleaning up spills as they happen will often prevent them from becoming deep rooted stains that are impossible to remove without hard hitting chemicals.

Place dry towels (or old t-shirts!) on liquid spills to draw them out of the carpet, and scrape sticky accidents off with a spatula or butter knife. Whatever you do, try not to rub or press the spill as this will only make things worse.

3. Attack it With Natural Cleaning Methods

If method #2 doesn’t work fully, it’s time to bring out the big guns. Here are a few of our favourite hard-hitting ways to remove stains with natural household ingredients.

• Pour club soda on red-wine or other dark coloured spills to lift the stain
• Use an ice cube for sticky spills like gum or wax to first harden, and then scrape them off
• Top grease stains with dry kitchen ingredients like cornstarch, flower, or baking soda overnight, and vacuum up the residue in the morning
• Blend 1 part vinegar with 2 cups warm water, and blot the stain until it’s gone

4. Go Store-bought

If you don’t have some of these ingredients or feel better in something sold in a bottle, most retailers have a pretty good selection of chemical-free, all-natural cleaners these days. Just make sure to check the back label before purchasing…If it’s filled with things that you can’t pronounce, there’s a good chance it’s not as “green-friendly” as it says.

5. Steam With Water

For the toughest stains, steaming your carpet is without a doubt the most effective option, and contrary to popular belief, 80% of the time this doesn’t require any soap or chemicals!

The hot water will fluff fiber making your carpet look brand and remove almost all traces of dirt. If you need a bit of a tougher clean, just add a cup or two of white vinegar to the mix and watch those stains disappear!