Naturally Clean Your Carpets

By Steve Stearns

Clean floors and especially clean carpets are essential when you have kids and pets. They lay down and color, wrestle with dad, play with their toys and even fall asleep on them. However, cleaning with conventional carpet cleaners could present a dangerous and toxic environment that you don't want for your kids.

Conventional carpet cleaners contain some of the same dangerous ingredients used by dry cleaners and release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs into the air that are unhealthy to breath. Other products contain perfluoro-octane sulfonate which can also pollute the air inside your home. Poor and polluted indoor air can cause numerous health issues ranging from skin, eye and respiratory issues to causing asthma attacks.

The best solution is to naturally clean your carpets using ingredients you trust and to provide plenty of ventilation whenever possible to keep fresh air circulating through your home.

Here are some all natural carpet cleaning ideas you can try using trusted ingredients you probably have around the house right now. It's always a good idea to try these on a small section of carpet first to ensure no adverse effect with materials and colors.

For Stains try these:
Club Soda works well to help with carpet stains. Pour soda directly on the stain and lightly pat with a rag or soft cloth. The carbonation lifts the soil to the surface and remove the stain.

Another excellent stain remover is salt. Pat the area with a cloth to remove excess moisture. Pour salt on the stained area and let it sit for several hours before vacuuming.

Shaving cream also works to remove food stains from carpets. Pat the area to remove excess moisture, spray shaving cream on the area and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with a mixture of vinegar and water.

To remove foul Odors try these:
Sprinkle baking soda or corn starch on carpet using about a cup for an average sized room. Let stand and then vacuum.

Remove pet urine stains (and smells) from carpet using a mixture of vinegar and water. Mix about 1/4 cup of vinegar with a quart of water. Soak a rag or soft cloth in the vinegar and water and apply directly to the area by patting the carpet. Repeat until the smell and stain is gone.

Clean your home using all natural methods and feel good that you're providing a healthily and safe environment for your kids, pets and the other members of your family.

Do you have some favorite all natural cleaning tips and recipes you would like to share? Why not leave a comment below, we'd love to hear from you.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net