How to Clean Carpet in 7 Simple Steps

The carpets in our homes take a lot of wear, being trodden on, day in and day out – not to mention enduring children’s mess and even pet accidents. So, just like other areas of the home, they need to be kept clean. After all, they’ll accumulate stains, smells and will generally look a little shabby if not! Why settle for that when you can have a lovely bright carpet that looks as though it’s fresh from the store? 

Cleaning a carpet isn’t quite as simple as washing our clothes which we can throw straight in the washing machine, but it’s easy once you know how. You can of course hire a specialist cleaner to do the job for you, but this can be very expensive, especially as you should be doing it at least a couple of times a year. 

To save yourself some money, learn how to do it yourself in our guide. We’ll show you how to clean carpet at home with some simple household cleaning items, as well as how to get stains out of carpet and how to remove urine smells.

Cleaning a carpet at home can take up to a couple of hours but saves a significant amount of money, so it’s well worth your time. You should try to clean your carpets twice a year if you can, or every few months if you have mucky paws or children’s boots regularly treading across it.

Although it may take a little time, it’s easy to do – just clear your furniture out of the way before you start and follow our simple steps. 

Tip: Start in the morning as you’ll need to leave it for a while to dry out before doing a final vacuum!

1. Vacuum thoroughly using strong suction (many vacuums have a slider or switch so you can alter the suction power according to the type of flooring).

2. Spot clean any stains and vacuum again (see below for more on how to get stains out of carpet). If you skip this step, you’ll simply end up moving dirt around or pushing it deeper into the carpet fibres.

3. Mix equal parts of bicarbonate of soda and table salt and sprinkle generously over the carpet, or just the area you want to clean. 

4. Spray with a little water until it’s very damp but not drenched. As a quicker alternative, you could use steam instead of cold water for this step, with a steam cleaner. 

5. Use a stiff bristled brush to work the bicarb mixture into the carpet fibres. Work it all in one direction first, and then at a 90 degree angle to help loosen all the dirt. 

6. Use old towels or cloths to wipe away the loosened dirt.

7. Let the carpet dry fully by opening up windows or using a fan, and then vacuum again to remove the remaining bicarb.

Your carpet should now smell much fresher and look a shade lighter!

If you don’t have the time to clean your carpet by hand, a carpet cleaner will do all the work for you. While a more expensive solution, it does make a very good investment. You can use  it conveniently over and over again in less than half the time it might take to do it by hand.

The most effective way to remove stains from carpet is to treat them immediately. But if you haven’t, worry not – there are still ways to banish those stains, no matter how long they’ve been there. 

Vanish Gold Oxi Action Carpet Cleaner Spray works like a charm when it comes to stain removal. Make sure you test an inconspicuous area first to make sure it’s colour-fast, and then follow these three very easy steps:

1. Mop up any excess mess
2. Spray a small amount onto the stain and leave for a maximum of five minutes
3. Blot the area and remove excess product with a clean cloth

This should easily lift the stain and accompanying smells – even if it’s red wine, coffee or pet urine – leaving your carpet looking good as new. If there’s still a trace of the stain left, simply repeat as necessary. 

If your pet has been naughty or had an accident, turn to bicarbonate of soda – it’s a miracle-worker when it comes to banishing odours. It’s great if you want to get the smell of cat or dog pee out of your carpet.

All you need to do is sprinkle a layer of bicarb onto the area, leave for six hours, or ideally overnight, and vacuum it all up. 

Tips for Keeping Your Carpet Clean for Longer

To minimise the amount of times you have to clean your carpet, try out these tips to keep it as clean as possible. 

• Take shoes off at the door and wipe on a doormat – have one for both outside the door and in 
• Vacuum at least once a week
• Treat stains straight away
• Maintain your vacuum so as to keep it functioning as well as it should be. Filters should be washed regularly. 
• Brush and bath pets regularly
• Keep a shoe rack by the door

With these tips and handy advice on how to clean carpet, yours should be looking newly shop-bought in a matter of hours, and you can soon enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done.