I understand the comforts of carpet in the house, and I equally understand the struggle of keeping it clean. Indeed keeping the carpets clean is a daunting task.
We all know that vacuum doesn’t give the results we all desire. Deep cleaning the carpet is really necessary, especially if you are facing allergy and breathing problems.
But getting it cleaned professionally can be expensive. You can do that at home.
Yes, by using a carpet cleaner and a carpet cleaning solution. If you are looking for some insight on, “can I use laundry detergent in a carpet cleaner?” then you are in the right place.
You will learn all about using laundry detergent as a carpet cleaning solution, how to make it, and its benefits.
Keep reading for more insight.
Can I use Laundry Detergent in a Carpet Cleaner?
Spills do happen, and you cannot always treat them professionally. For your question, can I use laundry in a carpet cleaner? The answer is, yes! you can.
You can definitely use a laundry detergent in a carpet cleaner.
In fact, it would be more effective. The tidiness combined with the fresh smell that laundry detergent gives, will make the carpet clean as newly bought.
There are times when you don’t have access to the carpet cleaning products, or the carpet cleaning solution is too expensive. In this situation, a laundry detergent is the best pick.
Who doesn’t have detergents in their home? Of course, everyone have them.
You can make carpet cleaning solution at home by using laundry detergent. There are no restrictions on the use of laundry detergent.
Go for the one you have in your home, but make sure it is of good quality.
You can add several things like fabric softener or lavender water to make your carpet smell good.
However, beware of things like bleach, abrasive cleaners, and white wine. They will damage your carpet, or they might cause discoloration.
How to Make a Carpet Cleaning Solution with Laundry Detergent?
Carpet cleaning products are usually expensive. But that doesn’t mean you can’t wash your carpet at home.
You can make a carpet cleaning solution of your own using a laundry detergent.
You will save your money this way, as well as your carpets from some toxic chemicals included in the professional carpet cleaning solutions.
There are several methods to make a carpet cleaning solution. Go for the one you are easy with and make your carpet shine at once.
Carpet conditioner
Video: “Homemade Carpet Cleaner”
You will need:
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Hot water
- Fabric softener
- All-purpose cleaner
Add around 30 ml of laundry detergent in a bucket with 3.8 liters of hot water. Then you need to add 5 ml of fabric softener and 59 ml all-purpose cleaner in the same bucket.
Mix well, and you are ready with a carpet cleaning solution similar to a professional cleaner.
Laundry detergent solution
If you don’t have enough products at home, a laundry detergent alone will do the job.
Although both powdered and liquid detergents can make it, but a liquid laundry detergent is preferred.
You will need:
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Lukewarm water
Add one teaspoon of liquid detergent into one cup of lukewarm water. Mix well and clean your carpet.
If the prepared solution is too less, you can increase it by keeping the ratio the same.
How to Use Laundry Detergent in a Carpet Cleaner?
There are six simple steps to clean the carpet using a laundry detergent. Almost always, a liquid laundry detergent is used for making a carpet cleaning solution at home.
The solution will work like magic if used the right way.
Follow these simple steps to get a clean and fresh carpet.
Step 1: Test the cleaner
It is essential to test the cleaning solution you made on the surface of the carpet. This step is necessary to ensure that the solution will not cause any damage to the carpet.
For this, add a small amount of the cleaning solution in a spray bottle and spray it on a concealed area of the carpet. You can check that area after 24 hours for any damage.
If there is no visible damage or discoloration, then you can proceed with the next cleaning step.
Step 2: Remove dirt and debris, if any
Before proceeding to clean the carpet using a solution, it is necessary to remove dirt from the carpet.
By using a vacuum, remove any dry dirt from the carpet. Otherwise, it will stick to the carpet.
Step 3: Fill the reservoir of the carpet cleaner
Now that you fully trust the carpet cleaning solution, fill the reservoir of carpet cleaner with the liquid solution.
Add the liquid carpet cleaning solution to the reservoir, and don’t forget to cover it with a lid if it has any.
Some cleaners contain two reservoirs-one for clean water and the other for the cleaning solution.
Don’t forget to fill both of them.
Step 4: Start the application
Turn on the cleaner and pull the trigger; this will activate the solution. The application is quite easy. You need to pull the cleaner back and forth as you do to the vacuum cleaner.
Make sure to start from the farthest end of the room, away from the door. Work your way towards the door. Clean an area two to three times to get the best results.
Step 5: Let the carpet dry
Now that you have finished shampooing it, get out of the room and let the carpet dry. As the shampooer applies a large quantity of solution on the carpet, it will take a lot of time.
It is good to leave it for 24 hours. Get back to it when you see it completely dried.
Step 6: Final cleaning
After 24 hours, get back to the carpet with a vacuum.
Clean any debris you see on the carpet by using a vacuum cleaner. Make a complete round on the carpet by moving the vacuum back and forth.
Any dirt or debris left will be sucked up by the vacuum.
Benefits of this Carpet Cleaning Solution
If you are here, you must be amongst those people who love the comfort appearance of the carpet. It is an excellent choice for the floor, but keeping it clean is also a tiring task.
Vacuum alone cannot do the deep cleaning of carpet fibers. It will just remove the debris or dirt of any kind. You can deep clean your carpet using a laundry detergent solution in your carpet cleaner.
There are many benefits to cleaning the carpet with a detergent solution. If you already clean with detergent solution, keep going.
If not, you will start cleaning with a detergent solution after reading its benefits.
Improved health
Carpet is home to lots of dust debris, mites, and many other microorganisms. It is hazardous for people with allergies and breathing problems.
A vacuum is beneficial in removing dust only. A lot of other particles are left behind that accumulate over time and cause many different health problems.
Laundry detergent solution will clean each fiber of the carpet, removing every kind of allergens, dust, and microorganisms.
Cleaning the carpet once every two months will reduce the risk of many health problems.
Cheap and affordable
Unlike professional laundry cleaning solutions, laundry detergent solution is very cheap. You can prepare it using a detergent available at your home by adding lukewarm water.
It is readily available and extremely affordable. You can even clean your carpets after every three to four months without emptying your pockets.
Fresh and clean look
Homemade detergent solution is really best in an emergency situation when you can’t find professional carpet cleaning solutions in any store.
You can get a fresh and clean looking carpet within 24 hours.
The dust that has accumulated on the carpet over time can be removed easily by deep cleaning. The old and worn out carpet will give an improved look and fresh feel once it is cleaned.
Cleaning the carpet with a vacuum regularly and using carpet cleaner at least twice a year will keep your carpet new for really long.
Conclusion
Carpet is an expensive investment; therefore, it is essential to keep it clean so that it can last long.
Cleaning them doesn’t mean investing a lot in the cleaning products. You can do that by preparing a detergent solution at home, which is a lot more inexpensive and affordable.
The good thing is, it gives almost the same result.
So the answer to the question, “can I use a laundry detergent in a carpet cleaner?” is inevitable yes. There is no issue in doing so.
Go with whatever liquid detergent you have at home and clean your carpets.
It is important to clean carpets with a carpet cleaning solution. If you are allergic to dust or some other allergens, know that carpet is home to them.
Vacuum alone cannot do the cleaning that you need. Therefore, deep clean it at least twice a year.
You can easily do this at home. But you should take precautions to avoid damage to the carpet.