You guys, these solutions are so dumb. I mean, they work super well, but they’re just really low-tech. They’re not fancy in the least and cost next to nothing. But I’ve found them to be very effective at releasing stains in carpet. There are two type of stains; first, the one that you catch immediately, a wet stain. Second, that stain that you didn’t notice until it really has settled into your carpet. That’s why I have 2 solutions regarding carpet stains that I want to share with you. No vinegar this time!
Wet Stains: Liberally sprinkle stain with baking soda. If the soda gets wet, add some more and let it sit for 5 minutes. If you have excess soda that your vacuum can’t handle, it’s best to have a hand-held broom and dustpan handy so you can sweep that excess first before using your vacuum. For urine stains (#momlife), I suggest adding borax to the baking soda. That’s 1 part borax to 3 parts baking soda and sprinkle on as described above.
After it has sat several minutes, sweep and vacuum up the baking soda. This should soak up any odor and color before it deposits into carpet fibers. If there is any remaining color in the carpet, use a hot microfiber towel to scrub up excess.
Dry Stains: It may seem boring but warm water in a steam cleaner will usually do the trick. If it’s a tougher stain, you may add 1 drop of Sal Suds (love this super cheap cleaner! …a bottle lasts forever.) to your warm water in the steam cleaner. You may seem to want to add more soap but this might leave some residue which you don’t want. If you don’t own a steam cleaner, get a microfiber towel wet with hot water, and only slightly wring it out so that it’s still pretty full of water. Lay it over the spot and gently press it into the carpet once or twice. Then use a hair dryer to blow the hot towel for a few minutes to create a steam effect on the carpet.