If you rent a steam or hot water extraction carpet cleaner you may be tempted to buy the expensive branded cleaning solutions offered by the rental company but white vinegar also works quite well and for a fraction of the cost. Household weblog Hostess with the Motzes used a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water with a few optional drops of lavender essential oil to counteract the odor of vinegar (liquid fabric softener can also be used for this purpose) in a Rug Doctor cleaner with no problems. At first she was concerned with damaging the cleaner but their website simply states that other products aren't recommended because they don't clean as well as the official commercial product.After caring for my mother-in-law's not-quite-housebroken puppy for a week we had a few stains in the front room of our house that didn't want to come out with regular spray stain removers. We decided to rent a Rug Doctor hot water extraction cleaner since we haven't done a deep cleaning of the carpets since we bought our home.

When you rent one of these machines it is customary to also buy the branded cleaning solutions and most people never think about alternatives mostly for fear of damaging the cleaner. We bought the cleaners that time because we had two coupons that combined to make them free with the rental but next time we rent one of these cleaners you can bet I'll try the vinegar method. Using Vinegar in a Rug Doctor to Clean Carpets | Hostess with the Motzes Your email address*Your Friends email address*Comment Vinegar has become the new buzzword when it comes to green cleaning, and this is one instance where the product actually lives up to the hype. Plain white vinegar is an amazing natural cleanser and is quite possibly the most versatile all-purpose cleaner that you could ever use. One unexpected place where vinegar is incredibly effective is for everyday carpet cleaning. As a natural deodorizing agent, vinegar freshens carpets by removing stale odors from age, food, and pet accidents, as well as any mustiness left from excess liquid of any kind.

Here’s a look at how you can use vinegar to transform your carpet cleaning regimen.Vineyard Vines Warehouse Sale Ct Benefits of Vinegar as a Cleaning ProductGreen Marble Linoleum Flooring Mother Nature has provided all-natural solutions for cleaning that are both effective and safe, and vinegar is one of them. Funky Wooden BlindsVinegar is very acidic with a pH of about 2.4 (a neutral pH is 7). This acidity means that vinegar is naturally: antibacterial (kills many bacteria that cause illnesses) antimicrobial (kills microbes and other microscopic organisms) able to kill mold Besides being able to kill numerous household germs and loosen and lift dirt from surfaces, vinegar is completely safe. Unlike most commercial carpet cleaners, vinegar will not cause any harm if ingested and is 100 percent pet and baby friendly.

Vinegar is also eco-friendly, will never cause damage to plumbing systems, and is incredibly cheap. In short, white vinegar makes a very effective, economical, and ecologically wise household cleanser. With Vinegar, It’s All in the Technique While vinegar can make for an excellent carpet cleaner, you can’t just dump it on and wipe it up like an industrial cleaner. With vinegar, finesse is critical or you may end up damaging your carpet fibers. As with any cleaner, it’s important to test the vinegar on a hidden area before using it to clean the carpet. Using a damp rag, an inconspicuous area of carpet (inside a closet or in a corner, for example) can be moistened before applying the vinegar as if you were actually cleaning the area. Allow the vinegar to sit for a few minutes and then blot it away. After about 24 hours, examine the area for color fading or changes in texture. If the fibers are unchanged, then you know that the vinegar is safe to use. For most types of cleaning, you will want to dilute the vinegar with water to protect the carpet fibers.

Usually, the vinegar will have to sit on the carpet for a bit to maximize its effectiveness. Keep in mind that the room will smell of vinegar during the cleaning, but once the carpet dries, the smell will completely disappear. No rinsing is necessary. For more specific cleaning instructions see below. Tips for Using Vinegar as a Carpet Cleaner Steam Cleaning with Vinegar: When carpets need an overall, deep down clean, plain vinegar can replace those costly and chemical-laden commercial steam cleaning solutions. If the steam cleaner has a tank where cleaning solution alone is added, it can be filled with full-strength vinegar straight from the bottle. If, however, the steam cleaner’s manual instructs you to add a certain amount of cleanser along with hot water in a single tank, the vinegar can simply be substituted in the exact amount recommended. If the manual states to use eight ounces of cleaning solution, for example, eight ounces of vinegar should be used instead. Stain Removal: White vinegar may be useful in removing fresh stains from food or drink spills, pet accidents, or grime tracked in from outside.

It is always best to treat any spill as soon as it happens, before the stain has a chance to set into the carpet fibers. Any solid matter from a spill should be scooped up and any liquid blotted with a towel. Once almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, diluted vinegar can be sprayed or very lightly poured over the area and allowed to sit. It should then be blotted up with a clean cloth until the stain is no longer visible. While vinegar is an effective carpet cleaner, dilution will help to ensure that your carpet fibers are protected. Again, always test an inconspicuous area first with the diluted solution before applying it to the entire carpet. How to Shampoo CarpetFollow me over to the blog for more homemade goodness . . .Show All ItemsI love my dogs. The mess the make? Step 1: The day before...Show All ItemsThe day before you intend to clean is the day to do a little prep.Find a rental location and get a coupon- /map/map.html and enter your zip code for a coupon and near by rental locations.