Erin Huffstetler is a frugal living expert who has been writing for over 10 years about easy ways to save money at home. She’s covered money-saving advice and tricks for carpet cleaner solution publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Forbes, among others. She is the owner of “My Frugal Home,” a money-saving, frugal living how-to guide.
Keep your carpets clean and fragrant with 2 homemade carpet cleaning products: a cleaning solution for steam machines and a spot remover. To make your homemade carpet cleaner, you’ll need just a few ingredients you likely have in your bathroom and kitchen. Mix the white vinegar and baking soda to form a paste. Work the paste into the carpet stain with an old toothbrush, or something similar. Allow the paste to dry, and then vacuum up the baking soda.
For tough stains like wine or chocolate, use hydrogen peroxide instead. You may need to treat tough stains more than once. For best results, try to treat stains before they have time to set. The acetic acid in vinegar dissolves stains and also neutralizes odors—just what you need to clean carpets.