How to Deep Clean Carpet

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Last Updated: October 9, 2020 References

If you want a clean and fresh-smelling carpet, you don’t need to hire an expensive professional carpet cleaner. You can deep clean your carpets yourself using either wet or dry methods. To begin, make sure that you’ve already vacuumed and spot-treated your carpet. You can use a carpet cleaner that will scrub the dirt out of the fibers using water and a special solution. If you do not want to wait for your carpet to dry, you can also use a dry cleaning solution, which you will simply vacuum up.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing the Room for Cleaning

1
Pick up anything on the ground. You will need to have the carpet completely clear before you start deep cleaning. Pick up any toys, books, papers, shoes, or other items from the ground. Clear away any large or visible debris or trash from the carpet, and throw it out.
2
Move furniture out of the way. You should try to have as much furniture moved out of the room as possible. Lift chairs, tables, TV stands, and other smaller items, and take them to another room. If you have large heavy items that are difficult to move, such as couches or bookcases, you should put small pieces of aluminum foil under their feet.^{[1]
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3
Vacuum the carpet first. Vacuum the entire carpet to get as much dust and dirt out as possible before you deep clean the carpet. Go over the entire floor, especially areas that were previously covered by furniture.
4
Pretreat stains. If there are any soiled or stained areas, try to get the stain out before you clean the whole carpet. Use a carpet cleaning solution, and spray it over the affected area. Wait for fifteen or twenty minutes. Blot the stain out with a damp cloth or sponge, but do not rub.^{[2]
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- If you do not have a spot cleaning solution on hand, you can use shaving cream. Spray the cream onto the stain, and wait 30 minutes. Blot it away, and spray the spot with vinegar. Wipe away any leftover residue.
- You can make your own spot cleaning solution by mixing 1/4 cup (75 g) of salt, 1/4 cup (100 g) of Borax, and ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of vinegar. Put the paste on stained areas, and wait until it dries before you vacuum it up.^{[3]
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- If you don’t have Borax, you could use baking soda or washing soda instead.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Carpet Cleaner

1
Rent or buy a carpet cleaner. A carpet cleaner is a special machine that looks like a vacuum, but it uses steam and special cleaning solution to deep clean your carpets. If you have many rugs and carpets in your home or if you deep clean your carpets more than once or twice a year, you may want to invest in a carpet cleaner. If you’re not ready to commit, you can rent these machines for a day from grocery stores, hardware stores, or even pet stores.
- Make sure you get a cleaner that you can easily lift or move. Remember that once you fill it with water, the machine will weigh even more.^{[4]
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- No matter if you buy or rent a steam cleaner, you will have to purchase the cleaning solution yourself. The cleaning solution is often sold next to the machine itself. You may also be able to find it in the cleaning aisle of the store.
2
Fill the machine. You will need to put both water and cleaning solution in the tank. Each brand of carpet cleaner has slightly instructions for this, so be sure to read the manual before you begin. Generally, however, you will add a certain amount of formula to a small tank before adding water to the tank. Some carpet cleaners may also have a separate tank for just water.
- Once you have filled the tank, you can plug the machine in. Do not plug in the machine before adding the water and cleaning solution.
- If someone in your home has respiratory issues or if you are uncomfortable with the use of chemicals in your home, you can use a cup of white vinegar instead of cleaning solution in the tank.^{[5]
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  Research source} Be aware that this may void the warranty on the machine, and you may need to do a second cleaning for the best results.
3
Clean a test spot. You should make sure that the cleaning solution will not change the color of your carpet or leave stains behind. Find a patch of carpet that is usually covered by furniture. Try using the carpet cleaner on that small part. If you notice any discoloration, you may not want to use it on your entire carpet.^{[6]
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4
Begin away from the door. When you start cleaning, position yourself as far away from the door as possible. As you move the cleaner over the carpet, slowly go across the room. You want to end at the door, so that you can leave when you are finished without stepping on the clean and wet carpet.^{[7]
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- If the carpet is still visibly dirty, let it dry for a few hours, and go over it a second time.
- If you start by the door, you may find yourself trapped in a corner. You will have to walk over your clean carpet in order to leave.
5
Open doors and windows to let the room dry. The carpet will take several hours or even overnight to dry. During this time, make sure that there is as much air circulating as possible. Open all of the windows in the room, and keep the doors open as well. This will prevent mold and mildew from developing in the damp carpet while it dries.^{[8]
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- If you have pets or children, use baby gates to keep them out of the room while the carpet dries.
- Use fans and dehumidifiers in the room to help the drying process. These can also help reduce mildew.^{[9]
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6
Dispose of the water. The water you used is full of chemicals, and you should not pour it down the drain unless told to do so by the manufacturer or store.
- If you rented your carpet cleaner, the store may ask you to return the cleaner full of the water you used to clean. This is so that they can dispose of the water responsibly.
- If you own your steam cleaner or if the store does not want you to return the machine full, call your local water treatment facility to ask how you should dispose of the water.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Dry-Cleaning Your Carpet

1
Purchase a dry carpet cleaning solution. There are many commercial dry carpet cleaning solutions available. These are typically powders that contain a detergent formulated to break down dirt embedded in the carpet and a solution. Some may contain a very small amount of water. You can buy these at a grocery or hardware store.^{[11]
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- Some popular brands include Love my Carpet, Arm and Hammer, Host, and Carpet Fresh.
- Dry cleaning will not help remove stains from your carpet. If your carpet is visibly soiled, you may want to use a carpet cleaner instead.^{[12]
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2
Sprinkle the cleaning solution over the carpet and work it into the fibers. Measure out the correct amount of solution according to the instructions on the label. Spread it out over your carpet. Make sure that there is an even amount over all parts of the carpet.
- Be careful not to use too much. If you do, you may get fine white powder residue on your clothing and furniture, even after you vacuum it up.
- Follow the specific instructions for the dry cleaning solution. You may need to use a hand brush or dry cleaning brush to work the solution into the carpet. In some cases, you may need to wait 15-20 minutes before vacuuming up the powder, as well.
3
Vacuum the carpet. Once you have worked the solution into the carpet, you should vacuum it up. You may want to go over the carpet a few times with your vacuum just to make sure that you have removed all of the powder.^{[13]
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- If you find that you have white powder on your furniture or clothing after vacuuming, you may need to vacuum again.
- There is no need to wait for the carpet to dry. Once it is vacuumed, you are done cleaning.

Warnings

The chemicals found in carpet cleaning solutions can sometimes affect people with respiratory issues like asthma. If someone in the household has one of these conditions, you may want to use vinegar instead of a chemical solution.

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