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Cleaning time is the least glamorous part of having a carpet. Carpeted areas tend to collect lots of loose debris, hair, and dust particles. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner or just want to keep the noise down, you may have to get creative.
Alternatively, you can contact professionals at carpet cleaning companies similar to High Country Chem-Dry, who might be able to thoroughly clean your carpets and give them a sparkling and appealing appearance.
That said, in this article, we’re going to discuss a few easy ways of cleaning a carpet without a vacuum cleaner. We’ll talk about some great commercial solutions and a few DIY methods. Extreme stains may require a good soaking, but first, let’s get into some dry cleaning methods.
Best Ways To Clean Carpet Without Vacuum Cleaner
1. Broom and Dustpan
Our favorite way to clean a rug without a vacuum is with a simple broom and dustpan.
Sweeping is the best way to remove loose debris and dirt from natural fiber and low-pile rugs without making a ruckus.
It works especially well on sisal, seagrass, and jute carpets.
If your broom’s bristles are too hard, you can damage your carpet. Use a broom with fine bristles that are stiff enough to dig deep into the carpet fibers.
Following Steps:
- 1. Make sure you start with a clean broom. Beat it against an outside surface until it stops giving off a dust cloud.
- 2. Sweep your carpet in a single direction to try to move all the dirt to one corner.
- 3. Leave your dustpan close to that corner for easy pickup.
- 4. Sweep all the dirt into a corner pile, and then scoop it up using the dustpan.
2. Cleaning with a Carpet Sweeper
Carpet sweepers are lightweight and small, which makes them perfect for quick cleaning jobs. They use a set of brushes that spin on rollers to flick dirt into an internal receptacle as you push the sweeper across your carpet.
Following Steps:
- 1. Start by removing the biggest pieces of garbage by hand. Carpet sweepers handle smaller particles best. Move any electrical cords to the side so the rollers don’t get tangled.
- 2. If your carpet smells bad, you can use baking soda to remove odors. Sprinkle a fine layer on your rug and leave it to sit for a while.
- 3. Carpet sweepers work best with overlapping strokes. Move your sweeper forward and backward over your carpet in long strips. Once the brushes catch all the dirt and baking soda in one section, move to the next strip.
- 4. Empty out the internal receptacle before it gets too full to keep the dirt from spilling out again.
3. Using Packaging Tape or Lint Roller
If your carpet is filled with pet hair or your hair, packaging tape or a lint roller will get rid of it rather than just pushing it around.
This method works best with fine carpets and small area rugs.
You can wrap packaging tape around your hand with the sticky side facing out to turn your arm into a lint roller.
Following Steps:
- 1. Loose dirt will clog up your lint roller fast. Give your rug a quick shake or sweep to get rid of all the easiest surface particles.
- 2. Rollers work best if you glide them over your carpet in smooth, straight strokes. Start in the dirtiest areas with lots of visible hair and particles, and then finish by giving the whole carpet a once-over.
- 3. The worst part of lint rolling is replacing the sticky part when it gets full of gross carpet lint. When it no longer sticks, wad up the tape or roller sheet in a ball with the sticky, dirty side on the inside. Throw it away, and use a new sheet.
4. Clean with Carpet Stain Removers
Spot cleaning with a good carpet stain remover works great for small spills and stains. Whether you’re using a nifty commercial carpet cleaning solution or one of the specific DIY solutions below, always test it on a small section of the carpet before slathering it on the whole thing.
To remove saliva, urine, or bloodstains, use hydrogen peroxide diluted in plenty of water. Stains from beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages respond well to a club soda solution. Greasy food will usually come off with just water and dish soap. Baking soda and vinegar mixed into water will take care of most other stains.
Following Steps:
- 1. Fill an empty spray bottle with whatever carpet cleaning solution you’re using.
- 2. Spray the solution on a damp cloth, sponge, or brush, depending on the depth of the stain and the thickness of your carpet.
- 3. Light stains respond to gentle blotting. Blot a few times, and then move to a new area of the cloth. Don’t rub unless the stain is really deep.
- 4. To rinse, spray a fresh rag with clean cold water, and dab gently. Dry by dabbing with a dry cloth.
- 5. Weigh down a few paper towels with a book, and leave them on the wet spot overnight to finish drying.
5. Beat the Rug
If your rug is small enough, you may not have to sweep it or scrub it at all. You might just be able to beat the dirt out of it. Beating your rug can be even more efficient than vacuuming it.
Following Steps:
- 1. A stiff broom works best, but you can also use a tennis racket, a baseball bat, or even your hand.
- 2. We recommend taking this method outside to keep the dust out of your furniture.
- 3. You can beat your rug on the floor, but hanging it someplace where it can swing a bit is better. A clothesline, porch railing, or outdoor stair banister works great.
- 4. Whack the living daylights out of your rug until you can no longer see a dust cloud. This may take a while.
6. Washing Carpet with Bucket and Brush
Try to use a brush with bristles that aren’t too heavy to avoid messing up your carpet’s weave. If you don’t have a brush specifically made for carpets, you can use a kitchen scrubber or a nail brush. At times, you may not be in the best of your health to clean the carpets or sweep the entire house. In cases like these, you could enlist the assistance of Carpet Cleaning Melbourne or anywhere near your home to do the cleaning for you.
Following Steps:
- 1. Fill your bucket with warm water. Mix in several drops of dish or laundry soap to cut through grease and break up dirt particles. If you prefer to avoid soap, you can also use a touch of white vinegar, lemon juice from one lemon, or bicarbonate of soda.
- 2. Dip your brush in your cleaning solution, and scrub away! Perching on your hands and knees works best. This will take some time, so make sure to put on good music or an intriguing podcast.
- 3. Once you’ve scrubbed every inch of the rug, replace the sudsy solution in your bucket with clean water, and rinse all the soap or other cleaning agents out of your carpet.
- 4. Leave your carpet in the sun or in front of a fan for a bit so it can dry out.
Summary
It’s easy to ruin a rug by using conflicting chemicals, harsh tools, or a bad technique. Always read your carpet’s labels before trying any of the above solutions.
If the carpet cleaning solution you’re using can harm your skin, make sure to use gloves and rinse off any splashes that hit you.
When using one of our wet cleaning methods, it’s important to let your carpet dry thoroughly afterward. Carpets that stay damp for days will begin to stink.
Enjoy your carpet cleaning cardio!