http://www.care2.com/greenliving/remove-stains-and-pet-odors-from-rug.html
How to Remove Stains and Pet Odors from Rugs
By Annie B. Bond
Soon we will be closing our homes up for the cooler weather, leaving us face-to-face with rugs and carpets that look and smell less than fresh: A wine spill here, a pet accident there—and you can end up with a real mess underfoot. But commercial carpet cleaners and fresheners can contain synthetic ingredients that can harm you and your pets.
Here are some great formulas that really work to remove grease stains, chewing gum, food and red wine stains, and even cat mistakes (Annie’s formula works better than expensive enzyme-based cleaners!). Find out how to have sweet-smelling, fresh-looking rugs, safely and naturally.
Always try these formulas on a bit of rug that is out of sight first, to be sure they won’t cause discoloration or fading.
Annie’s Fabulous Whipped Carpet-Cleaner:
This formula is fun to make and fun to use. Just mix equal parts water and liquid detergent and whip with a hand beater until it gets frothy. Use a sponge to scoop some onto a section of your rug, rub in gently, then wipe dry with a clean rag.
To Neutralize Pet Odors:
See this great technique for cat mistakes and these general deodorizers for pet odors .
To Remove Red Wine Stains:
It’s easier to get rid of stains when they are fresh. First, blot, then dilute with warm water and blot again. Then:
Method 1: Pour on a bit of milk, white wine, or club soda. Blot and wash with warm water and liquid detergent.
Method 2: Mix equal parts liquid detergent and fresh hydrogen peroxide (it loses its effectiveness if it’s old) and apply to stain. Blot and reapply if necessary, then use warm water to rinse. Allow to dry.
To Remove Fruit Juice and Berry Stains:
Blot and dilute the stain, then apply straight white vinegar. Rinse with warm water.
To Remove Chewing Gum:
Remove as much of it as you can (some people swear by using a plastic bag to pick up the gum: evidently, the gum will adhere to the plastic). Then apply ice cubes to the gum still remaining on the carpet to freeze it: the gum becomes easy to pick out of the rug fibers.
To Remove Grease Stains:
First, blot away as much of the grease as you can. Then apply straight isopropyl alcohol to the stain. Blot, then wash with warm water and liquid detergent. If that doesn’t get it all, apply a few drops of fresh hydrogen peroxide and blot, then wash again with warm water and detergent.
Fragrant Carpet Freshener
Mix 2 cups of borax (in the laundry section of your grocery store) and 25 drops pure essential oil, making sure the oil is evenly distributed throughout the borax. Shake this mixture liberally over your carpet and allow to remain on for a few minutes, then vacuum.
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29 comments
add your comment »Great tips, thanks!
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I took my dog to the vet the other day and they were selling totally natural pet perfume! It's amazing, it works great, and the formerly stinky pets (despite regular bathing) now smell lovely.
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For lingering odors that don't go away with scrubbing this is what to do. Purchase baking soda, or a carpet freshening powder which contains baking soda. Sprinkle it on generously and leave it set for one hour. When the hour is up vacuum the floor thoroughly. The will help to remove any odors in your carpet. Baking soda naturally absorbs odors and then when it is vacuumed up the odors are completely out of your carpet!
dsi r4
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I did try this on my rugs, and it made them smell great for a couple of days, then the pet odors started to come through again. Now, a few weeks later, we have a very strong "fermented" vinegar smell. I'm not sure why, but plan to clean the rugs again without the vinegar.
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I'm trying this recipe today, only instead of regular liquid soap I used Mrs. Meyer's Geranium with equal water. We have serious pet odor problems since our dog refuses to do her business where she's supposed to. So far, we've scrubbed 3 rugs with the soap and water and applied the white vinegar. I'm waiting for the vinegar to dry and then I will apply the baking soda. It smells better already! Also, we vaccumed first before even washing the rugs; that helped get rid of the initial dirt. I might follow up the procedure with Borax and essential oil too. I've used that in the past and it works very well by itself.
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Darci -- Thanks for the info . . . I do not have carpets but would like to have area rugs and I never knew there was another sort of carpet cleaning.
I am dubious about detergent taking away the smell and residue of cat pee. The cats have done something in the kitchen, neither my son nor I can find it, although we suspect they hit the undercurtain in shower in the bath adjacent the kitchen.
I was going to toss it as washing cloth on which a cat has peed always seemed futile.
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i have a serious problem: an orange and red popsicle dropped on beige carpet. i have blotted it up and tried regular carpet cleaner. nothing happened. is there any secret i can try??
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salt on a fresh red wine stain works well - the wine is absorbed into the salt and you can usually just vacuum away a bit later. If the stain remains, then club soda seems to do the trick.
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Cats cannot metabolize essential oils and that is why there are all the toxicity warnings. Here is an article on cats and essential oils.
http://www.gowellbeings.com/2005/10/cat-article-essential-oils-and-feline.html
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I had a probem with my kitty peeing in one spot on my carpet. After trying several things, I poured a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar (could use full strength) on the spot and she never went in the house again.
The trick to this method is to soak the area, you want the padding underneath to be wet with the vinegar too. Otherwise, they will still smell the pee in the padding.
I have also used this method on my couch cushion. It does not change the color of the fabric.
While essential oils are nice, some are toxic to pets as well. So keeping to white vinegar and water is much better and the smell goes away.
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