I ran out of carpet cleaning solution, and I used liquid laundry detergent in my machine instead. I used less than a quarter of what I would have put in with a load of laundry. It worked beautifully, and was a lot less expensive.
Source: necessity, the mother of invention
By Antoinette from APO, AP
Use White Distilled Vinegar. 1 part vinegar, 3 parts warm water and one drop (only one) of dishwashing detergent, and it works like magic, plus it deters pet odors and smoke odors. It works and it is so inexpensive. (06/05/2009)
I use Wisk. it smells wonderful and cleans so good without all the suds. Most times when I spray the stains and let sit while cleaning other areas, the spots will be gone when I get back to them. (06/06/2009)
By kay winters
Hum! A lil feedback on using detergents.
#1. Make sure your carpet warranty is long and gone. othertwise you just voided it
#2. I would not use any detergents on carpet. I am sure it looks good after you clean it. Chances are within a week it starts getting dirty again. Reason is you did not neutralize the detergent in your carpet. Detergents attract dirt.
#3. Islandsage has a good formula, because vinegar cleans and kills odors. I use commercial cleaning products that have vinegar in them. They cost an arm and a leg. But it is my business. I clean and restore floors for a living.
#4. Remember back in school when you were taught PH. You have 0-14 on a ph scale with 7 in the middle. 7 is neutral (water). You want your carpet fibers to be neutral after cleaning
#5. Here is the formula for making your carpet baby-butt soft and clean, using rug doctor, hoover, bissell, etc. Always and I mean always test in an inconspicuous spot. I do on all jobs.
Go to walmart or preferrably a janitorial supply store. You can pickup some inexpensive carpet cleaning chemicals.
Get the product "Carpet Prespray" This is the most important product because it has the chemicals to clean your carpet. And it is your alkaline. Spray this product using a sprayer of some kind. Allow 5-10 minutes to dwell without drying.
Also purchase "Carpet Rinse". This is your acid to neutralize the alkaline prespray in your carpet. Acid rinse goes in your solution tank. Follow directions on labels
After you clean a section, reach down and feel the carpet. If it doesn't feel sticky, you have done a great job.
Hope this helps
(06/06/2009)
By Kelvin Magee
I've used rug doctor, but what a pain. This time, on my incredibly filthy carpet, in a very large bowl I mixed a solution of ammonia and water. I took a towel and a scrub brush and got down on my hands and knees. The spots came up beautifully. I used the towel to wipe and restore the nap. I don't know about restoring the acid pH, after using the base ammonia. I would take the previous post's recommendations if I were cleaning my Persian carpets, but this worked for my standard-issue beige carpet.
By mary knight
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