Homemade Carpet Shampoo

What can you use as an effective homemade rug shampoo?

By wendy from Schenectady, NY

Answers:

Test an area in the corner first. Pre-treat any "bad" areas with Dawn dish liquid. Mix a solution of 2 gallons warm water; 1 tsp Dawn and 2 TBS baking soda. Run through carpet scrubber; rinse with clean water (through carpet scrubber), let dry. (07/29/2010)

By bkvander

Once, when a friend had to get her carpets clean but was on a very limited budget and it was all she could do to rent the cleaner, I made a solution of laundry powder in hot water, and strained it so the little undissolved pieces weren't a problem. We used one or two cups of that in the container full of hot water from the cleaner. It worked great.

The more concentrated solution was for the few spots we had to get out. I wouldn't use it very concentrated; like a cup to a gallon size pot of hot water, strain it, and then it gets diluted again when it's poured into the container in the machine. Just the normal hot water from the faucet, and don't shake or swirl it. I don't recall the brand of soap/detergent. Maybe like Arm and Hammer.

I wouldn't recommend this all the time, but hey. (07/29/2010)

By PENNY K

Try dissolving 1/4 c oxi-clean and warm water to fill tank, pour into tank when dissolved and shampoo as normal. (08/13/2010)

By Mary