I was vacuuming our sofa and cushions the other day and noted a few areas that needed some spot cleaning. Hey I’ve got something to get that sorted! It took me back to a previous home where we had laminate on the main floor while upstairs was fully carpeted including the stairs. We had two very sick cats in that house and it seemed like I was constantly spot cleaning carpet. Every spring, I would have our carpets professionally cleaned and on one occasion I got to talking to the gent about cleaning carpet stains and what he recommended. On the QT, he shared his magic recipe for cleaning carpet and upholstery ~ aside from recommending a professional cleaning solution, his homemade version for small jobs won’t fade the material being cleaned. He’s cleaned countless carpets where the resident had used a store bought cleaning solution which left faded spots. He stressed the need to be very careful when using any carpet cleaner, follow the instructions and test it first.
Well for me, I like simple and inexpensive options to clean my home not to mention things I readily have on hand and that are pet-friendly. Test this spot / stain cleaning recipe for yourself!
You will need; 1 clean spray bottle, white vinegar, granulated salt
Fill the spray bottle half full with tap water
Fill the other half with vinegar
Add 1 Tsp of Salt
Shake the bottle until the salt has dissolved
Spray the stain and blot/gently rub with a clean microfiber cloth, repeat until the stain or spot is removed. Then let dry.
I have cleaned some major stains with this solution;
- Salad dressing splashed on a microfibre upholstered chair ~ came right out!
- Red wine on a creamed coloured wool carpet. Not a mark!
- Grease stain on a car seat, gonzo!
Talk about a time saver ~ no need to haul out the Bissel which I tend to keep for larger jobs.
This morning I was watching The Morning Show, and one of my favourite segments is Melissa Maker, The Cleaning Expert on Debunking time-wasting cleaning myths. So good! Melissa maintains a wealth of cleaning tips on her website known as Clean My Space.
PS ~ Tick off the List is a home help service so if you need a one-time or regular housekeeping service, email me, and let’s make a fresh start this spring!
~ Niki | niki@tickoffthelist.ca