Why You May Want To Avoid A Popular DIY Cleaning Hack

Cleaning hacks are fun and innovative ways to approach your task list, but they can sometimes lead to a bigger mess. Some Instagram and TikTok users have videos dedicated to offering helpful tips for making house cleaning easier, but other people are warning against certain trends that can be detrimental. One such video comes from @thebigcleanco on Instagram, who tried a carpet cleaning trick that ended up going sour. The user attempted the tip before passing judgment, but in the end, she found that it added more work.

To avoid making cleaning more complicated, this might be one trend to skip when trying to get your carpet nice and clean. Carpet care can be daunting and arduous, primarily because the fibers collect dirt and dust every single day. Certified Clean Care recommends vacuuming two to three times throughout the week, especially if you have a lot of foot traffic in your home. This will keep the buildup of bacteria, allergens, and dander at bay, but this Instagram video proves why new hacks don't always beat the old-fashioned methods.

A trend that has been making the social media rounds for cleansing your carpets involves sprinkling bicarb, or bicarbonate of soda, on your floors. Also known as baking soda, this powder-like substance is said to help remove odors and bad smells from the fibers and material. In fact, some websites like Purdy & Figg even recommend using bicarb on carpets, but @thebigcleanco found that the particles were too tiny to be properly removed by a vacuum.

Although Purdy & Figg notes that you should sweep the baking soda from the carpet first, then vacuum, @thebigcleanco is adamant that this isn't the way to go. In the caption, alongside a video of bicarb being sprinkled onto a carpet, the account comments that because the particles can't be lifted properly by a vacuum, they end up attaching to the material and absorbing moisture over time. This results in bad odors from the substance, which can hold onto everything from spills to moisture in the air. They also warn that if someone with wool carpets tries this trick, it will turn them brown within months.

If you are tempted to clean your carpets with bicarbonate of soda after reading websites that say it works, follow Purdy & Figg's tip about sweeping it up into piles before vacuuming. This should help pull all the particles into more concentrated piles rather than pushing them back into the fibers one tiny fleck at a time. If you want to avoid this hack altogether, there are other household items that can be combined to make a DIY carpet cleaner.

Mixing vinegar, water, and salt in a spray bottle can help get your floors nice and fresh, according to Advanced Vapor Technologies. Combine one part vinegar with two parts water, then add a teaspoon of salt. Once you have your spray mixture, you can throw in a favored essential oil to help deodorize the carpet. Pick one that is clear, so it doesn't stain the material, then measure out 10 drops for the mixture before applying it to your carpet.