Start With Your Carpets When Spring Cleaning

As winter draws to a close and the warmer weather of spring arrives, you're probably thinking about all the outdoor activities you can do. However, one thing you shouldn't forget about is spring cleaning. After being stuck inside all winter, your home has accumulated all kinds of dust and debris. It may seem like a daunting task to clean your entire house, which is why experts recommend taking it one step at a time — and the best place to start is with your carpets.

Rugs and carpets should be your priority because they hold a lot of debris. When you leave your windows and doors closed all winter, you're keeping lots of dust inside your house, which then gets trapped in your rug and carpet fibers. Moreover, when family and friends visit, dirt will build up from the foot traffic, and someone is bound to spill something on the carpet. For these reasons, carpets and rugs should be the first thing on your mind when you're ready to start your spring cleaning.

Vacuuming is the first step when cleaning carpets. This will get rid of the majority of the dust, dirt, and crumbs. However, when you're trying to deep clean, you need to do it more thoroughly than usual. The trick is taking your time and starting with an empty vacuum. Your machine runs better when it has proper airflow, so first, change the bag or empty the dust container.

Start by slowly moving your vacuum back and forth over the fibers. Making two passes is essential because the first only loosens the dirt while the second sucks it into your machine. You should also pay extra attention to high-traffic areas by passing over them multiple times. If you're cleaning a rug, don't forget to flip it over and vacuum the back side as well. When cleaning delicate rugs, using an attachment instead of the usual beater bar is safer. Once you're done removing all the dust and debris, you can move on to tackling any stains.

if you have unsightly stains on your carpets, you have multiple options. If you have a carpet cleaner, all you have to do is fill the machine with shampoo and warm water. Then you run it over your carpets, making multiple passes in the same direction. The machine does all the work, dispensing soapy water, scrubbing the carpet, and then sucking it back up on the second pass. Take your time to remove all the liquid, then let your rug or carpet dry completely before putting furniture on it. You can rent a carpet cleaner from your local hardware store if you don't own one.

Another option is to clean any stains by hand. With a wet rag, blot at the marks until they disappear. You can use dish soap, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or club soda, depending on what was spilled. Then go over the area with clean water to remove the cleanser. To clean the entire carpet by hand, fill a bucket with 1 part distilled white vinegar and 3 parts water. Then scrub the solution into your rug. When you're done, take a dry rag and blot out any excess vinegar. This should remove any odors and disinfect your carpet, however, if there are still any odors, you can finish by sprinkling baking soda everywhere, letting it sit for 20 minutes, and then vacuuming it.