February 9, 2011

magical carpet cleaner

Several weeks ago I was heading out the door to a dinner party. In one arm I held a big salad bowl. In the other was a glass jar of salad dressing I had just made. As I tried to manuever open our heavy front door, the jar slipped out of my hand. In slow motion I yelled "Noooooo!" as the glass shattered on the wood floor and the contents splattered all over the wall and our cheap apartment carpet.

You guys, I was so upset. I was already late to this party and all I wanted to do was sit down in the middle of this puddle of oil and vinegar and cry. Instead I picked up the glass pieces, did a quick wipe up with paper towels and left the big clean up until later. Over the next few weeks I tried every carpet cleaner at my local grocery stores (yes, plural). Nothing was working. And my front entry way continued to look like this.
I didn't want visitors because it was so embarrassing. No, this condo is not our own but I like to live in cleanliness so I continued to try to clean it with no luck. Then my mom came to visit and suggested I try white vinegar. I didn't really give it much thought because it seemed either too easy or too smelly.

Well, this weekend I had enough. I searched for a remedy and found it! Of course, it contains white vinegar because my mother is always right. So I'm going to share with you my wisdom because I'm sure I'm not the first person to spill oil-based something on their carpet (right?).
1. Scrape up the liquid (I had already done this weeks ago).
2. Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on stain to let absorb for 10 minutes and then vacuum.
3. Mix one tablespoon clear dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon white vinegar with two cups of warm water.
4. Using a white cloth (I strongly believe in microfiber washcloths), sponge the stain with the detergent/vinegar solution and blot until all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Sponge off with cold water and blot dry.

309 comments:

  1. That's a great tip! I'm one of those people who believes baking soda or vinegar can do just about anything too. I love using a paste of baking soda and water to get rid of coffee stains on mugs or deep clean anything in the kitchen. I use apple cider vinegar as a clarifying hair rinse. There are so many cheap remedies you can find around your house.

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    1. Can I use this in my carpet shampoorer?

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    2. I was told that the baking soda may clog the carpet shampooer, but that vinegar is perfectly fine and have seen many women recommend using 2 cups of vinegar and hot water rather than buying the solutions because its cheaper, has no residue, and works better.

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  2. Great remedy! But have you tried "Spot Shot"? It is the only one you can buy that will take out ANY stain. I had a similar story to yours, only our mess was (wait for it) toddler puke (tinted pink from Gatorade). Um gross. In the efforts to keep the sick boy comfortable, all I had time to do was a quick wipe up. Weeks later, I HAD to do something and my mom gave me a can of Spot Shot. It worked miracles.

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    1. "Folex" is amazing and doesn't have the strong smell of "Spot Shot". 'Spot Shot' didn't work for me but 'folex' gets out everything from salsa stains to pet accidents

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    2. Actually I once demoed Folex I used pen ink stains on a piece of carpet to show how it worked. Although it got the stains out of the carpet fibers the stains just sink to inside the actual carpet. When I lifted up the carpet and turned it over you could see every stain that was made. I currently use Folex for my dog when he has an accident but knowing what I know I never want to see the bottom of our rug EVER!!

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    3. Where can I get Spot Shot? I have a couple of old stains that have been in my house since before my family and I moved in. That was over three years ago and the stains have been here longer than that.

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    4. I have purchased Spot Shot at Costco . . . probably available at Sam's Club or other retailers as well.

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  3. I love these all-natural household remedies. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yeah this is amazing! I can't believe it really works so good! But yeah I think that having a natural carpet cleaning system is a much smarter way to go! How do you clean your entire carpet? -Edmonton

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  4. wow! i love simple things that really work.

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  5. I love white vinegar. It also helps to get rid of the moldy smell towels can have if you accidentally leave them in the washer too long. Just put a cup of white vinegar in after the washer has filled up with water and wash as normal. It gets rid of the smell.

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    1. If this works, I love you.

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    2. I always put vinegar in with towels. I have a front loader and I fill up the bleach compartment, the towels NEVER smell, even dish cloths that have soured. Works every time!

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    3. RoLo
      YAAAAYY!! Thank you soooo much for this!! I love vinegar for using in the kitchen. Just didn't "THINK" (LOL) about using it in the laundry. YOU, my Dear, are AMAZING!
      Thanx Bunchezzz!

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    4. RoLo
      YAAAAYY!! Thank you soooo much for this!! I love vinegar for using in the kitchen. Just didn't "THINK" (LOL) about using it in the laundry. YOU, my Dear, are AMAZING!
      Thanx Bunchezzz!

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    5. RoLo, ツ
      THANK YOU for this!! I use vinegar in the kitchen. It is wonderful to know it works in the laundry too. I have TRIED just baking soda, but my MOM always used vinegar. I am CERTAINLY gonna try this!
      Thanx Bunchezzz!! ღ ღ

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    6. I put white vinegar in the wash instead of fabric softener. It breaks up the detergent residue which is why you need fabric softener to begin with. Your clothes might have a vinegar smell when wet, but it goes away once dried.

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    7. I use it in the wash instead of fabric softener, as well, but mostly because my kids have sensitive skin, and where fabric softener gives them rashes, white vinegar softens without causing harm. Worked better than dreft, to be honest!

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    8. There's a recipe you can get on pinterest that is a homemmade laundry soap. It is 100% good for those with sensitive skin and way cheaper than dreft. The vinegar thing really does work and so does hydrogen peroxide, the peroxide is great for things like blood stains.

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    9. Vinegar works great for removing cat-pee smell, too. Even on couches.

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    10. I can totally vouch for the cat pee smell removal as I have a cat who likes to revenge pee on anything we have left of the floor - haha. Vinegar saved my cat's life as my husband was getting so angry lol.

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    11. This makes me so happy i could cry! lol :) or laugh. I was excited about the carpet recipe and now I am gonna try the laundry too! Totally and completely makes my day (2 young boys and a husband...all messy. SO need to use these asap, lol!)

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    12. What an easy tip! This makes me so happy I could cry! with 2 young boys and a not-very-clean husband, there are messes everywhere, all the time. I thought the carpet recipe was awesome and i fully intend to put it to use. the laundry thing is just icing on the cake! (i get so busy i accidentally leave loads in the washer, and of course it is usually the towels. and of course, usually MINE and not the kids', lol)

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    13. We have 3 cats & one dog. I've learned "the hard way", to always be prepared!! All 3 cats puke up hair balls & food. The dog "occasionally" has an accident. I have an ice cream bucket loaded with a spray bottle of white vinegar (to dissolve stomach acids) and an upholstery brush (the kind that comes attached to a carpet cleaner bottle). So all I have to do is grab the bucket, put a little warm water in it, squirt a dot of dish detergent in it. Go to the spot/spots & spray the vinegar (you can actually 'see' the spot fade in front of your eyes!) and then scrub the spot in a couple directions, with the brush. It does "MIRACLES"!! :o)

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    14. We have 3 cats & one dog. I've learned "the hard way", to always be prepared!! All 3 cats puke up hair balls & food. The dog "occasionally" has an accident. I have an ice cream bucket loaded with a spray bottle of white vinegar (to dissolve stomach acids) and an upholstery brush (the kind that comes attached to a carpet cleaner bottle). So all I have to do is grab the bucket, put a little warm water in it, squirt a dot of dish detergent in it. Go to the spot/spots & spray the vinegar (you can actually 'see' the spot fade in front of your eyes!) and then scrub the spot in a couple directions, with the brush. It does "MIRACLES"!! :o)

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  6. I love microfiber rags. I'd had my sister and mom telling me to get them. After a year I finally did. With 3 messy boys under 4, they are truly a lifesaver.

    I also love vinegar. it works wonders.

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  7. Thanks for sharing!!! I'm archiving this post in my email so I have it when I need it! :)

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  8. Thanks for the tip, I love household remedies that use stuff you already have. I do have one question though, when you say clear dishwashing liquid do you mean one that doesn't have a colour to it? (Living in the UK I'm not always sure of our equivalent over here or if something mentioned is a particular thing). I've got a stain I'd love to get rid of and this may just help!

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    1. Rhona,

      Baking Soda is known as Bicarb here in the UK. White vinegar should be available in your local Tesco/ASDA/Sainsbury's. Just make sure you don't get White WINE Vinegar as it's slightly different!

      I hope that helps, hun!
      Anthea

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    2. Yes. I believe she means a dish washing liquid with no color. You wouldn't want to have dyes hindering your progress :)

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  9. If only you had posted this when I lived in our old apartment. I would have been an honest to goodness lifesaver! Still a great tip though : )

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  10. I just used this on our apartment carpet today & it was amazing! Thank you!

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  11. I'm wondering if it will take out the red sauce my daughter got on her bedroom carpet just yesterday... :)

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  12. I'm not so sure the age of your carpet but, you should be aware of the mfg's warranty. Stainmaster recommends nothing but a few drops of the original blue formula Dawn in warm water. Do not allow the stain to spread. Use a white cloth or paper towel to pat the area. If this does not work you must have the carpet cleaned with the hot water extraction method(Stanley Steemer).

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    1. My thought on the "warranty" would be how old is the carpet? Mine is 5 years old--in a bedroom--and until recently was pristine until a new rescue "potty trained" dog started using it, then suddenly followed by somebody holding food and chasing a sibling, and then people giving up and wearing shoes in there! Sigh.

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  13. On light carpets, I've also found that the Clorox "pour directly on fabric" bleach works well on those tough spots. Pour onto carpet, let sit 2-3 minutes and then wash with water. It helps if you have a wet vac or carpet cleaner of some kind to pull all of the chemical from the carpet, but not necessary. Took out some nasty stains in our carpet like magic!

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  14. do you happen to know if it takes out dog pee?

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    1. I use apple cider vinegar for cat pee. There is something in the cider vinegar that makes it so she won't use that spot again. I have not had the same luck with white vinegar, but you can try it! :-)

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    2. thanks - I'm going to try that - my dog seems to think I've made an altar for his pee every time I clean up a spot with baking soda alone - and can't wait to make another offering!

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    3. I use apple cider vinegar for dog pee spots, as I have had a puppy recently. The vinegar neutralizes the ammonia in dog pee so they won't use the same spot again. All the products on the shelves just cover up the odor to us, but dogs smell in terms of ingredients, so they ultimately still smell the pee through the normal cleaning products. I've used both white vinegar and apple cider, I prefer the smell of the apple cider vinegar. Good luck!

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    4. Do you use ACV alone for dog pee stains? Or is there a special concoction?

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    5. Do you use the ACV alone for dog pee stains? Or in some other concoction?

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  15. Thanks so much for sharing! I love using vinegar to clean with. Baby wipes are another great item for getting out carpet stains. They worked great on red pasta sauce!

    PP asked about dog urine. Yes, vinegar is the PERFECT solution to pet urine!

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    1. About the dog pee.... My baby girl (bichon) sometimes pees on the carpet too. So are you suggesting to use the vinegar when it is wet or after? Right now I use nature's miracle. It works pretty good, but I am always open to another option. Does it help with the smell or just the stain, or both?

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    2. Undiluted vinegar works great! Blot up as much urine as possible then pour the vinegar straight onto the spot and blot to dry

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  16. I'm a vinegar fan, but i also LOVE Folex carpet spot remover. http://www.folexcompany.com/index.html
    The website also explains ways to use the product other than carpet. It's great on protein stains on clothes...especially baby spit up. Red carpet stains....spray, take a white cloth and lay over the stain, run a warm iron over the stain...voila! GREAT product. more info... http://www.folexcompany.com/folex_facts.html
    BUT...vinegar stills rocks!

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  17. I just tried it and it's amazing!!! Even on old, old stains! Thanks for sharing!

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  18. Found this post on Pinterest and I'm so glad that I did! :)

    Hopefully this formula will work on an 8 month old stain! We spilled green tomatillo dressing from Cafe Rio (who else is an addict??) on our beige carpet. We have had it carpet cleaned with a million machines and a million spot sprays and it's still there and HORRENDOUS. Will be trying this soon!!

    Thanks!! :)

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  19. Spot shot got out a cup of jet black latex paint that was spilt on my beige carpet!

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  20. I just saw this link on Pinterest and hopped over. What a fantastic tip! I'm going to try that. Thanks!

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  21. Yay for you! There is nothing like a clean carpet.
    I use white vinegar in my carpet cleaner all the time. It stinks at first but the smell goes away as it dries. The vinegar doesn't leave behind a soapy residue that grime sticks to so your carpet stays cleaner longer. Maybe I will try adding a little baking soda next time :-)

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    1. Do you use only vinegar in place of the cleaner? Would love to try it, but don't want to mess it up.

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  22. I too found this on pinterest! I have some stains that I just can't get out, Can't wait to get on my hands and knees and get going on this. We would love for you to share this at our link party, Crafty Lassie Tuesday. It ends tonight at 5pm.
    www.sewstylishboutique.blogspot.com
    We are having a giveaway! Hope to see you there :)
    Heather & Rose

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  23. THIS WORKS. I won't even tell you what I had to clean up (I will start gagging just thinking about it again)...just know that it works.

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  24. It really works!! It got dried dog urine out of my off-white Ikea curtains! I augmented the recipe so I had enough liquid to just soak the curtain in (in my sink).

    Thanks for the great advice!

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  25. My roommate spilled something black....we have no idea what, on our apartment's carpet. Nothing has worked. The stain is a few months old now, but do you think this would work? Our carpet is a light cream color and it's quite obvious. I really don't want to say goodbye to our security deposit.

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  26. I just recently heard that Windex takes stains out of carpeting too.

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  27. We have a carpet cleaner and I always add vinegar to the store bought carpet shampoo, helps not only with odors, but breaking up stuff in the carpet too :D

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    1. Thanks for the tip, I'm going to give that a try.

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  28. Just tried this after finding it on Pinterest :) 4+ year old printer ink stains on beige carpet gone!!! Couldn't get it out with anything else, even a Rug Doctor! Thanks!

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  29. Thanks for the tip...I'll keep it in mind the next time I have a really impossible stain!

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  30. Great idea... I am going to try it on spilt coffee w/ flavored creamer... Vinegar also works well as a fabric softener... I use it in my towels... I want them to be absorbent but not necessarily scratchy. I use about a cup. They say it is also good to use in the washer to clean out the lines... two things in one use. Thanks for the tip.

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  31. I've had this horrid stain in my apartment, that was on the carpet when I moved in!! I complained to the landlord and he sent Stanley Steamer, but the stain remained. I've lived here for 2 years and that stain has been the bane of my existence. So with a kitchen cabinet full of carpet cleaners that didn't help, I found this method on Pinterest and thought I'd give it a shot. IT WORKED!!! THANK YOU!! A million times, thank you!

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  32. Great tip! I use all Shaklee cleaners in our house...they are all natural and super economical. If the vinegar can't get something out, I know my Basic H and Nature Bright will do the trick. I'd love for you to check out my site: almondplace.myshaklee.com
    Thanks!

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  33. i can't wait till tomorrow to try this. thank you xoxo

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  34. Found this on pinterest. I have a few stains I need to get out. Thanks for sharing!

    BTW, nice to find another mormon mom blog!

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  35. oh vinegar is great stuff great for cleaning floors, glass, lime scale stains (with lemon)the toilet, also our door knocker comes up nicely with a good dose of vinegar and lemon soaked onto kitchen roll and wrapped onto them as well as the sink taps! :)

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  36. oh my gosh, i'm pretty sure this just changed my LIFE!!!!! thank you! :)

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  37. I use Hydrogen Peroxide for stain removal. It’s cheap and doesn’t smell the way vinegar does. I put it in a spray bottle and completely sprayed my white sofa. I’ve also used it on stubborn laundry stains. So if you try the vinegar and it didn’t work on a stain, try peroxide. Be sure and wear rubber gloves because it will dry your hands. FYI – also found you on Pinterest

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  38. I found you on pinterest. I also love microfiber cloths! My new obsession is Norwex. I was recently introduced to a new and healthy way of cleaning. Check it out!
    www.celenavalencia.norwex.biz

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  39. AMAZING! Thank you for sharing!

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  40. We can get stains out of the carpet, but within a week, they are right back :( The carpet people said it was in the padding and the more you step on that area, it will just come right back. I'm gonna try this and see if it stays gone!! {I'll let you know!}

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    1. There are actually two problems to this...the padding is one, if the spill went all the way to the pad, it will wick back up through the fibers and the stain will appear to come back over and over again. The other problem is, if you don't rinse all the residue out, it will trap all the dirt and oil from feet, shoes, etc and will resoil. I own a carpet cleaning business and have learned this from my experienced technicians!

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  41. This solution did a great job on my carpet! Does anyone know if it can safely be used on clothing?

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  42. Me and my mom just tried this on a mystery stain she had on a white carpet. We used baking soda and Sunlight dish soap along with the white vinegar.

    Because the stain was there for months (had tried the chemical carpet cleaners which didn't work), she soaked the spots with water, then put the baking soda on and did all of what you said.

    POOF! GONE! We are amazed :) Thank you. Must work in clothes stains too?

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  43. Just ran out of vinegar, but as soon as I get more I'm trying this. There are already old stains on our carpet from when we moved into our house, and now with a toddler I feel like we have more stains than carpet! Thanks for the tip!!!

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  44. This worked great! I think some of the deeper or older stains will need another application or two, but it worked so much better than anything else I've tried. Thanks! I blogged about it here: http://prettyladydesigns.blogspot.com/2011/11/all-natural-carpet-cleaner.html

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  45. boiling water is the best. just plain boiling water. especially no SOAP! :p try it. it must be boiling tho.

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    1. Steam cleaning is the same principle and it does cut oil better than anything....EXCEPT VINEGAR. I use it to clean everything. I get used to the smell which cuts other smells (especially in glass and plastic containers and the vinegar smell is gone when it drys. We have lots of glass and hard alkaline water. It is a all around saver.

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  46. I used your carpet cleaning recipe and it worked for me! Thanks so much.

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  47. I have a 2 year old and my apartment carpet looks exactly like this! I cannot wait to try it.

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  48. For the person looking to remove dog urine. I have 3 dogs and swear by my Bissel Spot Bot. Get the pet formula and the oxy solutions. It works great. The other product I have used is called 'Icky Poo". It works, but I think the Spot Bot works just as well, if not better.

    I use white vinegar, baking soda on everything from the coffee pot to the carpet. The towelsat our beach house get so disgusting with the salt and humidity, I always wash them with vinegar. If you have a front loader, the vinegar will also help with the odor the front loaders get.

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  49. I just tried this on mysterious stains that have appeared over time on my cheap, beige, apartment carpet. The black stains came out immediately. No scrubbing! Feeling inspired, I tried it on a black spot white fabric couch too, it came out immediately! Thank you for sharing!

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  50. Just found you on pinterest. Thanks for the tip. I recently discovered that baking soda and vinegar also get the urine smell out of a mattress. My three year old helped us discover this useful tip :)

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  51. Do you think that would work in a carpet cleaner machine?? My carpet looks like that pretty much all over from my little one turnig his bottle and sippy cups upside down and dripping chocolate milk(hey,don't judge)all over the living room!

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  52. I use vinegar in my carpet machine all the time, i just add it to my water. I use it along with my other carpet cleaner solutions. I have dogs in the house and it does wonders...I love using vinegar.....

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  53. Vinegar is quickly becoming one of those things I can't live without. I always swear by cream of tartar and vinegar to get everything out. I was believer after a friend got a red wine stain out of my white couch.

    -Catherine

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  54. wait, where's the after picture?

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  55. Just used this today on my 4 year old area rug & it looks like new! It even took out red dry-erase marker. Thank you!

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  56. Found this on pinterest...gonna go try it on my son's carpet...it's a mess in there! :) Hope it works for me as well as it did for you! :)
    Missy

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  57. I finally got around to trying this today on some old spots on my dad's carpet, and it was miraculous! Thanks for sharing this great tip!

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  58. I clean houses for a living, one of the things that I always have on hand is a spray bottle of half vinegar and half water. to make it smell a bit better I also add 6 drops of esential oil. I use this to clean almost everything, counter tops, bathrooms, floors. for many of my clients I spritz the spot on the carpet and remove many of their mystery stains. They are amazed, and grateful that their houses look and smell so much better.

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  59. On urine smells, I have found that vinegar makes it smell worse. Potty training my two boys they thought it was funny to pee in their room. I tried a bucket of vinegar, water, and lysol all purpose cleaner, soaked the room, let it sit for an hour, sucked it up with a steam cleaner and the room smells worse. Looks clean though. Smell is so bad it burns your nose

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  60. Thank you for the awesome tip - it got the horrible dirt stains out of our apartment carpet! Oh happy, happy, happy day!!! :^D

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  61. WOW!!
    The results are showing clear, but i think there is very few providing carpet cleaning services like that..


    Chicago Carpet Cleaners

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  62. I tried this on my apartment carpet. My puppy chewed up an ink pen 10 months ago and I've tried EVERYTHING... even going as far as WD40. I tried this and BAM!!!!! stain gone. I am absolutely amazed. This means I can hopefully keep my deposit. Woohoo!!!! :) Thank you so much for posting this.

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  63. I've gotten every single spill out of my carpet by dampening the area with plain water and sucking it all back up with the shop vac... It's like magic. I'm going to save this formula to add to my arsenal of cleaning helps, for sure.

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  64. I used this recipe on my own carpet today. Worked perfectly. Thanks for sharing it.

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  65. Steam cleaning is the process I found best for carpets in home.Thanks for the points.
    Carpet cleaning nyc

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  66. Carpet cleaning is often the last thing a home or business owner thinks about.Carpets can be damaged if they are not cleaned correctly.
    Carpet Cleaning Nyc

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    1. It certainly isn't the last thing a home owner with children thinks about!

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  67. Very Good & Informative Post.Thanks For the Information.
    Carpet Cleaning Ny

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  68. A study suggests that carpet dirt poses a significant risk for the development of allergies and asthma. Regular vacuuming will not take out all dirt that is why it is crucial to get your carpets cleaned professionally on a regular basis.

    Rug Cleaning Ny

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  69. Before you sprinkle the baking soda on the carpet, should the carpet be wet or dry?

    When it is dry and you go to vaccuum, it seems to suck up all the baking soda... So I was just making sure I was doing this right. Thanks!

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  70. These were really useful tips you have shared as buying a carpet is easy but its maintenance is difficult, and if maintained properly it will be in better condition for so long.

    Best Carpet Cleaning Services

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  71. Didn't work for me. I have tried this before.

    The ONLY thing that works for me is KIDS n Pets. It is a low sudsing, natural, NON TOXIC plant enzyme cleaner. It can be used straight and takes out all stains that are blood, ink, poo, pee (animal and human) wine, and just plain ole dirt. It even took mildew out. It doesn't bleach. Doesn't stink like vinegar while it is drying and it takes vomit smell and stains out of couches, carpets and car upolhstrey. You can use it in the washing machine, and you can use it in carpet machines and you can use it directly. It is the most awesome stuff ever!!!. And you can get it at Raley's, Walmart, Target and some other major grocery stores, by the resolve and or the pet stain removers. But this is not like just any pet stain remover. This is completley different than anything I've tried before and no suds hardly at all. Also, it took urine out of a standard thickness twin mattress. Awesome stuff!

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  72. Does anyone have any idea how to get out multiple types of stains on a white (yes, people warned me! lol) fabric sofa? Thanks!

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  73. great advise, and someone i know is going to be really happy with a bottle of vinegar!

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  74. Thank you for posting this useful tip! It absolutely works and my carpet looks new again!

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  75. This worked so well on some garage door grease stains we accidentally tracked into the house! Can you put it in a spray bottle and re-use what you made? I'd hate to throw out the whole batch for a few spots....

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  76. THANK YOU!! Worked so well on our cheap tan carpet at our apartment. Seriously amazing result!

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  77. Can't wait to try this out! FYI: I have found micro fiber cloths in the "Auto cleaning" aisle at WalMart for way less than the regular house cleaning aisle.

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  78. There is a LOT of bait and switch carpet cleaners out there!! None of those guys are allowed on our Carpet Cleaning Melbourne .
    Thanks for post.

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  79. I tried this on a fresh dog poop stain and unfortunately it didn't work. I could smell other urine stains rising to the surface, but as for the poop stains, no luck. Any other ideas?

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  80. That's really interesting as only a good cleaning services will provide you the clean and germ free environment in both your office and home

    Toronto Cleaning Services

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  81. Thanks so much for sharing this info!

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  82. I've tried this recipe and it works pretty good.
    But I'm hooked on 'My Pet Peed'! It's for ALL stains includes urine from our delightful pets. It is by far the best stuff I've used and it's all natural too.
    No I'm not a commercial for it I just think that much of it!! :o)

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  83. I second Folex, but I really do want to try this method too!

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  84. To clean my carpets I use 2 parts peroxide and 1oart vinegar. Cleans and deodorizes without the buildup that most carpet shampoos will leave behind.

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  85. A long time ago I spilled a latte in my car and my heavens, can there be anything worse than sour milk in your carpets for months on end? The only thing that finally worked, after every carpet cleaning and steam cleaner and "deoderizing crystals" I could find, was this: I took a huge pitcher and filled it with very hot water, to which I added a half bottle of white vinegar and several teaspoons of vanilla extract. I carried this out to my car, together with a box of baking soda. Only when I got to my car did I add about a cup's worth of baking soda to the pitcher. This made it foam like crazy, and at this point, I jsut began to pour it all over the carpet on the floor of my car. It just runs out of the bottom eventually and I didn't care about a puddle in the car at that point. I just saturated the hell out of the carpet and when it finally dried 2 days or so later, I vacuumed up the residue of the baking soda, and all I had was a pleasant vanilla smell. Use any extract you want! Worked like a CHARM. So much so, my sister did the same thing when her dog peed on her car seats.

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  86. Thank you for posting. I'll try your method in my home carpet. area rug cleaning arlington

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  87. I featured you on my weekly obsession check it out http://alittletreat.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/my-weekly-obsession1.html

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  88. Thank you so much for the tip! I found this on Pinterest and just tried it on a very old pet stain that I've been trying to get out. Worked instantly!

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  89. Wow youre a lifesaver.my carpet was in a mess and i did not have any cleaning formula around at that time.thanks! here are more cleaning remedies for carpet stains removal

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  90. Albatross USA offers a full line of industrial cleaning supplies, including safety equipment, safety cabinets and janitorial cleaning supplies and chemicals.

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  91. WOW! Great post:) I actually tried this same solution on cat pee last year and it really works too get the cat pee and smell out of the carpet too!

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  92. I use club soda a lot and keep it on hand for just such an occasion. I spilled a whole bottle of INK (calligraphy type) on my carpet. After four heavy washings with the carpet cleaner it finally all came out. We probably used 12 bottles of club soda to try to wipe it up. It was pretty amazing to see it fizz out of the carpet. We used paper towels because it was such a staining mess. Thanks for your tip. I'll try it next time I spill something.

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  93. went out and bought clear dishwashing soap. Came home to try it out on an old spot and a recent spot - didn't work on either - bummed

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    2. You might try including heat with the recipe. I found another similar post that says to use 1/2 and 1/2 ammonia and hot water. Spray on the stain and agitate, then lay a clean white cloth (even the very thin, cheap shop rags - just not the red ones!) then iron over the area with your steam iron (set to cotton and/or steam). Amazing!!! It's takes some re applying, but it also refreshes the fibers of the carpet. The steam must remind them that they're not supposed to be matted ;) The smell was a little much, but I used lemon ammonia which helped. I think I might have to try this vinegar method now too!

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  94. Wow, what an amazing transformation, all the smears where gone.

    home upholstery cleaning

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  95. I found this on Pinterest last night and couldn't wait to try it out this morning on some carpet stains that have been in the house we are leasing, so who knows how old they are!? I am thrilled to say it worked amazingly well!! Thank you SO much, you have no idea how tormented I was by those stains!

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  96. You really help me with the mess in my carpet. I got your ideas, thankful I had browse in your blogs.

    buy carpet cleaning machines online

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  97. Nice tips, thanks for sharing..Try our Carpet Cleaning Solutions ideas..you get benefit

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  98. My husband dropped the olive oil cruet while eating salad in the living room!! It's been years and I've tried everything & I finally just gave up and put a throw rug over it. I'm trying this tomorrow, I hope it works on old stains?

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  99. Thank you thank you thank you!!!! This worked so well. I used our natural Melaleuca dish soap (lemon) and it worked perfectly, and it smells lemony fresh! My only complaint is that now the spots I used it on look CLEANER than the rest of my carpet! ;) Have a fabulous day!

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  100. Tried this this morning on light cream carpets on my daughters yellow chalk art- what a mess! The only thing - I think my dish soap is a concentrate because it was lots & lots of bubbles! I used my little green machine to suck up all the bubbles & looks like all stains are gone! Yeah - thank you for tip - found it on Pinterest & thougHt of it immediately when soap & water were not working!

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  101. Thank you! Took chocolate pudding out of white carpet.

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  102. Just curious would this work on upholstery as well????

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  103. Do you think you could use this solution with my shampoo machine??

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  104. Found this on pinterest. Just did my whole livingroom carpet. Small kids+ beige carpet, this got out stains from when we moved in 2 1/2 years ago. We've used everything, every shampoo etc for our machine and this is the only thing that has worked so well. Thanks!

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  105. roof cleaning brisbane Here you have providing very useful information Thanks for such an incredible site!

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  106. I guess I have selected a mind blowing and interesting blog
    carpet cleaners

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  107. Wow, thanks for the great tip! Carpets can be a tricky thing. Sometimes its nice to have a professional take care of it. That's why I'm looking for rug cleaning in aurora

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  108. LOVED it! Worked amazingly well. The carpet looks like new. I even used the formula in my carpet cleaner and it worked great. I then mopped the entire house with the formula and my floors look amazing too! I didn't have clear, only lemon which was a pale yellow but no problems! Thanks so much!

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  109. This blog has come across as a great help for me as I was frantically searching for some effective solution to clean the oil stains on the carpet. I had no idea about all this as this is the very first time I am living alone. The vinegar and baking soda has helped me a lot in cleaning the stains. These cost effective home -made techniques are a real boon. read more carpet cleaners in London

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  110. Wow! I love these all natural household remedies. It's very helpful and effective. Thanks for share!
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  111. Do you think the baking soda step is necessary if an old/dried stain?

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    1. I used it on old stains & still had great results. I "misted" the carpet with water so the baking soda would absorb better, then followed directions as written :)

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  112. These articles and blogs are truly enough for me for a day.c
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  113. I think it might be good to use less soap - my carpet is clean but it's all soapy! I can't get the foam from the soap out. Sigh, guess I'm going to have to drag out the bulky steam cleaner after all. Next time I will use either just a drop of soap or none.

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  114. This is the best sample page that caught my attention and the other one is the post regarding on carpet cleaning Richmond hill. Thanks for this info!

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  115. Pretty sure you just saved my security deposit. We had two black stains on the beige carpet in the apartment we are about to leave. This took care of it easily. Thanks so much!

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  116. What to use to get dog pee out of carpet and make it smell good

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  117. This is just an incredible remedy! We also have carpeted living room and bedrooms and it is really difficult to get rid of those stains. Everytime we have a family gathering, I always fear that someone might accidentally spill something on our carpet. So far, all is so good (or else I might be needing the help of maids Eden Prairie to properly get rid of dirt and stains). However, just in case something happens like that, then I will be ready. Thank you for sharing this.

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  118. Great job! You cleaned it as if nothing happened to the carpet. I think you are lucky that only one side of the carpet was stained, because if it was stained badly, you might’ve needed a lot more than baking soda to clean your carpet. It may be better to have carpet cleaners ready on hand to handle your worries.


    Lyda Tavorn

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  119. Thanks for sharing the tip, it's very informatic & i'm going to give that a try.

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  120. My mom uses vinegar in everything. She uses it when she washes old towels to get rid of any smell and she uses it to soak cutting boards in so they don't stink anymore. I never thought something so smelly could be an odor neutralizer. I never knew it could be used for carpet cleaning though. I wonder if it would also work on my husbands oil-changing-clothes. They are covered in oil spots that I would love to get rid of.

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  121. I just used this recipe step for step, (scrubbing the solution in circles worked best) & my carpet was saved!! Having a 2 year old boy you can imagine the mess & stains I had, worked amazingly so happy I saw this pin thank you for sharing your concauction :)

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  122. OMG! I love this stuff! I have had a stain on my dinning room carpet from gravy for at least 10 years. We've tried carpet cleaners, Tide, and professional carpet cleaners and nothing got it out. Now this took it out in literally 3 minutes! I also had a stain from a spilled oil air freshener and it came almost completely out! Love it - THANK YOU!!

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  123. Love the comments and tips, I also use white vinegar3/4 with 1/4 water & shot of lemon juice in a spray bottle for kitchen counters and bathroom and ect. and I boil 2 cups in a pan and let it fill the air when my husband comes down with cold and ect. Helps clean the air and am used to the smell and loves it with the lemon juice in it to make it smell better when using. :)

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  124. Wow, that made a huge difference! Who would of thought you could get rid of these dark spots yourself? I would have just immediately hired a carpet cleaning in salt lake city, but now that I know how to take away the stains myself I'll save me a lot of money and not bother to call. Thank you for the tips.

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  125. We recently moved into a house that's over 40 years old- so I have no idea how long these stains have been on the carpet. I saw this on pinterest- wasn't expecting it to work at all, but no money lost with these ingredients laying around the kitchen. Only had orange dish soap, but the carpet is dark green (so whatever the stains are look black). Since the stains are so old, I didn't think sprinkling baking soda would do much good. I mixed the vinegar and dish soap with one cup of water, and microwaved it to get it hot (microwaving a bowl of vinegar water loosens the 'crud' stuck in the microwave so you can wipe it right off- figured I'd get a two for one here). I sprinkled some baking soda into the mixture and when I put it on the carpet, it got all fizzy. Rubbed it around with a rag... and couldn't believe my eyes. I can't even tell where the stain was. Consider me impressed. :)

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  126. i have used several different things on my floor and this came right up. my rag was so gray and dirty. im so glad it worked

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  127. im glad it really works. i just did this from the baking soda to cold water and my carpet is cleaner than folex.

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  128. I also love to clean with white vinegar~we have a pet bunny that we keep inside our home~I wipe out his cage with it and there is never any smell! Also another main ingredient in many stain removers is alcohol...I shampoo our carpet with Woolite Pet formula shampoo~and I add liquid oxyclean and some rubbing alcohol to the solution...the results are incredible! Our very pale creamy sandy color carpet is almost 27 years old~and it looks fantastic!

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  129. Thanks so much for sharing your solution! I recently noticed some mystery spots, which have suddenly seemed to come out of nowhere in my entryway. I just tried your cleaning solution and it worked beautifully! It's a great addition to my cleaning arsenal- thanks, again!

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  130. I was wondering if you have a good solution for getting mold out of carpet? So far I've tried some glass cleaner with oxy-clean in it but it did not work. I didn't have anything else around to try using on the stain yesterday so before I go shopping I'm open for suggestions. Thank you!

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  131. I have worked for Stanley Steemer for 19 years and I will even agree, this is a great home remedy for a quick fix.

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  132. This is great advice, the main thing you want to do is to make sure that you remove all residue of the cleaning agent if you are using a store bought product as this will tend to attract soils.

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  133. Excellent tips! Great use of baking soda, dish-washing liquid and white vinegar...thanks for sharing...
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  134. Found this on pinterest and totally saving it! Thank you for posting! I host a lot of dinner parties and this happens all of the time!

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  135. I think it's ironic that the day after I pinned this my hubby accidentally tripped and spilled a lot of turkey broth fat all over the carpeted stairs.

    I told him not to worry, I had just pinned something recently (he had no idea what that meant, lol!). Anyway, it worked! May I put a copy of your recipe along with a link back to your blog post on my blog?

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  136. I love it when I find new carpet cleaning tips for my home in Phoenix, AZ. I am one of those that has a problem with spilling oil based products on my carpet. Hopefully this gets most of it out, and keeps it out for good.

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  137. That is a great tip for people to take care of their carpet problems and save themselves money in the process. I work for a Carpet Cleaning company and many times I will ask about particular problem areas and suggest ways for them to try it on their own. Especially if it can save them money in the long run.
    http://www.x-treme-carpet-cleaning.com/

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  138. you can also use vinegar and baking soda for clogs in your sinks, kitchen and bathroom.. take 1/2 cup of baking soda to a cup of vinegar.. pour the 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drain first, then pour the cup of vinegar on top it, it will bubble up. let set 15 to 30 mins depending on how bad the clog is, then run with hot water when it goes down.. also u can add 1/2 cup salt (table salt),1/2 cup baking soda, and 1 cup vinegar.. the salt eats the crude in the pipes.. i use this all the time.. alot cheaper then drano

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  139. you can also use vinegar and baking soda for clogs in your sinks, kitchen and bathroom.. take 1/2 cup of baking soda to a cup of vinegar.. pour the 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drain first, then pour the cup of vinegar on top it, it will bubble up. let set 15 to 30 mins depending on how bad the clog is, then run with hot water when it goes down.. also u can add 1/2 cup salt (table salt),1/2 cup baking soda, and 1 cup vinegar.. the salt eats the crude in the pipes.. i use this all the time.. alot cheaper then drano

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  140. vinegar really works well with any cleaning activity specially carpet cleaning because of its acidic nature. This is good in removing any stains in almost any areas and items.

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  141. From the moment I saw the photo and its title on Pinterest, I knew that there will be some vinegar involved :) From the "After" photo I can tell that your mixture did a great job and I will remember to use it when needed. And here is how to clean leather furniture - there are some very helpful tips.

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  142. Hello, like a lot of people, I was directed to your blog from Pinterest, and I tried your cleaning concoction out yesterday ... and it worked like magic!! I could not believe it. I won't go into details about the stain on my carpet. Let's just say it was gross, was caused by my dog, and was right in the middle of the living room! I had tried other products that didn't even fade the stain. But baking soda, then vinegar + dish soap + warm water, did the trick! It looks great. I mean, you wouldn't even know there had been a stain there. Thanks so much!! (Note: all I had on hand was blue Dawn dish soap and it worked fine. There is no blue tint on the carpet or anything. What can I say? I'm a risk-taker.)

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    1. What color carpet do you have that dawn didn't leave a tint on? We have stark WHITE carpet (thanks to the people we bought the house from, it must've been on sale to re-carpet the house :/ ) at our house and there are old and new stains everywhere. You can't help it..we've been there 15 years and it just happens..white carpet attracts EVERYTHING. There are some dark stains on our stair landing and some old pet stains that I would love to try this on. But since it is my dads house I don't want to really tint the floor blue..thoughts?

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  143. Hello, like a lot of people, I was directed to your blog from Pinterest, and I tried your cleaning concoction out yesterday ... and it worked like magic!! I could not believe it. I won't go into details about the stain on my carpet. Let's just say it was gross, was caused by my dog, and was right in the middle of the living room! I had tried other products that didn't even fade the stain. But baking soda, then vinegar + dish soap + warm water, did the trick! It looks great. I mean, you wouldn't even know there had been a stain there. Thanks so much!! (Note: all I had on hand was blue Dawn dish soap and it worked fine. There is no blue tint on the carpet or anything. What can I say? I'm a risk-taker.)

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  144. How does this work for cat odor and stains? Or do you have anymore ideas for cat pee odors... Thank You!

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  145. LOVE this stuff.. It really REALLY works. I am about to move out of an apartment I've been in for almost three years and it works on everything on my carpet :) I didn't have any clear dish washing liquid, so I used some Sun Laundry soap.. Works just as well with an awesome spring sent :)

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  146. LOVE this stuff.. It really REALLY works. I am about to move out of an apartment I've been in for almost three years and it works on everything on my carpet :) I didn't have any clear dish washing liquid, so I used some Sun Laundry soap.. Works just as well with an awesome spring sent :)

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  147. I had the same type of mess by my entry way too! Except I used hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of blue dawn dish soap in my carpet steamer. Worked wonders considering those stains have been there for a couple years. I haven't thought of white vinegar for carpet cleaning though, just bathtub cleaning. I'll have to try your mothers tip on this one stubborn stain in my bedroom.

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  148. I didn't read through all of the comments, yet can anyone tell me if this works on old pet stains?

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  149. I didn't read through all of the posts, yet can anyone tell me if this works on old pet stains?

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  150. If I don't have clear dishwashing liquid could I use clear laundry detergent or will using a colored dishwashing liquid (light pink) cause a problem?

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  151. If I don't have clear dishwashing liquid could I use clear laundry detergent or will using a colored dishwashing liquid (light pink) cause a problem?

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  152. That is a wonderful job! I have been looking into carpet cleaning in Toronto because my entry way looks like that and I would love to see the same results.

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