DIY Natural Carpet Cleaning for a Home with Kids and Pets

Carpet is not my first choice. But I'm renting, so here it is. Also, I do admit that it's nice to have in the bedrooms in cold weather (which in Northern Maine is about eleven months out of the year…).

Before having a kid, I figured vacuuming once a week or so was sufficient. But then, there was her. And she started crawling and walking everywhere. Add to this that we have cats. Once S started spending so much time on the floor, I needed a way to clean the carpet that did not involve cleaning products with heavy fragrances.

For me, chemical cleaners with heavy fragrances just smell artificial. “Mountain Breeze” sounds like a breath of fresh air, but these cleaners are just heady and overbearing. I’ve also known some people who say that heavily fragranced cleaners give them headaches or irritate their skin, so I definitely did not want to use them on the carpet where S was crawling! I wanted something simpler and more natural. (Bonus: this routine is much cheaper than store-bought rug sprays or fragrances!)

I settled into a routine with a vacuum, rug rake, baking soda, and diluted vinegar.

Vacuum cleaner and rug rake for natural carpet cleaning

How to Deep Clean Your Carpet Naturally:

1. Vacuum.

2. Go over the carpet with a rug rake (I actually recommend this for anyone who has pets, even if you don't have kids. Vacuum cleaners just don't get all of the pet hair from carpet fibers like a rug rake does!)

3. Sprinkle with baking soda. Do this once or twice a year to get rid of funky smells. (As needed as well, of course!)

4. Vacuum again. 

5. For some spills or spots, I spray with a vinegar and water mixture (1:4 ratio). Test this first in an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn’t affect your carpet.

6. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Blot with a rag.

7. Vacuum again.

How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Carpet?

Here’s what I do:

Baking soda sprinkled on carpet to help freshen it naturally

• Vacuum weekly

• Use the rug rake monthly

• Use the baking soda and vacuum thoroughly twice a year. This helps take care of funky odors!

• Use the vinegar and water mixture as an as-needed spot cleaner.

Tips for Keeping Your Carpet Clean Naturally:

• Keep outdoor shoes by the door and indoor shoes/slippers on for the rest of the house.

• If you’re not too fond of the vinegar smell, don’t worry—it will dissipate as the carpet dries.

Freshly vacuumed carpet in a child’s room after natural carpet cleaning

Also, if you are renting like I am, please check your lease and your carpets manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations before using any cleaning solution.

Thanks for reading!

💜

Laura