Removes odors and stains from your carpet without a machine! This non-toxic carpet cleaner is cheap, easy, and homemade!

Carpet Cleaning can be Expensive
I recently researched the cost to rent a carpet cleaner. It might not seem like a lot to some, but to me $27 for four hours was too much! I live 20-30 minutes away from the closest rental location, meaning that at least an hour of my time is used up in simply transporting the machine. Also, the quoted price, $27, does not include the price of the cleaning liquid. You have to purchase specialized cleaning products for these devises. Not to mention the price of the cleaning liquid is, in some cases, more expensive than renting the machine! That brings the total cost to at least $50! To clean a six by eight foot rug! That is ridiculous. If I was cleaning every rug in my house and had everything prepped before I left, then maybe I could make a 4 hour window of time work. In this stage of life, that level of organization is beyond me!

Do the Toxins in Carpet Cleaner really matter?
I mean, its just where I walk, right? Wrong! Okay, maybe not wrong, for you, a fully grown adult, but think about the others that might visit or live in your home. The babies, toddlers, and even pets. With small children the toxins you put on your floor can become something of a nightmare. Children put everything in their mouths, and some just straight up lick the ground! If you are using toxic chemicals on your carpet and floors, you are adding to the chance that you, or your loved ones, will ingest these chemicals. Using no chemicals ever would be ideal, but that isn’t an option in some cases. In this case there is a simple, affordable, easy, non-toxic option just waiting for you to take it! And, spoiler alert, you probably already have all that you need!
Non-toxic Options
If you, like me, would like fewer chemicals in your home check out this switching to essential oil cleaners post I wrote to help make the transition less daunting. There are some great options for natural cleaners out there, but they can be pretty pricey. Anyone else notice how the word natural adds $5-$10 to the price, especially for cleaners? When it comes to cleaning carpets, I don’t want to waste my resources trying out different products. I want to cut down on my environmental impact, have less plastic bottles of cleaner lying around, and use what I already own. Good thing this carpet cleaner ticks all of those boxes!

The Cheapest Carpet Cleaning Option
No joke! You probably own all of the ingredients right now, and don’t even know it! All you need… are you ready for this? Is white vinegar and warm water. There you have it, the easiest, cheapest, non-toxic carpet cleaner that ever lived. Okay maybe not lived, but you get my point. The ratio of vinegar can be adjusted to the Intensity of the stain itself and the fabric of the rug. Start with 1/2c vinegar to 1c warm water and increase the vinegar for stubborn stains. It really doesn’t get simpler than that! With this combination, and a little elbow grease, you are ready to rock and roll!

Supply List
- Vinegar
- Warm water
- Stiff Scrub Brush
- Bucket

Personal Experience
I was doubtful at first that this mixture was up to the task, my rug was seriously messed up. I don’t think the pictures do it justice, but this non-toxic carpet cleaner cut right through the grit and grim to revitalize my rug! (The pulled threads are the result of dogs thinking carpets are beds, therefore the cleaner should not be blamed.) It took time to scrub the whole thing. Some people recommend using a rag, but a scrub brush is the only way to go. It allowed the vinegar to get between the carpet fibers and clean thoroughly. If the stain is stubborn, repeat the process a few times, allowing the rug to dry completely in between. At the time, I did not have a bucket, but I did have a cupcake carry case, a girl must have her priorities! I am pointing this out, because you don’t always have to have the exact supplies called for to make something work. Truly, all you need is vinegar and water for this process, but there are things that can help, like the scrub brush and a bucket.

For Optimal Results
- Move your carpet to a less trafficked area of your home, that can get wet without damage. I used my garage floor, after I swept it of course.
- Sweep and vacuum all visible dirt and debris off of the carpet.
- Fill a bucket with warm, but not boiling, water.
- The ratio you are looking for is 1:2, vinegar:water.
- Add the desired amount of vinegar. I eyeballed mine but you can be precise if you like.
- IMPORTANT: Test out the vinegar mixture on a corner or obscure spot on your carpet to make sure no damage occurs. Some fabrics can be finicky. I had no issues with this rug.
- Dip the scrub brush in the water vinegar mixture and scrub the affected area. In my case the whole thing!

Results
I was shocked and impressed with this simple mixture! I will use this again when the time comes. Did it make the rug look brand new, no, but that’s a tall order when you like to play in the dirt outside and own two dogs! This non-toxic carpet cleaner did a great job getting the dirt out of the rug and that’s what I was looking for. I bought this rug as a floor model from a furniture store, so it had some issues form the beginning. Overall, I love how the rug turned out and couldn’t be happier with the results. This is just the beginning! Stick around, and you will see even more DIYs, non-toxic lifestyle choices, gardening adventures, beautiful creations, and scratch made food!


Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaner: without a machine
Materials
- 1. Warm Water
- 2. White Vinegar
- 3. Scrub Brush
- 4. Bucket
Instructions
Move your carpet to a less trafficked area of your home, that can get wet without damage. I used my garage floor, after I swept it of course.
Sweep and vacuum all visible dirt and debris off of the carpet.
Fill a bucket with warm, but not hot, water.
The ratio you are looking for is 1:2, vinegar:water.
Add the desired amount of vinegar. I eyeballed mine but you can be precise if you like.
IMPORTANT: Test out the vinegar mixture on a corner or obscure spot on your carpet to make sure no damage occurs. Some fabrics can be finicky. I had no issues personally.
Dip the scrub brush in the water vinegar mixture and scrub the affected area. In my case the whole thing!
Leave a Reply