How To Shampoo Carpets At Home: The Best Deep Cleaning Method

Don’t know ‘how to shampoo carpets at home?’ Don’t worry, we (DIY Solutions Team) got you covered with our easy DIY solutions.

After a certain period of time or long time use, your carpets will look dull and dirty. Carpets easily trap dirt, dust and allergens daily and continuously which creates bad odors, unhygienic and irritating living condition at home. Also, sometimes huge messes like human and cat urination, pet faecal matters, spill of different liquids etc. occur on the carpets. In such situations, you need to deep clean your carpets and we recommend following our latest article on ‘how to shampoo carpets at home?’

What are carpet shampooers?

Carpet shampooers are traditional cleaning devices used for deep cleaning carpets. They use a solution of hot water and a carpet-cleanser (can be shampoo, detergent, and all kinds’ of commercial cleansers). These machines generate a foam with the cleanser products first and then scrub it on the carpet surface with built in brushes to loosen the filths and dirt. A built in vacuum  system sucks, clean and deposit all the filthy residues, shampoo and the remaining water into a tank. 

Tips: Read the user manual first and know if you can clean your carpets with this machine and learn the operating procedure of the device. Because there are many kinds of shampooers available on the market and each of them works a little differently.

Methodology: Shampooing Carpets At Home

Tools and products needed:

You will be needed the following supplies to complete the cleaning process-

• Rubber gloves
• Water
• Detergent or, shampoo or, liquid dish soap
• White vinegar (for tough stains pretreatment)
• Stand fans (if necessary)
• Carpet shampooer (the machine)

Step 1:

Clearing The Room:

First, clear everything (chair, table, furniture, toys etc.) from the room to create space as much as you can to execute the process properly. Heavy furniture that you cannot move will create obstacles while shampooing your carpets. In such situation you have to use wooden blocks or plastic films under them to prevent moisture absorption. Then dust out everything using a dust cloth.

Vacuuming The Whole Carpet: 

Before shampooing, you have to vacuum the entire carpet slowly to remove hair and large dirt pieces. Do vacuuming twice and it is best to use a brush for removing maximum level pet and human hair. It enables the machine to avoid getting clogged by hair and dirt. Also, vacuuming fluffs up the carpet fibers for more effective cleaning.

Pre-treat Tough Stains: 

If there are old and stubbornly set stains (includes- urine, blood, paints, oil, grease, red wine etc.) on your carpets then you have to deal with them separately before shampooing. We recommend following our informative articles on how to remove old and stubborn urine stains from carpets? Pre-treat all the stains so that the shampooer can completely wash them away from your carpets.

Step 2:

Filling hot water in the shampooer:

Open the fill valve of the shampooer’s water tank and pour hot water (not at boiling temperature) into it according to the machines capacity. Do not overfill the tank and watch the labeling of the maximum fill line on it. Some shampooers have portable water tank which makes it easier to pour hot water in it. After filling it with sufficient water, close the filling valve properly. 

Tips:

Some natural fiber carpet can shrink from hot water or be harmed by detergent, so always be aware of what type of carpet you are planning to shampoo. Before shampooing your carpets always check the type of carpet fibers. Because hot water may shrink some synthetic and natural fiber based carpets and also damages the color.

Adding carpet shampoo with the water:

First, select what type of carpet shampoo you will use for the cleaning process. Always choose a cleanser product that is applicable with the shampooer on your hand. Because, all cleanser products may not work well with every device. Also, the type of the detergent or, soap depends on the carpet fibers. Read the instructions and mix the right amount of the selected cleaning agent in the water tank.

Some shampooers have separate chamber for soap, detergents and water. But in most machines you have to directly mix the cleanser in the water tank by hands.

Step 3:

Shampooing the whole carpet:

When the machine is well set with every requirements of cleaning now it’s time to shampoo your filthy carpets. We recommend learning the functions and operating method of the machine first. 

Now start from a corner which is furthest from the entrance of the room. Pull the machine towards you and start walking backward for cleaning from one corner to another. Carpet shampooers are not operated or, moved or, pulled back and forth on the carpet surface while cleaning. That’s why you have to pull it backward maintaining a straight line and steady speed.

Pull the machine over the same line repeatedly for deep cleaning. For each new line, slightly overlap the previous one. 

Shampooers use hot water to loosen up the dirt and other deposits on the carpets or rugs. They release hot water directly on the carpet then suck up the filths immediately and store them into a separate tank along with the dirty water.

Slowly move the machine and allow it to work properly on the carpets. If you hurry or move it too fast then it may not be able to suck up the filths and dirty water properly. On the other hand, pulling the shampooer too fast will definitely leave moisture on the carpets which will extend the drying time.

So, operate the machine patiently and let it do its part and you don’t hurry with it.

Now it’s time to dispose the dirt and filthy water properly. You can dispose it outside the house on the ground or, flush it down on the toilet.

If you have enough time to repeat the whole process then we recommend using vinegar with warm water this time. Mix vinegar at a ratio of 1:1 with water and run the machine on the whole carpet again to remove all the leftover moisture and soap. Also, vinegar will deodorize and sanitize your carpet effectively.

Step 4:

Drying The Carpet:

After shampooing, now let the carpets dry automatically. Make sure the windows and doors are open for ventilation. Also you can use the ceiling fans or, a standing fan or, a floor blower to dry out the carpets faster. Do not let anyone walk over the washed carpets during drying.

Related Questions:

Is It Better To Steam Or Shampoo Carpet?

You have to decide and choose a carpet cleaning method based on its fabric material and mainly how dirty it is?  Both steaming and shampooing are considered for deep cleaning carpets after a long term of use. But steaming is an easier and quicker process (while executing and drying) compared to shampooing carpets. So, we recommend steaming your carpets over shampooing though both are cost-effective methods. 

How Can you Shampoo your Carpet Without A Machine?

Using a shampooer for deep cleaning your carpets is effective, easy and time saving. But, if you can’t manage a device then you have to shampoo your carpets manually by hands with other tools like brushing, scrubbing which is time consuming and a lot of efforts. When you have to shampoo your carpets without a machine, you have to choose a good day with enough time and patience.

What Is The Best Carpet Shampoo?

You have to choose a cleanser product that is applicable with the shampooer on your hand. Because, all cleaning agents may not work well with every device. That’s why the carpet-cleaning machine manufacturer companies also produce specific cleaning agents for a specific machine. This combination of device and shampoo will provide you with best carpet cleaning experience. So, we can say that the best’ carpet shampoo is the one which comes with the machine from the same company. However, some commercial cleanser products have great customer reviews such as OxiClean, Nature’s Miracle etc.

The type of the shampoo or, detergent or, soap depends on the carpet fibers also.

Why Does Carpet Look Dirtier After Shampooing?

Carpets may look dirty even after deep cleaning (shampooing) it because of wicking. Wicking happens when you deep clean (shampooing) or, power wash your carpets with water and they get too wet or, over saturated. Also, water enters deep into the carpets and sometimes leaches underneath the pad of the carpets. In such situations, if you do not dry up the carpets properly after cleaning then this remaining water and moisture is evaporated from the deep carpet fibers and pad which result in appearing brown/yellow spots or, even reappearing the stains.

Can You Use Laundry Detergent In A Carpet Shampooer?

Yes, you can use laundry detergent in a carpet shampooer if it is designed that way. In case of carpet shampooer you have to choose a cleanser product that is applicable with it. Because, all cleanser products may not work well with every device. Read the instructions and mix the right amount of detergent in the water tank.

How Long Should You Stay Off Carpet After Shampooing?

After shampooing let the carpets dry automatically. Make sure the windows and doors are open for ventilation. It will take 24 to 30 hours to completely dry up your shampooed carpets automatically. But, if you use a hot air blow it will take 3 to 4 hours only for complete drying. During this time we recommend not to walk over your damp carpets.

How Many Times Should You Shampoo Your Carpet In A Year?

Usually people shampoo their carpets once in six months that’s means twice a year. Depending on the dirty condition of the carpets, you may have to clean them more often.

Does Shampooing Carpet Make It Fluffy Again?

Yes, shampooing carpet is one of the best methods for deep cleaning, sanitizing, retaining fresh look and making the carpet fiber fluffy again. So, people should shampoo their carpets once in six months that means twice a year. Also, people use carpet fiber softener products (eg: ) while shampooing their carpets for better fluffiness.

Why Does My Carpet Smell More Like Dog Pee After Shampooing?

When you deep clean (shampooing) or, power wash your carpets with water they get over saturated. Also, water containing human and pet urine, blood spills, food debris etc. leaches underneath the pad of the carpets. In such situations, if you do not dry up the carpets properly after cleaning then this remaining water and moisture is evaporated from the deep carpet fibers and pad which result in creating mildew or, urine like smells. So, we recommend choosing a good sunny weather so that you can keep the windows open while cleaning and let them dry quickly. If necessary, you may have to use a heat dryer to dry up your damp smelly carpets.

Final Touch:

Shampooing carpets is really an effective way to remove deeply trapped dirt in the carpet fibers. Usually people shampoo their carpets once in six months that means twice a year which is our recommendation also. This process brings back the good appearance and freshness inside home. Choose a dry sunny weather and keep the windows open while cleaning which will trigger the drying after shampooing your carpets at home.

So, we believe that people who find it tricky and gross and don’t know ‘how to shampoo carpets at home?’ is no more a bigger problem. In fact, it was never been that hard if people have already followed a similar pro