Do you want to disinfect carpet with just supplies available at home? We have the right solution for you. You can get rid of the germs and bacteria in your carpets by taking the simple road. This post will walk you through two of the easiest and effective carpet disinfection methods. Both of them involve a powder we all have in our homes, BAKING SODA.
Are you confused about whether baking soda is an effective disinfectant or not? Yes, baking soda will disinfect your carpet. It is not just a key ingredient for cake but also an proven disinfectant. Baking soda can also be used for other cleaning purposes from whitening your teeth to cleaning your drain. Let’s take a look at how you can use baking soda to disinfect your carpet.
How to Disinfect Carpet? 4 Methods & Step-By-Step Guide
Are you worried about the germs and allergens in your carpet? Disinfect your carpet today. This post has step-by-step guides for various disinfection methods.
2 Methods of disinfecting carpet with baking soda
You are now going to be reading step-by-step guides for two methods of disinfecting carpets. Both of them involve baking soda. The second one is somewhat more effective than the first one due to the ingredients used.
Method 1: Use baking soda only
All you need for this process is baking soda, a brush, and a vacuum cleaner.
–1. Remove the furniture:
Firstly, move the furniture from the room that you are going to be working in. You have got to clean every spot in that area if you want to make it a germ-free zone. So, clear the space. You don’t want to pick and hold furniture while you vacuum and clean. That’s a mistake.
–2. Vacuum the carpet:
This is significant as vacuuming removes loose dirt and dust particles that may be on the carpet. Your disinfecting procedure will become easy.
–3. Spread baking soda:
This is the main part of this method. Sprinkle baking soda on the entire carpet. Be generous in doing so. You should not let any spots uncovered. Take care of the carpet edges as well.
–4. Brush the carpet:
Once you have spread the baking soda over the carpet, you have to make sure it goes deep. Take a brush and start rubbing. Work into the deepest fiber. Let me tell you it’s going to be a great workout for your arms.
Don’t let the baking soda form a clump anywhere. You want to spread it evenly.
–5. Let the baking soda sit:
This is the step that gives you rest. Have a good night’s sleep. Let the baking soda sit overnight. That will make it settle in deeply, and it will work its magic.
–6. Vacuum the carpet again:
“Again??”, is this what you just exclaimed? I am sorry, but you have to hoover your carpet again. That’s a dry way to get the baking soda out of it. Once the baking soda is visibly gone, try to give the vacuum cleaner another thorough tour of that carpet. You will have the germs from your carpet gone, to some extent of course.
Method 2: Use a home-made solution
You need baking soda, borax powder, cornmeal, vinegar, a brush, a vacuum, and a steam cleaner for this method.
–1. Clear the room:
Before you proceed, remove the furniture from the room that you want to work in. The carpet needs to be disinfected entirely. No spots should be left out. Otherwise, germs will just spread again. You don’t want your disinfecting efforts to go in vain.
–2. Vacuum the carpet:
This is a step that you should remember before any carpet cleaning or disinfecting activity. Vacuuming will help you get rid of loose dirt, dust, and allergens on the surface of the carpet. This will help you when you conduct the disinfection.
–3. Prepare a cleaning powder:
Now comes the fun part, mixing! I can’t say about you but I for one, enjoy mixing materials and powders. It’s easy and quite an activity. LOL.
Anyways, back to the point. Take 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 cup of borax powder and 1 cup of cornmeal. Mix all of these. You should obtain a finely ground powder.
–4. Spread the powder:
Spread the powder all over your carpet. Go crazy! Let each inch of your carpet taste this mixture of powders. Just kidding! I mean, make sure you sprinkle it everywhere on the carpet. Don’t forget the edges of the carpet.
–5. Rub the powder:
Grab a brush and start rubbing the powder in the carpet. Rub, rub and rub. Make the particles cling on to the fibers of the carpet. The cleaning powder is supposed to go deep.
–6. Let the powder sit:
It’s waiting time. Sit back and relax. Grab some popcorn and watch an episode of your favorite show. Let the powder sit in the carpet. Give it around 30 minutes.
–7. Prepare a cleaning solution:
Take 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Stir to mix it well. Pour this home-made cleaning solution in the detergent vessel of the steam cleaner.
–8. Steam clean the carpet:
Get, set, go! Run the steam cleaner on your carpet. Make sure that you are following the manufacturer’s instructions about using the machine and setting the temperatures.
–9. Let the carpet dry:
Some more waiting time. If you aren’t using any drying machine or fans to dry your carpet, then leave it to dry overnight. Make sure no one walks on the carpet in the meanwhile.
KEEP CHILDREN AND PETS AWAY
Even though vinegar and baking powder are safe ingredients, be careful. Don’t allow your children and pets on the carpet until it is dried and vacuumed.
–10. Vacuum the carpet again:
In the morning, when you find your carpet dry, pick up your vacuum cleaner. Hoover your carpet once to restore the look of the fibers. Enjoy your freshly disinfected carpet!
Other uses of baking soda
I thought let’s add to your knowledge about the wonders of baking soda. Apart from disinfecting carpets, it is used for cleaning drains. Baking soda mixed with apple cider vinegar cleans and opens your clogged drains. I have tried this too. Believe me, it works.
You can use it to clean your pans, bathtubs, and kitchen counters. Baking soda can also be used to brighten and whiten your laundry. Sprinkle some of it in your shoes to have them naturally deodorized.
You can also use baking soda with water to clean your children’s toys. It’s a safe product, after all. There are several other uses of baking soda as well. You can always find baking soda to be an easy solution to your household cleaning problem.
Conclusion
Well, that’s about it. Baking soda can act as a disinfectant for your carpet. You can opt for any of the above two DIY disinfection methods to benefit from baking soda and its chemical, and physical properties.
If you want to buy a steam cleaner, take a look at our professionally compiled and compared list of some of the best carpet steam cleaners available in the market.
Good luck with your disinfecting procedure. I would suggest that you get your carpets cleaned professionally once in a while to keep your carpets clean and germ-free.