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A homemade DIY carpet cleaning solution may seem like the best option if you just spilled something or a pet had an accident.
People often head to the store and buy whatever they see first that promises to remove carpet stains or mask pet odors, but in reality, these products often cause much more damage to the carpet than the spot itself!
At Zerorez®, we have seen plenty of evidence to show that store-bought carpet cleaning products can bleach and destroy your carpets.
Here are a few examples of do-it-yourself (DIY) carpet cleaning problems that can arise:
Cons of DIY Carpet Cleaner Rentals and Store Carpet Spotters
① A rental DIY carpet cleaner might be dirtier than your carpet
If you are using a rental carpet cleaning machine from a store, odds are, it hasn't been cleaned recently.
All that dirt from someone else's carpet just gets deposited onto yours, creating a bigger mess and almost no reward.
While a DIY carpet shampooing is better than nothing, usually, it doesn't extract the same levels of soil, residue, or moisture as a true professional carpet cleaning.
This matters because removing soils, residues, and moisture helps protect your carpets from scratchy microabrasions, mildew, matting of the fibers, and carpets that get dirty faster.
Improper use of a DIY carpet cleaning machine or solution can cause premature wear, resulting in the need to replace your carpets sooner than you want.
② Rental Carpet Shampooers Can't Get All the Soap and Water Out
Using these DIY rental machines not only deposits someone else's dirt and grime onto your carpet, but they flood your floors with water and harsh chemicals and shampoos that the machine itself simply isn't powerful enough to suck back up.
Because many people use them and they are a smaller mechanism, they don't have the power to lift the dirt, soaps, DIY carpet cleaning solutions, or water from the carpet, creating longer dry times and crunchy, sticky residues left behind as they dry.
③ Store-Bought DIY Carpet Spot Cleaners Can Make Matters Worse
While many people believe that they can perform carpet cleaning themselves without a machine, using a DIY carpet cleaner solution or DIY carpet stain cleaner, the reality is that store-bought products can actually cause more harm than good.
Carpet spot cleaners are usually full of soaps, detergents, and harsh chemicals. This often results in unsightly bleach spots and a dirt-attracting residue on your carpet.
Zerorez uses a unique alkalized water, called Zr™ Water, that cleans just like soap, attracting dirt and oils, but leaves your carpets feeling softer and cleaner than any DIY carpet stain cleaner can, because it doesn't contain any of those nasty chemicals, soaps, or shampoos.
④ DIY Carpet Cleaners for Dog Pee and Odors Only Mask the Stains and Smells
When dealing with a new puppy or an old furry friend, pet accidents can happen often, leading to pet stains.
Your gut instinct may be to run to the store and purchase a can of dog urine carpet cleaner that promises to lift the scent and clean your carpet, but these products mostly only mask the scent, and dogs can still smell the urine crystals that have found their way to the carpet backing.
The lingering scent can prompt more accidents and result in yellow carpet stains and discoloration if not treated properly.
Only professional carpet cleaners like Zerorez with their pet spot and odor treatments can go beyond the surface of stains and smells and lift them away.
Recommended DIY Carpet Cleaner Solution
While there are quite a few ways you could wind up damaging your carpet with DIY at-home carpet cleaning methods, the experts at Zerorez do have a homemade carpet cleaner that we often recommend in a pinch:
To create your homemade carpet cleaning solution, you will need:
- A spray bottle
- White vinegar
- Hot water
- Baking soda
- A vacuum cleaner
- A clean, dry cloth or paper towel
*Note: this homemade cleaning solution is not intended for your entire carpet.
How to clean carpet with DIY solution:
- Identify the area that needs to be cleaned
- Identify whether the spot is dry or wet
- For wet spots or grease stains, sprinkle baking soda over the area to let it soak up the moisture for around ten minutes
- Vacuum the area
- Once the spot has become dry, or if it is dry to start, mix equal parts white vinegar and hot water in a spray bottle and spritz the area
- Dab gently (don't scrub) with a dry cloth or paper towel,
- Repeat steps 3-4 until the spot is lifted.
DIY carpet cleaners made with natural and harmless ingredients can help you take care of your carpets in the event of a spill or pet accident.
However, when your whole carpet needs a good cleaning, we recommend professional carpet cleaning services from Zerorez.
What is the best DIY carpet solution?
While we will always recommend vacuuming at least once a week, DIY carpet cleaning is a lot more trouble than it's worth. It takes more time to do it yourself, it leaves residue and other people's dirt behind, and it takes forever to dry.
Simplify your carpet cleaning with Zerorez!
We eliminate that fear of harming your carpet or your health thanks to our Zr Process®.
Because we use gentle yet effective alkalized water, we are able to avoid causing discoloration or bleach spots and work hard to lift more from your carpet than you can with DIY methods.
Call your local Zerorez now to book your next appointment or schedule your cleaning online, and preserve your carpets today!
