How To Clean Carpet Stains With Borax

The fact is inevitable. If your home has carpet, it's going to get messy. Try as hard as you might, accidents happen. Even without kids or pets, wine will spill, mud will get tracked in, and despite your firmest grip, you will drop your fork. But all is not lost. Even the whitest of carpets can be salvaged from the reddest of stains. And the best news of all is that you don't need a shelf full of harmful chemicals or expensive stain removers. All you need for a homemade carpet stain remover is a few items you already have lying around. Take a look at these common household products to see how you can mix and match to make a DIY natural carpet stain remover quickly and cost-efficiently.

Vinegar Homemade Carpet Stain Remover

A little white vinegar , mixed with some other common household items, creates a homemade carpet stain remover that can clean almost anything.

Vinegar + Salt: For most stains, a simple combination of ½ cup of vinegar with 2 tablespoons of salt dissolved in it will suffice. Pour the mixture onto a towel or clean rag, then blot the stain gently. Let the mixture sit on the stain and dry before vacuuming it (and the stain) away.

Vinegar + Salt + Borax: If the stain is dark or stubborn, try adding borax to your solution. Two tablespoons dissolved in the vinegar along with the salt is a stronger combination that should tackle even those tough stains. Let it dry, then vacuum it up.

Vinegar + Water: diluted vinegar works well on coffee and tea carpet stains . Never pour it directly onto the carpet, but use a towel or sponge to lightly blot the stain

Vinegar + Cornstarch: For mud, dirt, and ground-in stains, a 1:1 solution of vinegar and cornstarch is an easy and natural carpet stain remover . For those really tough stains, keep the solution on for two days before vacuuming.

Vinegar + Laundry Detergent + Water: If your carpet stains are from a new paint job, try dissolving 1½ teaspoons of vinegar and 1½ teaspoons of laundry detergent in two cups of warm water . Use a sponge to blot out the paint before it dries, then rinse the carpet with cold water. This same mixture is great for fruit and fruit juice stains as well.

Baking Soda Homemade Carpet Stain Remover

Baking soda , like vinegar , is almost a catch-all when it comes to how to get stains out of carpet , and it does a lot more for the smell than vinegar can.

Baking Soda : On stains left by pets or others who can't control their bodily functions, baking soda alone is your best bet. Clean up any solids that you can, then cover the remaining stain with baking soda and pat gently with a paper towel or rag. Let it sit until it is dry (it may take a few hours), then vacuum it up. Don't be afraid to repeat the process a couple times for the best results.

Baking Soda + Salt: If you need to know how to get stains out of carpet caused by grease, look no further. Equal parts baking soda and salt scrubbed into the carpet and left for five hours will vacuum right up.

Baking Soda + Dish Soap + Vinegar + Warm Water: For a great all-purpose natural carpet stain remover , combine these four common ingredients together in a spray bottle. Almost any stain will disappear after a spritzing, a drying, and a vigorous vacuuming.

Ammonia Homemade Carpet Stain Remover

Ammonia may not be the first thing you grab at the store, but if you happen to have some in the back of your cleaning closet, it can become a great homemade carpet stain remover.

Ammonia + Water: One tablespoon of ammonia mixed with a half cup of warm water creates a great solution for removing tough stains. You can sponge this mixture onto the stain or spray it and blot with a towel or sponge.

Hydrogen Peroxide Homemade Carpet Stain Remover

Hydrogen Peroxide is tough on stains but still safe for your carpet. Try mixing it with a couple common products for a great DIY carpet cleaner.

Hydrogen Peroxide + Cream of Tartar: A teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide and a pinch of cream of tartar will create a paste that is sure to get out dark and stubborn stains. Dab the paste right onto the stain with a cloth, then rinse it off.

Hydrogen Peroxide + Non-Gel Toothpaste: Adding just a half teaspoon or so of toothpaste to a teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide will have the same effect as the cream of tartar and may leave your carpet smelling minty fresh.

Don't Panic: DIY Stain Removers Can Help

There's no need to worry about how to get stains out of carpets , or about bringing harmful chemicals into your house. These simple DIY homemade carpet stain removers are safe, natural, and will help you get tough stains out of your carpet.