Knowing how to clean a carpet is essential if you favour carpets or rugs over hard flooring. The feel and aesthetic of a beautiful soft-pile carpet is unrivalled, but they do require more maintenance than other flooring types.
Carpet cleaning is a chore that almost everyone dreads. Even when you keep up with daily cleaning habits, the carpet in high-traffic areas will soon become stained and dirty. While cleaning a carpet is not everyone's idea of fun, there are ways to get it done efficiently without too much back-breaking work.
Much like knowing how to clean a mattress, your approach will differ depending on how old your carpet is, the material it’s made of, and what sort of stain you’re treating.
How to deep clean a carpet in 7 steps
When you deep clean your home, giving your carpet a thorough clean is a satisfying chore. You're left with a fluffy, unblemished carpet at the end of it that will help make your living room look more expensive without spending a penny (not to mention more hygienic!). To achieve the best result, preparation is key.
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1. Remove all furniture
“Before you start, you will need to move out as much of the furniture as you can; this will then allow you to clean as much of the carpet as possible,” advises cleaning expert, TV star and Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie.
For best results, remove all your furniture from the room before starting. This gives you free access to all areas of the carpet and lets you see the dirty areas under the furniture. Be warned, you may be upset when you see just how dirty your carpet has become - but that’s exactly why you’re cleaning it. If you’re guilty of (quite literally) sweeping things under the rug, this is also a good chance to declutter your home.
Lynsey is the UK’s leading home expert, specialising in all things related to cleaning, organising, and home management. She is the author of Queen of Clean 15-Minute Clean: The Quickest Way To A Sparkling Home. A familiar face on popular shows like This Morning and Good Morning Britain, Lynsey is a go-to resident cleaning expert.
2. Vacuum the carpet
Next, give the carpet a thorough vacuuming. “One of the best ways to keep your carpets and rugs in tip-top condition is to make sure you vacuum them regularly in a criss-cross pattern,” explains Darren Manning-Coe, Owner of carpet and upholstery cleaning company, Denny & Coe. “The criss-cross pattern manipulates the carpet fibres to ensure that any dirt or dust that’s settled in between can be picked up by your hoover.”
When vacuuming, use the highest suction and lowest height setting possible. Do it slowly so that the vacuum's brushes really have a chance to break up any areas that have become flattened. Investing in one of the best vacuums and using it regularly will mean you can avoid dirt and grime accumulating over time.
Don’t neglect the corners either, advises Lynsey. “Use the nozzle on your vacuum to go against the skirting boards,” she says. “The vacuum doesn’t always go in tight against the wall, and a dark line of dust can be left."
3. Check for any furniture indents
With your furniture moved out of the way, it’s now time to smooth over the indents that heavier pieces create on your carpet.
If you want to clean like a professional, you'll want the surface to be as smooth as possible, as these indentations and grooves can mask all sorts of marks and stains. Luckily, they are generally fairly easy to remedy.
“If you have dents from furniture, pop ice cubes in these spaces and then leave them to naturally melt in,” says Lynsey. “Once melted in rub your hand over the area and the carpet will bounce back to life and the dents will be gone.”
4. Read any care instructions
Does your carpet still have a tag? Do you have the original cleaning instructions for it, or can you look them up online?
Ideally, you should check the cleaning instructions before moving forward. Those instructions will also let you know of any cleaning agents that you shouldn't apply to your carpet, preventing you from inadvertently causing damage.
5. Remove stains
From removing coffee stains to getting makeup out of your carpet, you might have more marks on high-traffic areas than you first realised.
For these areas, you will want to pre-treat the carpet. Much like soaking dishes makes them easier to clean, pre-treating spots or ground-in dirt will give you a better chance of removing the dirt and grime completely.
“If you spot stains, you need to pre-treat these first," says Lynsey. "When it comes to cleaning old stains on the carpet, it is important you use a specialised carpet cleaning shampoo or solution. If you are using a carpet cleaning machine, the solution for the machine will also act as a great spot cleaner if you don’t have a carpet cleaner."
“Always use cold water on the carpet as hot water can shrink it, and apply the solution directly into the stain. Leave a while and then blot dry using a white cloth,” she continues. A clean microfibre cloth works well for this purpose as it's very absorbent.
In general, if you do spill anything on your carpet or spot stains, it’s better to treat them right away, as it’s easier to lift fresh stains. You can often treat these without specialised products.
“Our top tip is to keep a bottle of soda water on hand to soak the stain. The tiny bubbles lift out most stains if they're caught quickly enough,” advises Ed Willes, founder of natural cleaning product company ALLAVARE. “Cover the stain and blot with a kitchen roll or an old towel. Repeat until the stain is removed.”
Darren also sings the praises of household materials for this purpose. “As soon as an accidental stain occurs, most people tend to rush straight to the cleaning cupboard in search of a product to lift it. If you act quickly enough, most stains can be removed using just clean water and a towel,” he tells us. “When cleaning a stain, always work from the outside in, and be careful to blot and not rub the area as this can cause discolouration.
“There are a few household items that are actually great for removing the odd accidental stain from your carpets," says Darren. "Traditional shaving foam (make sure it’s a foam and not a gel) will lift grease from a carpet – simply apply to the stain, leave for around 30 minutes, then blot dry. Similarly, baking soda can be used to clean up pet accidents. Always remember when applying anything to your carpets to test in an inconspicuous area first."
Baking soda is a handy piece of cleaning arsenal to have in your cupboards, as it can also be used to clean a glass oven door. In fact, there are lots of tasks around the house that you can complete by cleaning with baking powder.
6. Use a carpet cleaning machine
Now you have a choice to make. Sometimes, vacuuming and spot cleaning your carpet is all it needs to look fresh again. However, if it needs a little more TLC, our experts unanimously advise you to turn to a specialist product or service.
“While there are some good appliances and cleaning products on the market that you can use at home, I would always recommend that for a thorough, deep clean of your carpets, bring in the professionals," Darren advises.
"A professional carpet cleaning machine is a lot more powerful than domestic cleaners and will clean much deeper into the fibres, removing all of the dirt that you can’t see with the naked eye."
You can rent a machine from supermarkets, DIY shops, specialist cleaning services or even some dry cleaners. If you take this route, always ensure you read and fully understand the instructions before you start. These will normally be very comprehensive and guide you through the process.
When you're ready to get started, Lynsey advises to "start in one corner of the room and then move across in straight lines. For stains, go back and over again for a more thorough clean."
Or, use a domestic steam cleaner
Steam cleaners are one of the household gadgets that will simplify your life and make cleaning your carpets a much easier task.
A home steam cleaner could be the best option if you have children or pets and find you need to rent a professional cleaner several times a year. Not only will this save you money in the long run, but it is also available whenever you need it for a quick spruce-up or spill removal.
"Most steam cleaners you can buy come with a carpet glide that sits over the base," advises Lynsey. "The steam will break odours, lift out stains, and refresh the carpet pile. When using your steam cleaning, do not put any solution in the machine; all you need is the power of steam."
Steam cleaners come with an array of attachments: for carpet cleaning, you'll need a machine with a nozzle, brush, and tube. As ever, check the manufacturer's instructions first. Some steam cleaners can only be used on hardwood floors.
Whether you opt for a domestic or professional machine, use smooth, even movements while wetting the carpet and avoid lingering over any one area for too long. Otherwise, the carpet can become heavily saturated, and it can become difficult to remove the liquid. When it comes time for suctioning, go slowly. Go over each area until no more liquid is being sucked up.
7. Allow the carpet time to dry
"Once complete, open the window and allow your carpets to air dry and close the room off for a few hours to save anyone going in," advises Lynsey. If you have air conditioning, you can also utilise that if you can't block the room off for a few hours.
How to clean a carpet using cleaning powder
If your carpet only needs a quick refresh, you can use cleaning powder and a high-powered vacuum. Although this can be done with a suction-only vacuum, you will get much better results if you use one that has brushes.
Powdered carpet cleaners can be found in many retailers, but for heavily soiled carpets, you may want to order a professional-strength version online. These powders work by acting like glue to attract and bind to the usual types of dirt and grime found in carpets. Once the dirt has bonded to the powder, it is no longer stuck to your carpet fibres and so can be vacuumed away.
All you have to do is sprinkle the powders liberally on your carpet, putting more down on heavily trafficked or stained areas. You may want to use a soft scrub brush to rub the powder well into the carpet fibres in particularly dirty areas. Now, you just let the powder sit on the carpet for the amount of time designated on the instructions. Once the time has passed, just vacuum thoroughly for a clean, dry carpet.
This technique is good for quick touch-ups, and it has the benefit of leaving behind a super-fresh smell, but it doesn't replace the need to deep clean your carpet periodically.
How to clean a carpet using vinegar and water
As stated before, there is a range of fantastic made-for-purpose products if you need to spot clean your carpet. These generally work on the same principle as cleaning powder: apply, massage in, blot, then vacuum.
However, you can also make an easy DIY cleaning solution using vinegar and water to spot clean stains. This method is effective for stains and low-traffic areas, but if you want to clean an entire room, it's advised that you use another solution.
- Create a solution, one part vinegar and two parts water.
- Add the solution to a spray bottle and spritz the stain. You may want to test this water and vinegar mixture on a discreet corner of the carpet or rug before you really go to town. With some delicate fibres, this solution can cause discolouration.
- If your test area turns out ok, continue spraying on all stained areas.
- Next, blot out the area using a clean towel until the stain has lifted.
- Lastly, apply fresh water and blot up to remove any remaining vinegar.
- Optional: Don't like the idea of your carpets smelling like vinegar? While the scent will fade quickly on its own, a few drops of essential oil added to the solution can help your carpets smell even better.
FAQs
How often should I deep clean my carpet?
You should plan to deep clean your carpet every 12-18 months to keep it looking its best. Of course, if your carpet is subject to particularly heavy use or frequent stains, you may want to consider deep cleaning it more often to help maintain its longevity.
"A professional clean once every one to two years is the best way to keep your carpets and rugs in good condition and make them last longer, too," confirms Darren.
Clean carpets look better, feel better underfoot, and are likely to last longer, making deep cleaning a valuable investment of time and effort. Even better, it can help reduce common allergens in your carpet, get rid of dust in your home, and even help combat the spread of bacteria and viruses throughout your home.
Does baking soda really clean a carpet?
Although there are many things you shouldn't clean with baking soda, it can work wonders on deodorising your carpet.
"Baking soda is great for neutralising odours but less effective as a deep cleaner, as it’s not effective at killing bacteria. I recommend sprinkling it generously over the carpet, letting it sit for 12–24 hours, then vacuuming it up thoroughly," explains Liam Cleverdon, cleaning expert and Director at Flooring King.
He recommends using a paste made from baking soda and vinegar for lifting minor stains. However, for full cleaning, baking soda is best used as a freshening step, not a standalone solution.
Is it better to shampoo or steam clean carpets?
Should you be looking for a deep, bacteria-free clean, then you might be deciding between shampooing or steaming.
"Steam cleaning is generally the superior option as it sanitises without relying heavily on detergents, which can leave behind residues that attract more dirt. Shampooing can be effective on very soiled carpets, but if not done properly, it often leaves the carpet feeling sticky or stiff," says Liam.
He points out that for most households, steam cleaning can offer a deeper clean with better, long-term results.
Deep cleaning your carpet might not be possible when you're cleaning your living room fast, but even keeping up with vacuuming can make a huge difference. Removing everyday dust, hair, and crumbs will mean you have less of an overwhelming task on your hands when you need to give it a more thorough wash.
