Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen
Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen are folk-remedy experts and home tipsters based in New York City. They have spent decades collecting “cures from the cupboard” and are authors of several books, including Secret Food Cures.
Carpets are a wonderful addition to a home. If you’ve ever parked your slippers by the door on a winter night, and then endured the walk across cold hardwood or tile floors you can appreciate the warmth carpets bring to a home. They also help to keep the noise down. Unfortunately, carpets and rugs are a magnet for dirt and stains. Many of which can be quite difficult to remove if you’re not well versed in how to clean carpets.
In this excerpt from the book Household Magic by Joan and Lydia Wilen the authors explain how to clean carpets, remove stains, and rid yourself of pet and other odors.
Carpets and rugs often add warmth to a room. To keep your floor coverings looking their best, you have to take care of them. Do not let your carpet bathe in prolonged periods of direct sunlight—not unless you want it to fade or discolor. Protect it by covering your windows with drapes, blinds or shades.
We hate to have to tell you this, but experts agree that carpets and rugs should be vacuumed at least once a week to stay in good shape, and to keep dirt from getting embedded in the fibers.
To prevent dirt from being tracked into the house, place walk-off mats at each entrance. The mats will absorb and help trap dirt, sand and grit from outside.
Do not forget to clean these mats regularly—either hose them down or vacuum them —so that they don’t become the cause of the dirt that’s being tracked into the house.
Here are more suggestions to help you care for your fibrous floor coverings…
◆ Dry-clean your carpet by sprinkling it liberally with baking soda. Use a flour sifter to help distribute it evenly. If you can leave the baking soda on your carpet overnight, do it. If not, let it stay for at least one hour.
Meanwhile, sprinkle one tablespoon of your favorite fragrant herb—such as lavender, cinnamon or potpourri*—on the floor. After a few minutes, vacuum up the baking soda and whichever herb you used. The unpleasant carpet odors—cigarette smoke, mustiness, wet dog, cat urine—should be gone, and the fragrant aroma of the herb should be in the air.
◆ In a spray bottle, mix one part liquid fabric softener (any scent you prefer) to six parts water. Spray the carpet with the solution, then vacuum. The carpet should be more dust-resistant, generate less static electricity and smell fresh, too.
Fringe on area rugs looks nice but collects dust and dirt and is difficult to vacuum. Save yourself the trouble by whisking out the dirt instead. With a dry scrub brush, use down and-away strokes. Then brush the dirt away from the fringe and vacuum it up off the floor.
When you get new carpeting, be sure to keep several swatches of it. They will come in handy when you’re decorating and want to coordinate or match draperies or upholstery fabric or paint. You may also want to use the swatches to test cleaners and stain removers, or if your carpet needs fiber replacements.
You may want to consider treating your carpet with a commercial stain guard, especially if you have children and/or pets or if you do a lot of entertaining.
But if you haven’t stain-guarded your floor covering, stock your pantry with a case of distilled white vinegar and club soda, then read on.
CAUTION: Be sure to test any solution you use as a stain remover on a carpet swatch or on a small, inconspicuous spot of your carpet or rug. Not all colors or fabrics will react the same way.
If something is dropped on your carpet and there are pieces involved (for example, a bowl of chili, cornflakes and milk, or chicken noodle soup), pick up all the pieces of food first. Then get paper towels and blot up as much of the liquid mess as possible, as quickly as possible. You may want to step on the towels to help the blotting process.
Once you’re finished picking and blotting, you’re ready to use one of the following stain solutions…
Try not to rub the stain. Rubbing can spread it, embed it deeper and cause damage to the carpet fibers.
◆ Put club soda or seltzer water on a fresh stain and let the carbonation loosen it. After a couple of minutes, blot it up with paper towels, a clean cloth or a sponge.
◆ Work a heaping tablespoon of foam shaving cream into the stain. Wait for it to dry, then rinse with cold water. (The glycerin in shaving cream is the compound that helps dissolve stains.)
◆ Put some vodka on a washcloth and work it into the stain. Wait a minute, then blot it with a paper towel.
◆ If you’re sure your carpet or rug is colorfast, work some 3% hydrogen peroxide into the stain, then blot it with a paper towel.
◆ Use a fresh baby wipe to lift the stain off the carpet or rug.
If you’re wondering how old a stain is—a week, a month, a year or more—we can’t tell you. What we do know is that this remedy is worth trying. It should work, but even if it doesn’t, it will not make the stain worse.
Combine one tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent, 1 1 ⁄2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and two cups of water. Gently work the mixture into the stain, then blot it dry.
◆ Place a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and put it against the wax that dripped on the carpet. The ice will make the wax brittle, and you will be able to break off or carefully pull off the drippings
◆ Cut off a section of a plain brown paper bag, and place it on top of the melted wax. With a medium-hot iron, press the paper for several seconds—long enough to soften the wax and have it transfer from the carpet to the paper. If you have to repeat the process a few times, always use a new piece of brown paper.
◆ Test carpet swatches or a tiny, inconspicuous patch of each carpet and rug in your home with distilled white vinegar. If the color of any of the test patches change, make note not to use the vinegar solution on that carpet or rug, if and when your pet has an accident on it. Be on the lookout for such accidents, because you’ll want to deal with them immediately.
First, blot up as much of the urine as possible, and rinse the area with warm water. Blot again. Then, for a vinegar-safe rug, mix 1 ⁄2 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 ⁄2 cup of water, and sponge it into the fibers. After a few minutes, blot it off and repeat the procedure. Then pour equal amounts of table salt and baking soda on the wet area. Wait until it dries—it may take a few hours—then vacuum.
◆ For a fresh accident, blot the spot, then cover it with a thick layer of table salt. More is better, since you want the salt to absorb all of the liquid. Wait until the salt has hardened—overnight if possible—then vacuum over the area.
CAUTION: There is ammonia in urine. Therefore, NEVER use ammonia or a spot remover that contains ammonia to clean urine. It will mislead your pet into believing that this is his/her marked territory. He will return to it on a regular basis, rewetting and restaining the spot.
Dealing with Pet Hair
Give the vacuum a helping hand by sweeping the rug with a damp broom. That will loosen and/or pick up the pet hair. Then finish the job by vacuuming the rug.
◆ Start by blow-drying the gum on the warm (not hot) setting on your hair dryer. You want the gum to melt, not the carpet’s fibers. As soon as the gum seems real gooey, put a small plastic bag around it and gently pull off the bag, bringing the gum with it.
Repeat the process until all of the gum is out of the carpet, or there’s just a stubborn little bit left. For that little bit, work in a dab of petroleum jelly, rolling the gum into it. Then wash the spot with a gentle laundry detergent formulated to fight grease, rinse with water and blot dry.
Petroleum jelly may stain carpet, so be sure to do a spot-test first.
Gulp! You might as well have spilled hair dye. Blot up as much of the spill as possible, as quickly as possible. Then, depending on what is available to you at the time, use one of the following remedies…
◆ Pour on club soda and blot. Then more club soda and more blotting. If the stain isn’t fading fast, pour on a bit of 3% hydrogen peroxide and let it stay on for about 15 minutes. Then blot and rinse with either more club soda or some cold water.
◆ Combine two tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of borax powder (available at supermarkets and drugstores) in one pint of water. Sponge the stain with this solution, then blot dry
◆ Using a clean, dry washcloth, work a beaten egg yolk into the stain, and then rinse with warm water.
◆ Work a heaping tablespoon of foam shaving cream into the stain, then rinse with club soda or cold water.
Put a strip of transparent tape on each crayon mark, then gently remove the tape. Hopefully some of the crayon will come off but none of the fibers.
Try to pick up all of the pieces of fruit and blot up the juice. Then combine one tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent, 11 ⁄2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and two cups of water. Gently work the mixture into the fruit stain, and then blot dry
◆ Use a paper towel to blot up as much of the grease or oil as possible. Then pour cornmeal or cornstarch on the stain. Let it stay that way overnight and vacuum the carpet in the morning.
◆ Work a heaping tablespoon of foam shaving cream into the stained carpet fibers. Let it dry thoroughly, then vacuum the spot spotless.
Take action immediately! Make a solution with 11 ⁄2 teaspoons of distilled white vinegar and 11 ⁄2 teaspoons of laundry detergent mixed in two cups of warm water.
NOTE: You should definitely test this solution on a carpet swatch or on an inconspicuous portion of the carpet before using it. If the carpet color is not affected by the mixture, then proceed.
Dip a clean sponge into the solution and use it to wipe away the latex paint. Once the stain is gone, rinse with cold water and blot dry.
If the carpet color on the test patch changed after you applied the vinegar solution, then just use the laundry detergent in warm water. You’ll have to work harder to get the paint out, and it may not be as effective.
Next time, consider using paint that’s the exact same color as your carpet so that nobody will ever notice if you spill some.
Let the mud dry, then use an expired credit card or a dull knife to scrape off as much of it as possible. If the rug is still a little muddy, mix two teaspoons of laundry detergent with one cup of water, and sponge it on the carpet. Blot with paper towels, rinse with a wet sponge and blot dry with more paper towels.
◆ Open another bottle—seriously! Quickly blot off the red wine with a paper towel, then neutralize it with white wine. Next, wipe it clean with a cold, damp cloth.
◆ If you don’t have any white wine, work some table salt or baking soda into the stain, and dab it off with club soda.
◆ Moth larvae may be found in carpet fibers. Get rid of them by pouring a thick layer of table salt (a lot of salt!) on the carpet, wait one hour, then vacuum up the salt. The salt destroys the moth larvae and also brightens the carpet.
◆ This is a bit of an ordeal, but if you have an insect infestation (especially fleas or ticks) in your carpet, take the time to get rid of the little buggers. Buy boxes of table salt, enough to layer the entire carpet with it.
As you pour the salt into the carpet, use a broom or brush to work the salt down deep where the bugs nest.
Once the salt is in place, let it stay there for two to three days, giving it time to (somehow) dehydrate and destroy the insects. Then vacuum as usual. To prevent future infestations, it’s a good idea to vacuum at least once a week.
Printer’s ink repels moths and silverfish. Put a layer of plain (non-colored) newspaper between the pad and the rug, and be bug-free.
If you’re into rearranging furniture on a carpeted floor, you’ll want to know how to raise matted-down nap or pile (the cut or uncut loops of yarn that form the carpet’s surface). There’s the cold way and the hot way. So take your pick…
◆ Cold: Put an ice cube on each matted area— most likely where four furniture feet rested. Let the ice cubes melt on the dents overnight (just be sure nobody will be walking around the house). In the morning, fluff up the nap with your fingers or an old toothbrush.
◆ Hot: Hold a steam iron a few inches above the matted carpet area until the nap is mildly moist. Do not touch the carpet with the iron. Then scrape up the nap with an old toothbrush or the edge of a spoon’s handle
Never pull out threads, unless you want the carpet to unravel. Instead, use scissors to cut each loose thread, making it level with the pile (the surface of the carpet).
If you’re tired of getting shocks each time you walk on your carpet, particularly in the winter months, try this solution…
Mix three tablespoons of liquid fabric softener with one cup of water in a spray bottle. Give the carpet a modest misting. If you wet the carpet too much, dirt will stick to the carpet. Allow it to dry thoroughly before taking a shockless stroll across it.
DID YOU KNOW
If you get shocks even when you’re not walking on carpeting, it’s because the humidity levels are low or because you’re wearing shoes. The soles of your shoes (especially rubber soles) do not allow you to release the electric charge. Prevent shocks by walking barefoot and discharging the static electricity through your feet. This isn’t too practical, though, especially during the cold winter months.
You usually know when you’re going to get a shock—when you touch a metal doorknob, the television set, a light switch or a faucet. You can discharge most of the static electricity in your body by touching whatever you want to touch with a wooden pencil before touching it with your fingers. You may get a little shock, but nothing like the jolt you would have gotten without the pencil.
Moving Heavy Furniture
On those rare occasions when you have to move a piano or another piece of heavy furniture on wheels, place a protective barrier—such as a piece of heavy cardboard or a plywood plank—between the wheels and the carpet to prevent damage to the carpet.
If you don’t want a throw rug slipping out from under you, make sure it stays put by sewing nonslip rubber rings from mason jars (available at hardware stores) on the underside.
Use strong cotton thread (doubled), and attach each rubber ring by tacking it in three or four places. Use your discretion as to how many rings to sew on each rug. If you have a rectangular throw rug, consider putting a rubber ring under each corner.
Bathtub decals are also a good idea, as is double-sided “carpet” tape.
Velcro adhesive strips (available at hardware, crafts and sewing-supply stores) are also an option. Velcro strips come in pairs…an upper strip and a lower strip. On the outside of both strips is adhesive…on the inside of both strips are the Velcro fibers that interlock with each other. Stick one side on the floor under where the rug is going to stay. Line the rug up and stick the other portion of the Velcro on the underside of the rug. Then lay the two pieces of Velcro (the one on the floor and the one on the underside of the rug) on top of each other.
This is sounding so complicated…if it’s not making sense, but the thought of using Velcro appeals to you, go to a store that sells it and just look at it. You will be able to figure it out once you see it. And if you don’t want to deal with that…just buy a nonskid rug.
Do you beat your rugs to get them clean? Save yourself the trouble and toss the throw rug in a dryer on a “no-heat” setting. Let it run for its usual cycle. The rug should come out clean and lookin’ good.
Aside from the contents of accidental spills, have you ever wondered what exactly you’re vacuuming up? Brace yourself for a surprise. Household “dirt” is about 75% to 80% sloughed off human skin cells. Who would have thought that most of the vacuum cleaner dirt comes directly from the people who own the vacuum cleaner? The other 25% to 30% is hair, animal dander, dust mites and just a small amount of actual dirt—sand, earth and pollen—that has been blown in or tracked in from outside. Now that you know what you’re vacuuming, here are some ideas on how to get the best results…
When vacuuming a carpet or a rug, use long, slow strokes. That gives the vacuum time to loosen the dirt and then let it be sucked up. For a lightly soiled area, try to make three passes with the vacuum…for a heavily soiled area, go over it at least five to seven times.
When it’s raining or humid outside, open the windows and vacuum. The moisture in the air helps prevent dust from flying up and landing on the carpet again.
Figure out which outlet is most central in terms of the areas you vacuum. Next, measure the farthest distance the vacuum needs to go from that outlet. Then buy a lightweight extension cord that will accommodate that measurement, even if it has to be 50 feet long. Using the extension cord will save you the time and effort of going from one outlet to another.
Vacuum up a tablespoon of your favorite sweet smelling herb—lavender, cinnamon, the contents of a spiced tea bag—or put the perfume strips from magazines or a scented fabric softener sheet in the vacuum cleaner bag or container. The heat from the vacuum brings out the fragrance of the herb or perfume. It makes vacuuming a little more pleasant.
Go over the (unplugged) vacuum’s brushes with a wet paper towel before you vacuum a carpet. It will help heighten its dirt-sucking power.
Necklaces break, containers of things fall over… it happens. And when it does, find a piece of old pantyhose (or use a knee-high stocking) and stretch it over the vacuum suction hose—you can keep it in place with a small rubber band.
Aim the hose at the little things on the floor, then turn on the vacuum and they will be sucked up against the pantyhose. Hold the vacuum hose over a shoebox or other wide, shallow container, and turn off the vacuum’s power. The little things will fall into the box where they are easy to recover.
If you wait until the dust bag in your vacuum reaches its full capacity, you may notice a reduction in the vacuum’s suction, and more dust in the room that you’re supposedly cleaning. It’s best to change the dust bag as soon as you can tell it’s filling up. Check it every three or four times you vacuum—don’t wait until it’s bursting at the seams. (For bagless canister models, check them every other time the vacuum is used.)
To change the dust bag, spread out and spray a couple of newspaper pages with water. Put the vacuum on the wet paper and remove the old, filled dust bag. The loose dust will ad – here to the wet paper.
Insert the new dust bag in the vacuum, fold up and discard the newspaper along with the old bag, and you’re good to go.
If you have a pet with fleas, your carpet may also have fleas. Fleas can be vacuumed up and continue living and multiplying in the vacuum’s dust bag. If you’re concerned that this may be happening in your home, place a commercial flea collar or a few mothballs in the dust bag to eliminate the problem.
To discover more tips for taking care of your home and for daily living get your own copy of Household Magic from Bottomlineinc.com
