Homemade carpet cleaner solution that really works!

[kas125]

I have three big dogs, four cats and a goofy son with a lot of messy friends and it was time to clean the carpets. I didn't want to spend the money for a bottle of the cleaning solution so I looked for a recipe to make my own. It said to mix together 2 Tablespoons Liquid Tide, 1/4 cup Awesome cleaner (dollar store brand), 1 scoop Oxyclean, 1 teaspoon Downy Fabric Softener and add it to a gallon of hot water to make the equivalent of the cleaning solution one can buy. I didn't have Tide, so I used Extra, which is the cheapest stuff at my grocery store. I also had the off brand Oxyclean type stuff. I did go to the dollar store to buy Awesome cleaner, which I'd never heard of before. I cleaned the carpets with this homemade solution yesterday and today and I must say, it worked better than all the brands of carpet cleaning solution I've ever used, and I've tried them all. I'll be cleaning my rugs a lot more often now that I know I can do it for pennies instead of paying $20 for the small bottle of cleaning solution!

[Purveyor]

1. "Awesome cleaner," is indeed some awesome stuff. I'm sure someone will come along shortly to tell

us how bad it is for the environment, but the stuff works.

The rest of the recipe is good except for the fabric softener. It will collect dirt that the vacuum won't be able to lift.

Good work though. Carpet cleaner is expensive!

[kas125]

2. It did say in the recipe I found that the fabric softener was "optional."

I did put some in this time, but I probably won't use it when I do it again. I was just glad to not have to spend a lot to get the rugs clean. I used to wait to do it, but now I can do it a lot more often and I am just thrilled.

[lamp_shade]

3. My recipe is quite a bit simpler. Here...

I found it in a Consumer Reports "How to Clean Practically Anything". It does a wonderful job and leaves no residue. I've used it for years (steam vac) and have shared the recipe with others who are also surprised at what a good job it does. In a gallon jug pour...

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup ammonia (NOT sudsy ammonia)
Drip or two of Dawn (about 1/32 tsp or less)
Water to fill

Voila!

[kas125]

4. Wow, that is simpler! I've seen other suggestions to use

vinegar and ammonia, but I've never tried it. I guess it's just the idea of mixing those two smells seems like it would be pretty bad. Or is that what the Dawn is for?

And speaking of Dawn, a few months ago we had to take our 18 year old cat to be put to sleep. I was reminding the vet about his condition when I got him - he was about ten hours old and was already covered with fleas. They were draining him; his gums and tongue were white! It was the middle of the night and all the stores were closed so I bathed that tiny kitten in dog flea shampoo, terrified that it would hurt him, but knowing he'd die anyway if I didn't get rid of the fleas. The vet said, next time use blue Dawn, it kills fleas and wouldn't hurt the kitten. I have no plans to rescue another baby kitty, but with all the animals around here I'm sure I'll get the opportunity to try it as flea shampoo one of these days.

[Curmudgeoness]

5. I have to agree with you about the smelly ingredients.

I have no doubt that it would work to clean the carpet, but the recipe that you used sounds like it would be more pleasant on the senses. I have pulled most of the carpet up in my house, and since I have hardwood floors under the carpet, I am always afraid to use a carpet cleaner. But I sure could use a carpet cleaning on the bedrooms, where I have left the carpet.

[Worried senior]

6. The first year we had our

Old English Sheepdog I used Advantage 11 for heartworm, the Basset had no reaction the OES did.

I called Bayer and they said to give him 2 baths in dawn which did help get it off his skin, I think Dawn can be used for a lot of things such as this.

[kas125]

7. Thanks, I'll have to remember that one!

Five years ago I adopted a deaf dog from the county shelter. They said they thought she was a collie mix. She's exactly like a dog I used to have, which I was told by the woman I got her from was a collie/shepherd mix. Since then, I've discovered that she's actually a black and tan English Shepherd, probably pure bred. I recently learned that ES's have some kind of genetic thing that you can have a DNA test for, that makes some of them have bad, sometimes fatal, reactions to all sorts of medications that don't bother other dogs. I don't have the money to get her the DNA test, and I worry every time I use something like that on her so knowing Dawn will wash it off just in case is a really good thing for me to know.

[Worried senior]

8. If you do have to

bathe her in Dawn, rinse and re-soap so your bathing 2 times.

We gave him bravecto to help fight ticks this year, the day after he acted a little funny but seems fine so will have to watch him the next time we give it.

Love Nexguard, made by heartguard for ticks, works wonderfully but it's quite expensive so the vet recommended the bravecto so hope it works. Not all that much cheaper but a little.

Dogs aren't cheap that's for sure. Would have another one but really can't afford it and feel bad because there are so many that need a home.