How to Shampoo Your Carpet
Even if you vacuum regularly, dirt, grime, and stains can sink into carpet fibers deeper than a regular vacuum can reach. So, it’s a good idea to shampoo your carpet once or twice a year, especially if you have pets in the home. In this guide, we’ll explain all the options and walk you through the process of giving your carpet a deep clean.
Materials and Tools
How To Do a Routine Carpet Cleaning
To clean your carpets, it’s usually a good idea to go room by room, finishing each room completely before moving to the next. Follow the steps below to get your carpets looking good as new:
Though there are probably a few large, heavy pieces that you’ll just need to work around, you should move as much of the furniture out of the room as possible. If you’re using a steam cleaner, protect the legs of any remaining furniture with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. If you can get a wood block under each leg, that will also work.
Then, vacuum to pull up loose dirt, dust balls, and pet hair. While this might seem unnecessary, keep in mind that dust bunnies and pet hair, in particular, can clog the intake of a steam cleaner and leave damp gunk on the surface of the carpet. It’s better to take the time to thoroughly vacuum this debris up dry than to dig a wet, smelly clog out of the machine later. As you go, mark any spots you see that need extra attention in the next step.
Although pet stains and spills are best cleaned up as soon as possible, sometimes you can’t get to them before they set in. After you vacuum, pretreat these spots with carpet-stain remover or a mixture of one part white vinegar to three parts cold water.
If you’ve never used this particular treatment or solution on your carpet before, make sure you spot test it for colorfastness. Pick an out-of-the-way spot, like one that’s usually hidden by furniture. Apply a small amount of the solution, wait a few minutes, and then dab it with a white cloth or paper towel. If you see any dyes or color bleeding, don’t apply the solution to the rest of the carpet.
Read the directions on any pretreater you use carefully. Some are meant to be blotted up with a clean cloth while still damp, and others are meant to be vacuumed up or removed by the shampoo machine. Note that spot cleaning for certain carpet stains may require other cleansers or methods, including dish soap, ammonia, or rubbing alcohol.
Although using carpet shampoo and a steam cleaner takes less time and effort, you can also deep-clean carpet with a vacuum, household cleaners, and some elbow grease.
Using a Vacuum
You have a few options for doing a deep clean without special machinery. These methods are usually best accomplished by working a small patch of carpet at a time, perhaps a 3-foot by 3-foot square. There are dry, foaming, and wet shampoos you can buy, or you can make your own with common household materials.
One method that’s particularly good for combatting odors is to combine equal parts baking soda and salt and sprinkle this over the carpet. Then fill a spray bottle with cold water and mist the carpet until it is damp but not soaked. Next, take a scrub brush and work the damp powder into the carpet pile, first in one direction, then at a 90-degree angle. Scoop up any extra powder, let the carpet dry, and vacuum up the remaining powder. This will likely require several passes with the vacuum cleaner.
If you have access to a steam machine other than a carpet cleaner—for example, a clothes steamer or steam mop—you can use the same baking-soda-and-salt method. However, you’ll use the steamer instead of the spray bottle to dampen the powder. Continue with the scrub brush after that. However, do not use steam on natural fiber carpets.
You can also use a vinegar-and-water solution in a spray bottle and mist the carpet. Again, check for colorfastness first, then dampen a square at a time with the solution. Allow it to sit for about five minutes, then blot the excess water and vinegar with a microfiber cloth, rinsing the cloth frequently in clean water.
You can use these methods on area rugs, too, but move them to a tiled surface or protect the floor underneath from moisture damage.
Using a Carpet Shampooer
First, always read the directions before using a carpet cleaning machine. You’re likely to have multiple options for water temperature, amount and concentration of soap, power levels, and other settings. Some are designed to be pushed back and forth like vacuums, but others will only work when you drag them backward. Also, if your carpet is made of natural fibers like wool, you may need to use only cold water to prevent shrinkage. Make sure you know how to empty the collection tank before you fill anything.
Your next step will be to fill the water tank. It may be removable or fixed, but do not fill it beyond the max water level line. There will be a separate tank for carpet shampoo or cleaner, and make sure to use a solution compatible with the cleaning machine. Note that the hot water and steam will do the bulk of the work when it comes to cleaning, so it’s better to use too little shampoo than too much. Otherwise, you may need to spend a long time “rinsing” with just steam.
Now you’re ready to start cleaning the carpet. It’s usually good to start in one corner and clean in parallel lines, getting as close to the wall as possible. This will ensure that you don’t miss spots and that steamers that are meant to be pulled only in one direction will work properly. Remember to go slowly—the machine injects steam and soap into the carpet and vacuums it up again, which takes time. One step per second may feel like a long time, but you need to give the machine time to work.
Pay attention to the water levels in the various tanks and empty the collection tank when it fills up. The dirty water will be dark and may have a foul odor, so empty it in a utility sink, toilet, or outdoor drain. You may have to empty the collection tank and refill the water tank several times, especially in high-traffic areas. Keep going until the water in the collection tank is clear or almost clear and doesn’t contain suds. We recommend doing only the first cleaning pass with shampoo and the rest using only steam to make sure you remove any soap residue.
Unless you’ve used a dry shampoo, you need to let the carpet dry completely before allowing any foot traffic. Drying time will depend on room size, carpet thickness, and the overall humidity of the room. Expect six to eight hours of drying time.
Leave the furniture out of the room overnight if possible. If you put the furniture back too soon and trap moisture in the carpet, this can cause mildew growth. A large oscillating or box fan can help speed up the process, as can opening windows and doors.
Finally, if you’ve used a steam cleaner, empty all tanks and rinse out the collection tank. Especially if you own the cleaner, don’t let it sit around with dirty water in the tank—the machine itself may take on odors and inadvertently spread them the next time you use it. Leave removable tanks out of the machine long enough to dry completely when possible.
When to Shampoo a Carpet
In a perfect world, you would vacuum at least once a week and deep-clean your carpets at least twice a year. However, this can be difficult to fit into a busy schedule, and some homeowners may hire a professional service periodically to take care of this for them. You may want to schedule a professional carpet cleaning soon if you see any of the following signs:
- Noticeable stains or discoloration
- Persistent musty smells or pet odors
- Large spills or flooding
- Any pest problem, including fleas or carpet beetles
- A worsening in allergy symptoms
Tips To Keep Carpets Clean Longer
You can take longer between deep cleans if you spot-clean any spills or stains as soon as they happen. Here are some more cleaning tips and tricks to protect your carpets and go longer between deep cleans:
- Vacuum at least once a week—more often if you have pets or tend to track in dirt.
- Change your vacuum bag and filters as recommended so that your vacuum works at its highest efficiency.
- Use an air purifier with an HVAC filter to trap dust before it hits the ground.
- If you have pets that shed, brush them frequently (outside, when possible) to reduce the number of loose hairs on the carpet.
- Treat stains as soon as they happen. In general, blot instead of scrub, and work from the outside in to avoid spreading the stain or spill. Spray on an appropriate cleaner, rinse with a spray of warm water, and then blot dry.
- For most food and alcohol spills, mix 1/4 teaspoon of mild, non-bleach detergent (like dish soap) with 32 ounces of water.
- For coffee, red wine, blood, and other tougher stains, mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 1 cup of water. However, don’t use this solution on wool or wool-blend carpets.
- On solution-dyed carpets only, you can mix one part chlorine bleach with five parts water. However, this will damage other types of carpets. Additionally, never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar.
- For wax, fat, or oil, place a paper towel over the stain and iron it using the iron on a warm (but not hot) setting.
- Put doormats or machine-washable area rugs at all entrances to reduce the amount of dirt and soil brought indoors.
- Remove your shoes upon entering your home.
- Know what type of carpet you have and how best to clean it.
Purchasing or Renting Equipment
The purchase prices of carpet cleaning machines vary greatly. You can get a lightweight model on Amazon for as low as $99, but the best carpet cleaners for home use are typically in the $200–$300 range. Bissell is a trusted brand name for steam cleaners, as is Rug Doctor. There are also spot cleaners that can deep clean small patches of carpet. Buying the machine can pay for itself in as little as three to four uses. However, these machines require cleaning and maintenance after every use. Even if you do a good job yourself, you may want to hire a professional service every few years to do a deep clean.
- Renting a carpet cleaning machine will be less expensive than hiring a professional cleaning service, but you’ll still have to pay about $30–$80 a day. You’ll also need to buy the shampoo, which usually costs about $20 for a large bottle.
Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Professional
Professionals will have commercial-grade equipment that will do the most thorough job for heavy-duty cleaning. They’ll also typically move and protect furniture for you. Prices will vary based on the size of your home and the cost of living in your area, but most services charge per room, and there may be a set minimum cost. Most of the time, carpet cleaning prices will range from $80 to $380*. Professionals also have insurance coverage in case your carpets are damaged.
If you don’t have pets or problems with pests or allergies, you’re probably fine doing DIY carpet cleaning. However, if you have any of these, or if you have mobility issues or cannot move your furniture yourself, hiring a professional carpet cleaner is likely the better option. At the very least, paying for a professional clean once every few years can help keep your carpets looking and smelling their best.
* Costs in this section sourced from Angi.
Our Conclusion
Carpet shampooing can be accomplished by hand or steam cleaning using heat, water, and detergent to loosen and remove tough stains, spills, and odors.
The fastest and most economical way to clean your carpet yourself is to rent a steam cleaner from a hardware store. You might even consider buying one—if you have pets, you’ll likely recoup your investment quickly. You can also take some steps to do a deeper DIY clean with a regular vacuum. However, professional carpet cleaning companies can take care of everything in a few hours, including the labor of moving furniture.
FAQs About How to Shampoo Carpets
Are you supposed to rinse the carpet after shampooing?
Whether you need to rinse a carpet after shampooing depends on the kind of detergent you use. Dry shampoos are usually meant to be vacuumed up. However, most cleaning solutions that you’d use with a carpet steamer machine are meant to be rinsed, so do a few passes over the cleaned area using only steam.
How can I shampoo my carpet without a machine?
Foaming and dry shampoos can be applied by hand and then removed with a regular vacuum. You can also use the baking soda or vinegar-and-water methods described above. They require a bit more effort and some scrubbing, but you won’t need to rent a machine.
What is the best carpet shampoo?
Many manufacturers that make carpet-cleaning machines also make detergent solutions to use with them. If you rent or buy a machine, the “best” shampoo will be one that’s designed to work with that machine. However, OxiClean and Zep tend to receive good reviews, and Nature’s Miracle is especially good for pet stains and odors.
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