Easy Carpet Cleaning with Sal Suds & Castile Soap

Carpet is the single largest horizontal surface in a room. It is the last stop for every falling bit of dirt and drip and crumb and dander.  

While frequent vacuuming is the first line of defense in keeping carpet clean, there comes a time where every carpet needs something more. At first, it’s just cleaning a spot or two, but eventually, the whole carpet will need cleaning with a carpet cleaning machine.  

I used to rent machines, but eventually it made more sense, in terms of time and money, to buy my own. With young kids and old dogs, I’ve had lots of practice using it.   

Before using any carpet cleaning technique, check the care instructions and manufacturer’s warranty for your carpet and spot test on an inconspicuous area to verify the method is compatible with your carpet.

Table of contents:

• How to remove spots on carpet
• How to clean carpet with a carpet cleaner
• DIY carpet cleaner solution
• Best strategies for removing carpet stains
• When should you use a carpet deodorizer?
• How to naturally deodorize a carpet with baking soda
• Why clean your carpets yourself?
• How often should you vacuum your carpet?

How to remove spots on carpet

Step 1 

For small spots or recent spills, spray the spot sparingly with the All-Purpose Spray, made with 1 ½ tsp. (7.5 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds OR 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap in 16oz (500 mL) water. Do not saturate the carpet with the spray or you’ll have too many bubbles in the spot. Alternately, if you want to spray more, make a “Lite” All-Purpose Spray by diluting the cleaner further in half, using only ¾ tsp. (4 mL) Sal Suds or 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) Magic Soap in 8oz (250 mL) of water. 

Step 2 

Blot the spot with a wet (just short of drippy) cloth. Blot in multiple directions to scrub all sides of the carpet fibers but take care to rub only towards the center of the spot and not drive the stain down into the fibers. You don’t want to spread the spot and make the stain bigger. If that cloth gets too soiled, swap for a clean one. 

Step 3 

Rinse the spot using another wet cloth, rubbing towards the center until the stain and cleaner are gone. 

Step 4 

Dry the spot by placing a dry absorbent cloth over it and pressing it to absorb the moisture. Once the area is fully dry, vacuum over it to restore the texture.

How to clean carpet with a carpet cleaner

The DIY* carpet cleaning solution below is so simple, you might mistrust it. Is this really it? I promise that it is. You definitely don’t want to overdo it when it comes to carpets, because everything you apply to your carpets needs to be pulled out. If you apply too much, you’ll be spending a lot of time extracting it. Any cleaner left in the carpet will only attract more dirt and make your carpets dirty again faster.  

*Or, as I like to say, GIY, Green-It-Yourself 

DIY carpet cleaner solution

Step 1 

Vacuum the carpet thoroughly. You don’t want to turn any dirt in it into mud. Start with a vacuum cleaner with an empty dirt canister or vacuum bag and a clean filter.  

Step 2 

Spray any spots sparingly with the All-Purpose Spray mentioned above. Do not saturate the spot with the spray. 

Step 3  

Fill the main compartment of the carpet cleaner with hot water. If there is not a separate cleaning solution compartment, add either 1 drop of Sal Suds or ½ Tbsp. (7.5 mL) Magic Soap. If there is a solution compartment, fill that with hot water and add the Sal Suds or Magic Soap. 

Step 4  

Run the carpet cleaner over the carpet according to manufacturer instructions. Take care not to oversaturate the carpet with the cleaning solution. When you come to spots that you pre-sprayed, do not apply further cleaner to the solution. 

Step 5 

Empty both the solution and dirty water out of the machine and refill the water compartment with clean water. Rinse the carpet by running the machine over the carpet again. When finished, rub your fingers into the carpet to check for remaining bubbles. If needed, rinse the carpet again.  

Be sure to extract all the cleaner and residual moisture.  

Any cleaner left in the carpet will attract dirt, which is how they work. This will make your carpet dirty faster. Additionally, you don’t want leave moisture behind which could lead to mold or mildew.  

If you have used Sal Suds and perhaps applied too much solution, leading to residual bubbles, add 1 cup (250 mL) of vinegar to the rinse water. (Do not do this if you have used the soap, as soap and vinegar react with each other.)

Best strategies for removing carpet stains

When it comes to stains in carpets, there is one starting principle: the sooner you treat a stain, the more success you’ll have in getting rid of it.  

If you come across a mess that is still damp, place a highly absorbent cloth, such as microfiber, over it and press it gently to absorb as much as you can. If your cloth becomes saturated, get a dry one. Do this until no more liquid comes out. 

With any stain, start with simple, such as with the All-Purpose Spray made with Sal Suds or soap and room temperature water. This is the least intensive method and what is recommended the most by the American Cleaning Institute for stain removal. If possible, it is very helpful to identify what has caused the stain, as this will direct how best to remove it.  

When it comes to stains in carpets, there is one starting principle: the sooner you treat a stain, the more success you’ll have in getting rid of it.

Certain stains, like blood or grass, are made more permanent by hot water. Other stains such as rust or some dyes are further discolored by using bleach. Check out the carpet stain removal guide over on the Dr. Bronner’s resource pages for more details on stain removal.  

Here are some—let’s call them “niche”—stains and materials that I’ve faced to add to the list of blood, oil, grass and more you’ll find on the Dr. Bronner’s page.

Gum

Put a bag of ice cubes on the gum. Once it has hardened, see if you can peel it off. Alternately, use a hair dryer on a warm setting (not hot, as that can melt the carpet). See if that softens the gum enough to peel it off. Ironically a bit of peanut butter can snag all the gum stickiness, allowing you to wipe it away. Then wash the area well with the above spot cleaning method.

Silly putty

Try the freezing method by putting a bag of ice on the putty and seeing if you can then peel it off. Alternatively, use alcohol, as the polymers are dissolved by alcohol. Use rubbing alcohol or even Dr. Bronner’s Hand Sanitizer to dissolve the putty. Go over the area with the above spot cleaning method.

Dog & cat urine

Absorb out as much liquid pee as possible with absorbent clothes. The proteins in urine require an enzymatic cleaner to break them down. Use a fragrance-free enzymatic cleaner and follow the label instructions. Usually, this sort of enzymatic cleaner needs to dry fully on its own on carpets for maximum effectiveness.

When should you use a carpet deodorizer?

Sometimes your carpet doesn’t need a full carpet cleaning, but it just smells stale. Perhaps it absorbed odors from the air such as cooking fumes or even smoke, or perhaps there was loose but dry material like pet dander that sat in the carpet fibers for a while. Try this deodorizing treatment before you haul out the cleaning machine. Take note, if there is a source of bad smell in the carpet, such as cat pee, this tactic will not work. You need to get rid of the smell source.

How to naturally deodorize a carpet with baking soda

The main ingredient in this powder is simply baking soda. Break up any lumps with a fork. If you’d like, you can jazz it up a bit with essential oils. In a bowl, combine 2 cups baking soda with 10-20 drops of an essential oil. Toss with a fork to combine.  

1. Add the baking soda to a pint size shaker jar. I’ve repurposed large spice jar or I’ve used a glass mason jar with a perforated lid.  

2. Sprinkle the powder liberally over the carpet. 

3. Using a broom, brush the powder into the carpet fibers. Let it sit for 10 minutes. 

Using a vacuum, preferably with a HEPA filter, vacuum the carpet thoroughly. 

Why clean your carpets yourself?

Because cleaning carpets can be a large task in a fully carpeted house, it is tempting to call up a carpet cleaning service. I’ve done this a time or two. However, each time, I was seriously disappointed. I could still see spots, and I knew I could get them out myself. Plus, the artificial fragrance that lingered in the air told me that there were residues left on the carpets emitting these fragrances. Not only are artificial fragrances prone to containing allergens and other problematic ingredients, but residues on carpets make carpets dirty faster. Further, these fragrances and residues can be particularly irritating to pets, especially cats.  

This is why I prefer to clean your carpets myself. If that’s not an option for you, find a service that will either use a cleaning solution of your choice or uses hot water extraction (sometimes referred to as professional steam cleaning).  

It’s also important to mention that cleaning carpets yourself may affect the carpet manufacturer’s warranty. If that’s a concern, look into the warranty before moving forward.

How often should you vacuum your carpet?

To bring this topic back to the beginning, vacuuming is the best way to postpone full carpet cleanings and to prolong the life of your carpet. Invest in a durable vacuum and use it thoroughly and often – at least once a week, more often if you have pets or children or in high traffic areas. Dirt left in carpet will shorten its lifespan because the dirt rubs against carpet fibers, wearing them down.  

Furthermore, carpets accumulate a massive stash of particulates and dust. These cause odors and can trigger allergies. Vacuuming is also the single fastest way to make your place look better. Regardless of what else you clean, if you neglect vacuuming, your place will look neglected.  

All that being said, when the day comes that you do need to do a full carpet cleaning, these steps will get the job done easily and effectively, with no odd fumes or residues.  

Further reading

• GIY All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
• Sal Suds or Castile Soap – Which to Use
• How to Clean Upholstery with Dr. Bronner’s
• Mopping with Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap or Sal Suds

Sal Suds cleaner shows >60% biodegradation after 28 days per ISO 14593.

This use and many more are in my book, Soap & Soul: A Practical Guide to Minding Your Home, Your Body, and Your Spirit with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, available now in hardback on DrBronner.com or at your favorite bookseller, and as an eBook and audiobook (read by me!) from wherever you download or listen.