New carpets can contain a lot less chemicals than older ones. It’s worth your time to trade in your carpet if it is more than five years old.
To remove stains from your carpet, you can scrub a wine stain with club soda. Let it absorb the wine and scrub. If it remains, wipe it down with a few drops of white wine vinegar and it should remove all of the residual stain.
To remove muddy footprints or to clean your carpets well and make them a lot brighter, sprinkle them with ordinary table salt and let the salt stand for about an hour on the carpet. Then vacuum normally with a hepa filter vacuum for better suction.
When properly cleaned and maintained, your carpet may actually help to prevent allergic reactions. Carpets are highly effective places to trap dust and allergens and prevent them from staying airborne. When you vacuum correctly and regularly your household air quality may actually be better than without a carpet.
To get gum out of your rugs, press and hold an ice cube on the carpet to freeze it. Snap off the gum and then use a spot cleaner to get out the remainder. If small bits or particles remain, a VERY light going over with a safety razor may remove the residual.
IF you have a large water spill it is imperative that you remove all residual water and place a fan on your carpet or have it professionally cleaned. Stachybotrys is a household mold that can grow rapidly on wet carpeting and can cause dermatitis and other problems.
If you have depressions in your carpet that are left there by heavy furniture sitting on the rug, you can use a steam iron to remove them. Hold it close to the rug but not touching it and allow the steam to hit it until it is slightly dampened. Using a popsicle stick or flat craft stick lift the carpet fibers gently.
Removed dripped candle wax from your rug by covering it with a paper bag and ironing over the bag. Most of the wax will be ironed into and absorbed by the bag. Clean the rug below with vinegar or club soda. Remember to clean your iron.