Clean Carpets With Borax

Cleaning Tip of the Day

Borax is an excellent natural cleaner and deodorizer for carpets.

Be aware that, if ingested, borax can sicken dogs and cats. Keep them safely away while cleaning.

Mix equal amounts of borax with baking soda. Sprinkle on carpets and press with a broom or brush to get the mixture down into the fibers. Leave for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days if possible. Then vacuum. Pets and children should be excluded from the area for this time.

Borax is excellent to eliminate cat urine odors and can help to remove stains from carpets and furniture. Mix one tablespoon of borax and one tablespoon of baking soda in 2 cups of very hot water. Pour on the soiled area and leave overnight before vacuuming the next day.

To make a cleaning solution for heavily soiled areas, mix equal amounts of borax, white vinegar and salt. Place this paste onto the soiled spots until dry. Then vacuum. Repeat if the stain isn’t removed the first time.

To use in a home steam cleaner, mix one gallon of white vinegar with a cup of borax. Add to the hot water in the steamer’s tank. Clean as usual.

For general cleaning and freshening of carpets, adding spices or essential oils to the borax/baking soda mixture will add a nice scent to the room without the harshness of chemicals. Sprinkle on carpets and let sit for at least an hour. Then vacuum. As an additional hint: On light colored carpets use only light-colored oils. Dark oils can sometimes stain the carpet.

For those with allergies, borax will also kill dust mites in carpeting and upholstery.

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