About two years ago now (it really is shocking sometimes how quickly time passes!), I posted a “recipe” for a homemade cleaning solution for use in carpet cleaning machines. I still stand by that cleaning solution, and would recommend it to anyone! It’s easy to make and can save you quite a bit of money over those expensive store-bought cleaning solutions. But a reader recently told me about another homemade carpet cleaner that I was eager to try, and that’s what I’m sharing with you today! Because it never hurts to have options, right? :-)
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Related: How To Make A Natural Carpet Cleaning Solution
Like the old formula, the solution I’ll be sharing with you today uses white vinegar to clean and deodorize. But this formula also packs an antibacterial punch thanks to the addition of Lysol concentrate disinfectant. A little bit of this stuff goes a long way, so a capful is all you need here! And apart from a bit of warm water, the only other ingredient in this recipe is rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly, so adding it to a carpet cleaner solution like this can help your carpets dry out more quickly after you’ve cleaned them! These ingredients come together to form a powerful cleaner, and even the most stubborn dirt and grime won’t stand a chance against you and your carpet cleaner!
Speaking of which, I also thought I’d mention that I ended up buying my own carpet cleaning machine. (I had been renting them pretty regularly for blog posts, so I thought it made more sense to just buy my own!) It’s called the BISSEL PowerForce, and I’ve really enjoyed using it so far! It’s much smaller and lighter than those rental machines, so it’s perfect for my home since only the bedrooms have carpet. If your home has a lot of carpet, you may want to look for a model that’s a bit larger than this one! But I thought I’d share, just in case you happened to be in the market for a carpet cleaner of your own. :-) Now, onto that recipe!
Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution
Ingredients:
- Warm water
- 1 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1 capful Lysol concentrate disinfectant
- White vinegar
Directions:
Fill the water reservoir about halfway full with clean, warm water.
Pour the rubbing alcohol and Lysol concentrate into the reservoir too.
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Finally, fill the remaining space in the tank with white vinegar. (Make sure to stop at the “fill here” line to make sure you don’t overfill the tank.)
Put the tank in place on your machine, and clean your carpets according to the instructions provided with your machine. The cleaning solution will dissolve dirt, erase stains, and eliminate germs, leaving your carpet softer and cleaner than you even knew it could be! :-)
Note: some carpet cleaner manufacturers claim using anything but their cleaning solution will void the warranty and/or damage the machine. Use your own judgement on this, but I personally have used many different homemade cleaning recipes in carpet and spot cleaner machines without any problem. Just be sure to rinse out your reservoir when you’re done.
I tried the solution at my place, used warm water, and guess what….one of the toughest stains were off just in a second. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was awesome. Thanks for sharing such an informative article.
I’m so glad, Paul!
the white vinegar not only freshens, cleans and sanitizes the carpet but it also cuts the foam and helps remove residual soap in the carpet. I’ve been using white vinegar for many, many years in carpet cleaning and elsewhere…………………………..
Can I use a capful of Mr Clean instead of Lysol??
Also my machine has a different spot for the cleaner and it mixes with the water during the “clean” cycle. Should i just leave the detergent cup empty and mix all these in rinse reservoir?
Yes – the Mr Clean Disinfectant will work wonderfully!
Your mixture is machine specific to that particular water reservoir. Can you provide a ratio/specific formula to make up the solution in, say a two gallon container or any larger volume?.
Equal parts vinegar and water, with 1 capful of Lysol for every gallon of liquid :-)
Rubbing alcohol is bad to breathe in.
Being quite diluted I say with all respect, it’s no worse than the everyday air we breathe or the off-gases from all the synthetic items in our homes including carpets and rugs. It really is a great cleaner! It also works wonders on upholstery, car seats and other car upholstery (walls and flooring.) Best to clean insides of car in the morning of a hot but breezy day and leave the windows or doors open so there is a cross draft.
Does the Lysol have a scent? I’m allergic to everything scented. If it’s scented like I remember from the 1960’s I’ll have to pass on the Lysol.
It does have strong scent. However, since you use only a capful for a whole carpeted room, it’s quite diluted. The smell didn’t bother me much! You can definitely leave it out, though :-)
I was wondering does this make a phone at all? My carpet cleaning machine can not use anything that phones. Thank you. Love your ideas and your blog!
No foam here! :-)
Can this be used in a steam cleaner
Hi Jillee, is this solution good for cleaning the mattresses?
I’ve never tried that – I would be worried about using that much water on my mattress. I do have a post about freshening mattresses, though: https://jillee.co/2MNnxpi
Lysol is deadly to cats, use something else if you have cats.