This Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution Makes Stains Disappear

Adding Lysol Concentrate for homemade carpet cleaner solution to reservoir of carpet cleaning machine.

If you’re looking for the best homemade carpet cleaner solution, you’ve come to the right place! The carpet shampoo recipe I’m sharing in this post uses white vinegar to dissolve dirt and eliminate odors, rubbing alcohol for faster drying, and Lysol concentrate for an antibacterial boost. It’s the best carpet cleaner solution for your budget and for keeping carpet and area rugs free of dirt, spills, and stubborn stains.

Whether you plan to use this frugal homemade carpet cleaning solution in a Bissell machine you have at home or in a commercial carpet shampooer, it’s an effective way to clean your entire carpet or a single area of carpet. Plus, you’ll save a fortune when you make a homemade solution compared to the cost of hiring professional carpet cleaning services.

Making a homemade stain remover and treating stains before using carpet cleaning machine.

What To Do Before Using This DIY Carpet Cleaner

Before firing up your carpet cleaning machine, there are two things you should do first: vacuum thoroughly with your vacuum cleaner, and pre-treat tough carpet stains. Vacuuming the carpet beforehand will make it easier for both the machine and cleaning solution to do their jobs, while pre-treating stains will make them easier to remove and less likely to leave behind any visible discoloration.

Here are some tips for tackling some of most common carpet stains:

Pet Stains

Vinegar and baking soda are great for spot cleaning pet stains, but the method does take a bit of time. I recommend cleaning the stain from a pet accident a day or two before you plan to use your homemade carpet cleaner recipe. Just saturate the stain with vinegar, cover it with baking soda, let it dry, then vacuum it up!

Candle Wax

Getting wax out of carpet may take a bit of time depending on how bad the spill is, but it isn’t difficult, and all you need is a stack of newspaper and your iron. Just lay a piece of newspaper over the wax, and place your hot iron over it (without steam, obviously!) Continue using fresh newspaper until you’ve pulled up all the wax.

Permanent Marker

I’ve found rubbing alcohol to be an effective carpet solution for removing marker stains. Just pour it onto the stain, then blot with a damp cloth to lift the ink out. (If the stain doesn’t disappear completely, you may be able to use your clothes iron to remove the rest of it!)

Blood

Nosebleeds, accident-prone kids, unnoticed cuts and scrapes — we’ve all dealt with a blood stain on carpeting at some point! Get blood out of carpet quickly and effectively with hydrogen peroxide.

Other Stains

For other stains — from spilled food to mud and beyond — I always keep a spray bottle of my trusty homemade carpet stain remover handy so I can treat new stains as soon as I notice them. This simple combination of water, borax, vinegar, and lemon oil is easy to use and works great — just spray this homemade rug cleaner on the stain, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then blot (don’t scrub) with a damp cloth.

For much more on this topic, be sure to check out my guide on how to remove carpet stains! It includes a variety of homemade stain remover solutions, as well as straightforward tips for treating stains with dishwashing liquid and other simple household cleaners.

The best homemade carpet cleaner solution contains white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and Lysol concentrate disinfectant.

How To Make The Best Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution

Ingredients:

Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution starts by filling the carpet cleaner's reservoir about half full of warm water.

Directions:

Fill the water reservoir about halfway full with clean, warm water.

Continue making Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution by adding alcohol and Lysol to the reservoir.

Then add the rubbing alcohol and Lysol concentrate. 

Top the reservoir off with white vinegar, and your Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution is ready to use!

Next, pour white vinegar into the tank until the level of the liquid reaches the “max fill” or “fill to here” line on the tank.

Woman using a carpet cleaning machine on a rug.

To use this DIY carpet cleaner solution, place the tank of cleaning solution into the machine, then clean your carpets according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (No need to rinse afterward!) The cleaning solution will eliminate dirt, germs, and odors, leaving your carpet softer and cleaner than you ever knew it could be. 

Note: Some carpet cleaning machine manufacturers warn against using anything other than their own special cleaning solution in their machines. Just something to be aware of (but I will say that I’ve personally used homemade cleaning solutions in many different carpet cleaners and spot machines without any problems!)

Laundry detergent is not a good carpet shampoo.

Why Laundry Detergent Isn’t A Good Choice For Carpet Cleaning Solutions

Some people advocate for using diluted laundry detergent for carpet cleaning purposes, but here’s why I don’t recommend it:

  • Laundry detergent is highly concentrated, making it difficult to rinse out of carpet.
  • Lingering residues in carpet can attract more dirt and compound the problem.
  • Soaking your carpet in an attempt to rinse it clean can lead to mold problems.

That being said, you can use a heavily diluted laundry detergent solution on carpet if that’s your only option. Just remember the same rule that applies to laundry: more detergent isn’t always better! Also, be sure to spot test your detergent solution in an inconspicuous area before using it on a larger area of the carpet.

Keep carpets fresh after using Homemade Carpet Cleaner by using baking soda now and then before vacuuming to absorb odors.

BONUS: How To Keep Clean Carpet Looking Great

Once your carpet is clean, the best way to keep it that way is by vacuuming it regularly. Vacuuming not only keeps dirt and allergens to a minimum, but it will extend the life of your carpet. Use your homemade carpet cleaner solution every few months where needed, especially areas of heavy traffic.

You can also draw dirt, moisture, and odors out of the fibers of your carpet by making a simple DIY carpet powder with baking soda, borax, and essential oils. Just sprinkle it over your carpet, let it sit for a while, then vacuum it up for cleaner, fresher-smelling carpet!

Have you tried to make homemade carpet cleaners before?

carpet solution

The Best Homemade Carpet Cleaning Solution

Jill Nystul
Use this inexpensive cleaning solution in your carpet cleaning machine to leave carpets clean, fresh, and free of stains.
5 from 1 vote

Equipment

  • Carpet cleaning machine

Ingredients
  

  • warm water
  • 1 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1 capful Lysol concentrate disinfectant
  • white vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Fill the water reservoir of the cleaner about halfway full with clean, warm water.
  • Add the rubbing alcohol and Lysol concentrate.
  • Fill the remaining space in the tank with white vinegar. (Stop at the fill mark.)
  • Place the tank on the machine and clean your carpets according to the manufacturer's instructions.

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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