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House Cleaning and Stain Removal Tips
Floor Cleaning Tips

How to Clean Carpet with Borax

Cleaning carpets with borax is an inexpensive way to remove stains and odors.

You can remove stains before they have a chance to set by making a liquid mixture.

Set-in stains can be removed by making a borax paste. And, borax also kills fleas, which is helpful if they bother your dog or cat.

Five Steps to Cleaning Carpet Stains with Borax:

It always seems to happen in slow motion, doesn't it?

Every year at the family reunion Uncle Joe tries to balance his plate and wine glass on one knee while holding a toddler on the other. It's not long before the plate and wine glass end up on the living room carpet.

But this year, armed with salt, borax and vinegar, you'll be able to clean your carpet like a pro.

  1. Blot – Pick up all of the big chunks of food and blot the liquid with a clean cloth
  2. Apply – Using a spray mister, apply ice water to the area
  3. Sprinkle – Shake borax right out of the box over the stain
  4. Cover – Place a wet towel in the freezer for five minutes and then place on top of the area
  5. Work it – Press the borax into the carpet by pushing down on the frozen towel

Continue this process until all of the food and liquid stains are gone. Then, get Uncle Joe another glass of wine!

Removing Set-In Carpet Stains:

Set-in stains and odors require a little more work, but can still be removed by using borax.

Instead of sprinkling it on the area, you'll first need to make a thick paste that will work its way into the fibers to clean and remove stains.

Before applying the mixture, however, it's always a good idea to test it on a small area of the carpet to make sure the carpet won't bleed.

Make a cleaning paste:

  • 1/4 c salt
  • 1/4 c borax
  • 1/4 c vinegar

If the mixture seems too liquid, add equal amounts of salt and borax until the paste is more solid than liquid.

Make sure to use white distilled vinegar. Vinegar will not only freshen the area, but will also disinfect it. Bacteria are often the cause of carpet odors, and vinegar will kill the bacteria.

Don't use water instead of vinegar, as water will contribute to mold and mildew growth in the carpet pad.

Use a rubber spatula to apply paste liberally to the area.

Press the paste into carpet. You don't have to be gentle. You can use force to push as much paste as far down into the carpet as you can. Allow the paste to dry overnight and vacuum.