How to Clean Carpet and Get Rid of Stains, Smells, and Other Messes

Beautiful wall-to-wall carpet can look modern, as well as do its duty of adding warmth, texture, and reducing noise. Knowing how to clean carpet well—and keep it clean—is an essential skill that every homeowner should have. No need to live with dull discoloration in high-traffic areas, tough stains, and other messes. You’ve got plenty of cleaning products to ensure that your carpet and area rugs remain as plush as ever. And if you think a vacuum is the only carpet cleaning tool to get the job done, think again.

A quick search on Amazon will reveal dozens of carpet shampoos, machines, scrub brushes, stain removers—all promising to help get your carpets looking like new. You can also rent industrial-looking carpet cleaning machines from your local grocery or home improvement store. What’s the best carpet cleaner for a DIY-loving homeowner? Here, Angela Brown, CEO of Savvy Cleaner, a company that trains house cleaners and maids, shares her no-fail cleaning tips for how to treat stains and keep wall-to-wall carpeting looking its best.

How do you keep carpets clean?

For anyone looking for an easy way to clean carpets, Brown says the simplest way to do this is to not to get it dirty in the first place. While this advice does sound a bit tongue-in-cheek, there’s some solid logic that’s worth considering. The following measures will help prevent many stains, so you don’t have to go crazy with deep cleaning, and prolong the life of the carpet with routine maintenance.

Invest in doormats. Place a mat at each entrance to your home that way dirt and debris get stuck to the doormat and not your carpet fibers.

Don’t wear street shoes indoors. Leave shoes, along with all the dirt and grime from outside, by the door. If you don’t like to be barefoot in your home, a pair of slippers, or even flip flops, are a handy alternative.

Limit where food is consumed. Wine, chocolate, and greasy foods can turn into a big mess if they fall, creating pesky carpet stains. Avoid an “Oopsie!” altogether by only eating in your kitchen or dining room, not in front of the TV.

Train your pets. Accidents happen, but if your pet is frequently soiling the carpet, consider hiring a professional to help teach them how to use a litter box or ask to go outside. As you’re training your pet, invest in a vacuum that can deep clean, like Bissel Max Clean Pet Pro.

How do you clean carpet quickly?

Regularly using a vacuum cleaner is the best way to help keep your carpets free of lint, dirt, and pet hair buildup. The frequency with which you need to vacuum will depend on the type of carpet you have, how much carpeting you have, and how you navigate the space. To avoid dust discoloration and matting, tackle high-traffic areas at least once a week. As a precautionary, a quick mini-vacuuming session will definitely keep carpet fibers dirt-free, especially if you have pets. “Vacuuming is a personal preference,” Brown admits. When it comes to stains, “Time is of the essence,” Brown says. She recommends always having compact carpet cleaner or spot remover spray and a clean, white towel at the ready.

What’s the best way to treat common carpet stains?

Brown, who was a house cleaner for more than 20 years before she began her training business, has a secret cleaning weapon in her arsenal that takes care of all sorts of carpet stains. Blue Magic Carpet Stain and Spot Lifter. It has yet to fail her when it comes to spot cleaning. This is how she uses it to clean a stained area:

Gently remove any physical debris like crumbs, making sure you don’t mash the mess further into the carpet.

Use a clean cloth to blot and remove any wetness. Brown prefers using a white cloth towel that is free of dye. She avoids paper towels which can leave behind fibers as they break up.

Spray the foam cleaner directly onto the stain and allow it to sit for a minute or so. Brown prefers foam carpet cleaners because they bind to the carpet fibers without saturating the pad below the stain.

Blot the area with another clean cloth until the stain is removed. Repeat the above steps as needed.

With this cleaning method, she’s been able to remove red wine, grease, blood, tar, cranberry juice, mashed strawberries, and coffee from all types of carpet, area rugs, and even upholstery. Her go-to product is colorfast and she’s never had an issue with it harming carpet fibers or causing any discoloration. Still, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Test the product on an inconspicuous area of carpeting before incorporating it with your other cleaning products.

What’s the best way to clean pet stains from carpet?

For pet stains, Brown relies on the above method, but finishes with an enzymatic spray with a neutral pH to help eliminate odors and deodorize the carpet. For this, she likes to use a product like OdoBan. It’s a concentrate that you’ll need to transfer to a spray bottle and dilute with water, per the directions on the bottle. Spay enough to cover the affected area, but don’t saturate the carpet. She says there’s no sticky residue left behind, and when your carpet dries it will look—and smell—as good as new.

How do you clean carpets naturally?

Your fist instinct when cleaning your carpet without any chemicals may be to reach for some hot water. But doing so isn’t the best idea. Saturating your carpet with anything, especially water, may penetrate deep into the carpet and into the padding beneath it. This can be tricky to dry without professional equipment, making you more susceptible to mold and mildew, which can be costly to remedy.