Floor and carpet cleaners
Sustainable living › Healthy home › Clean green › Floor and carpet cleaners
These recipes for less toxic carpet cleaners and deodorizers, stain removers, floor cleaners and heel mark remover can help you save money and protect your family and the environment.
General carpet cleaning
Use a soap-based, non-aerosol rug shampoo. Vacuum when dry.
Carpet odor remover
To neutralize carpet odors, sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpet. Leave on for one hour or overnight. Vacuum up baking soda.
Urine remover
Mix equal parts distilled vinegar and water. Spray or sponge onto the stain. Let stand for 10 minutes or so before blotting the mixture with a sponge or paper towel. This also can be used to remove pet urine odors from other surfaces.
Tip: Never use warm or hot water on stains containing sugar.
Carpet and upholstery stain removers
- See recipe in laundry section for stain remover.
- Blot stain with club soda or cornstarch. Scrub with a dab of dish soap.
- Mix equal parts vinegar and water. Use to remove tough stains including grass, perspiration, rust, jam, coffee, orange juice, wine, beer, ketchup, barbecue sauce, chili, urine and pet stains.
Tip: You can get rid of odor and urine stains with enzymatic cleaners available at many grocery and natural food stores.
All-purpose floor cleaner
Mix 2 tablespoons liquid soap in 1 gallon hot water. Mix, mop and wipe clean. Use less soap if streaking occurs. Wipe dry with a cloth.
Linoleum floor cleaner
Damp mop using 1/4 cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap in 2 gallons warm water.
Vinyl floor cleaner
Damp mop using 1 cup vinegar in 2 gallons warm water.
No-wax floor cleaner
Add 1/2 cup vinegar to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil-based liquid soap in 1 gallon of hot water. Mix, mop and wipe clean.
Tile floor cleaner
Mix 1 cup vinegar with 1 gallon hot water. Mix, mop and wipe clean.
Wood floor cleaner
- For unvarnished floors, damp mop with mild vegetable oil soap. Or try 1/4 cup liquid vegetable oil-based soap, 1/2 teaspoon glycerin, 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar and 2 gallons warm water.
- For varnished floors, or no-wax floors such as polyurethane or Swedish finishes, damp mop using one part vinegar to 10 parts water.
Heel mark remover
Make a paste of 1/2 cup baking soda and enough vegetable oil-based soap to make a paste. Test mix on a small portion of the scuff mark by washing and rinsing well. If the floor finish is removed, you may be able to restore it using 1/2 cup cornstarch and enough water to make a paste. Rub this mixture into the spot and let it dry. Buff to a polish.