Your carpet is one of the most heavily used items in your home. It experiences daily wear and tear, not to mention spills, stains, and foot traffic. Over time, your once beautiful and plush carpet can start to look dingy and worn out. However, you don’t have to replace your old carpet just yet. With a little effort and know-how, you can use these easy ways to freshen carpet or rugs and make them look like new again (or as close to it as possible) in no time.
Carpet is a popular flooring choice in many households due to its comfort, warmth, and aesthetics…especially if you have little ones underfoot.
Even if you’re a little on the OCD side your carpets can accumulate dirt, dust, and stains, causing them to lose their shine and look dull.
If you have an old carpet that needs freshening, don’t worry! Here are some quick tips to revive your rug and make it look new again.
How To Freshen Carpet
Here are some simple tips to help you freshen up your old carpet and restoring it to its former glory, these methods should also help to revive rug /s too:
Clean Carpet Naturally
There are several ways to clean and deodorize a carpet by hand, without using harsh chemicals. Here are some of the most effective methods (they are in no particular order of how well they work or even my own preference):
- Baking Soda: Sprinkle baking soda over your carpet and let it sit for at least 30 minutes (I prefer to let it sit overnight if I can keep everyone out of the room). Then, vacuum it up. Baking soda can absorb odors and remove dirt from your carpet, making it look and smell fresh.
- Salt and Lemon Juice: Mix salt and lemon juice to form a paste and apply it to the stain. Let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming it up. This natural method can remove tough stains and help in refreshing carpets.
- Club Soda: Pour club soda over the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Blot the stain with a clean cloth until it’s gone. Club soda can help remove stains and freshen carpets.
- Cornstarch: Sprinkle cornstarch over the stain and let it sit for a few hours. Then, vacuum it up. Cornstarch can absorb stains, especially if they are greasy, and remove odors from your carpet.
- Essential Oils: Add a few drops of essential oils to baking soda (mix well) before sprinkling it over your carpet. Essential oils can add a pleasant scent to your carpet and help remove odors, I like to use tea tree, orange, or lemon essential oils for this.
By using these natural methods, you can effectively do a carpet refresh your carpet without exposing your home and family to harsh chemicals.
How To Get Furniture Marks And Indentations Out Of Carpet
There are several time test ways to remove furniture marks and indentations from your carpet. Here are some effective methods:
- Ice Cubes: Vaccuum the area first, then place ice cubes on the furniture mark and let them melt. Blot the water with a clean cloth and use a spoon to lift the fibers. Then, vacuum the area to restore the texture.
- Steam Iron: Place a damp cloth over the furniture mark and iron the area for a few seconds, on a lower heat setting. This will generate steam, which can help lift the fibers. Then, use a fork or hair brush to restore the texture and vacuum the area.
- Carpet Rake or Fork: Use a carpet rake, or even a fork out of the kitchen, to lift the fibers in the furniture mark. This can help restore the texture of the carpet. It looks best if you vacuum the area after you do it though.
- Blow Dryer: Use a blow dryer on the low heat setting to warm the fibers. Then, use a hair brush to lift the fibers and restore the texture of the carpet.
- Vinegar and Water: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and spray the solution on the furniture mark. Let it sit for a few minutes and then use a spoon to lift the fibers. Blot the area with a clean cloth, let dry, and vacuum the area.
I remember my mom having me use a fork to fluff up the couch indentations in the carpet any time we moved the furniture when I was a kid…lol. It definitely works. If for some reason some of the stain on wood furniture, or even paint got left behind in your carpet, I would try using my favorite cleaning product on it, and you can read about that cleaner here if you would like.
By using these methods, you can effectively remove furniture marks and indentations from your carpet and restore the texture of the carpet so that it looks like there was never furniture there in the first place.
Fluff Up Your Carpet
Over time, carpets can lose their fluffiness due to foot traffic, heavy furniture, and regular wear and tear.
Honestly, sometimes carpet just needs a good, thorough vacuuming (after you have cleaned the vacuum filters and made sure that it is working 100% properly that is).
Another option is to use a standard carpet rake to fluff up the carpet fibers. Raking your carpet can even pull out any ground in pet hair too. I recommend doing the full carpet in the same direction (working in straight rows), and then do it once more from the opposite direction so that you are pulling the carpet fibers from a different direction.
How To Make High Traffic Carpet Look New (without a machine)
You may be wondering what are the best ways to clean high traffic areas in the carpet, or trying to find methods for old carpet stains removal without a carpet shampooer…and there are several things that you can try.
- Vacuum Regularly: The best way to keep high traffic areas clean is to vacuum them regularly as a means of preventing them to get super nasty looking. This will help remove dirt and debris before they have a chance to become embedded in the fibers of the carpet.
- Spot Clean: When spills or stains occur, it’s important to clean them up immediately and not just let them dry out and become part of the decor. Use a clean cloth to blot up the liquid and then use a mixture of vinegar and water to remove any remaining stains…I’m also a big fan of using my Sal Suds spray bottle for this too, it get out everything, even berry stains dried in carpet.
- Baking Soda: Sprinkle baking soda over the high traffic area and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Then, vacuum it up. Not only will it absorb those odors (which is super important if you have indoor pets), but it will also remove dirt from your carpet, making it look and feel fresh.
- Carpet Cleaner Foam Spray: My late grandmother, who was known for having an immaculately clean home taught me the best way to use a carpet stain remover to treat stubborn stains in high traffic areas. Grandma told me that you should start out by vacuuming the area, then spray the carpet stain remover all over the affected area (it should be foaming up), use a scrub brush and scrub it in different directions so that you are getting all the different sides of the carpet fiber, then wipe up it up with a towel and allow it to dry completely…then you just vacuum it up because the carpet cleaner released the stain. If in doubt, just follow the directions on the back of the package. This is the carpet cleaner foam spray that I recommend. If you don’t want to use a regular scrub brush (which gets you a little messy with foam, you can try using a long handled scrub brush that will do a good job too).
If you can’t tell, using my grandma’s method is the best way that I know how to shampoo a carpet without a machine…it just takes a little bit of planning ahead is all, if you’re doing that deep cleaning because you will have company over soon that is.
Freshen Up Your Rug
Over time, rugs can become dull and lose their freshness due to foot traffic and other factors. Here are some effective ways to freshen up an old rug:
- Vacuum Regularly: The first step to freshen up an old rug is to vacuum it regularly. Vacuuming removes dirt and dust from the surface and helps to maintain the rug’s texture and color.
- Spot Clean: When spills or stains occur, it’s important to clean them up immediately. Use a clean cloth to blot up the liquid and then use a mixture of vinegar and water to remove any remaining stains.
- Hang it outside: Hanging the rug outside in the fresh air and sunshine for a few hours can help to freshen it up and remove any musty odors.
- Shake it out: If your rug is small enough, take it outside and give it a good shake to loosen and remove dirt and debris.
By using these methods, you can effectively freshen up an old rug and restore its appearance and texture.
While regular cleaning and maintenance can help extend the life of your carpets or rugs, remember that you can also go overboard and wear things out too quickly if you’re deep cleaning them too often. Just get it deep cleaned initially and then try hard to maintain that clean by keeping up with the stains and dirt as they happen.
*If you are unsure of any particular method that I mention, make sure to test it in an area out of the way (such as on the carpet in a closet or under a bed) before you treat your whole carpet or rug.*
Carpet Restore FAQ’s
Yes, baking soda is an effective natural deodorizer for carpets. Baking soda is a natural alkaline substance that can neutralize acidic odors, making it an ideal solution for getting rid of unpleasant smells in carpets.
When you sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and leave it for at least 30 minutes, it will penetrate the fibers of the carpet, absorbing and neutralizing any odors. The longer you leave it on the carpet, the more effective it will be at removing the odor.
After the baking soda has been left on the carpet for the desired amount of time, you can vacuum it up, and it will take any odors with it. In addition to its deodorizing properties, baking soda can also help to loosen and remove dirt from the carpet, making it a versatile and effective cleaning solution.
Overall, baking soda is an affordable, natural, and effective way to deodorize your carpet without harsh chemicals or strong fragrances.
Yes, it is safe to vacuum baking soda. In fact, vacuuming up the baking soda is an essential part of the deodorizing process. After the baking soda has been left on the carpet for the desired amount of time to absorb any odors, it is important to thoroughly vacuum it up to remove it from the carpet fibers.
When vacuuming up baking soda, make sure that your vacuum cleaner has a clean filter and a well-functioning motor. If the filter is clogged or the motor is not working properly, it can cause the vacuum to overheat and potentially start a fire.
It is also a good idea to empty the vacuum canister or change the vacuum bag after vacuuming up the baking soda to ensure that any remaining residue is removed from the vacuum.
In summary, vacuuming up baking soda is a safe and necessary step in the process of deodorizing your carpet. Just make sure to take the necessary precautions to ensure that your vacuum is working properly before using it to clean up the baking soda. If in doubt, you can always wear a face mask or ventilate the room as an added precaution.
In conclusion, you may not have to replace your old carpet just yet, to freshen carpet it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Now with these simple tips in your cleaning arsenal, you can revive and refresh your carpet any time that you want so that it looks as good as possible at all times.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and supporting my endeavors to make people’s lives a little easier/better/more affordable. If you liked this post, or found it helpful in any way, please make sure to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers via social media…or you could even send them the direct link via email. Whichever way you choose to spread the love, I super appreciate it! ~Sarah
How To Follow & Support This Site
- If you would like to subscribe to my email list, go here.
- Make sure to follow along via social media, by going here.
- If you would like to learn how to really show your support to this site (at no cost to you), go here.
- If you would like to make a direct donation to the site, go here.
Other helpful resources
To see my entire cleaning section, go here.
Here are some of my most popular homemaking posts:
Here are some related links if you would like other resources on the same topic:
https://www.liveabout.com/cheap-carpet-deodorizer-1387923
https://www.homemadesimple.com/in-the-home/how-to-deodorize-carpet/
https://www.coit.com/blog/spot-removal/keep-your-carpets-smelling-fresh-these-simple-ideas
* Please note that this post was originally shared to this site on 03/17/2023 and has been/will be continually updated to improve user experience, as well as to remain as relevant as possible.