clean carpet?

[sito]

what is the best way of cleaning carpet & restoring its splendor?

[DogRescuer]

For me its vacuum extensively spray with folex steam folex again steam than wipe area with clean towel let dry and inspect.

[Audios S6]

Do you want it to look clean or be deep cleaned?

What Dogrescuer suggested is a great method, safe for almost any application and dries very fast. I try to use this method as much as possible. It's also faster to do the work, at least for me. But it doesn't always get everything off the surface and certainly doesn't deep clean the carpet.

Alternatively, you can shampoo and extract. This will be a much deeper clean, but leave the carpets wet for longer, there is potential for resoiling and stain wicking. Ideally, you'll want a couple air movers to help dry the areas faster.

There are trade-offs.

[DogRescuer]

Do you want it to look clean or be deep cleaned?

What Dogrescuer suggested is a great method, safe for almost any application and dries very fast. I try to use this method as much as possible. It's also faster to do the work, at least for me. But it doesn't always get everything off the surface and certainly doesn't deep clean the carpet.

Alternatively, you can shampoo and extract. This will be a much deeper clean, but leave the carpets wet for longer, there is potential for resoiling and stain wicking. Ideally, you'll want a couple air movers to help dry the areas faster.

There are trade-offs.

Your right about using an extractor i just can't afford one yet, and of course this all can be done old school with a brush and elbow grease

[Mantilgh]

There are some good interior cleaning tips and carpet cleaning info in this thread;

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/87945-whats-your-best-tips-interior-detailing.html

Here is what I do without having a steamer or a true extractor.

I vacuum then use a various sized stiff scrub brushes then repeat until I got all that I can get up that way, then start with your cleaners.

I have also recently tried pre cleaning with a vinegar(acidic) solution and it worked well coffee stains.

I did my in laws interior the other day and there were a lot of dark brown stains in the carpet below the center console. I knew they had to be coffee stains and did not want to risk setting them with an APC(basic).

So I first mixed up a batch of water and distilled vinegar(50/50) and sprayed, agitated, and blotted with an old bath towel. Then also did this to any other dark spots also, whether I thought it was coffee or not.

Then I spot treated any dark areas that were potentially oil/grease stains with a citrus based cleaner(I just use non pumice citrus based GoJo hand cleaner). Treat, agitate, and blot.

Then I lightly sprayed an APC or interior cleaner(I use Griots Interior Cleaner) to help neutralize the acidic vinegar solution and to also help remove the citrus cleaner/degreaser. Just a little agitation and thorough blotting to remove the moisture. Or hit it with a wet/dry vac.

I would say try to use a little cleaner as possible so there is less to remove. Keep a spray bottle of water with you. If you have already gave the spot a couple of sprays cleaner and you want to spray more, I say don't. Give it a spray or two of plain water on top and agitate and blot some more.

I did a car a couple of weeks ago that was so saturated with un-removed cleaner that a used car dept left behind. All I had to do was spray with water and agitate, and it would foam up. That turned into a lengthy extraction job.

[tw33k2514]

If you are serious about carpet you need an extractor. There just isn't a substitution. That said I understand not everyone can afford one. So I'd get a powerful wet/dry vac a good stiff brush and hit the gym.

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[DogRescuer]

hit the gym.

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Funny

[sito]

I can't afford an deep steam cleaning. it would cost too much and take up all day.