Accidents happen and, at some point, stains are inevitable. Whether you have children or pets running around, or you accidentally spill a cup of coffee all over your gorgeous accent rug (GUILTY!), this natural carpet cleaner is the perfect non-toxic solution for cleaning almost any carpet.

• Two simple, non-toxic ingredients
• Cost-effective (commercial formulas often cost upwards of triple the price)
• Can be used on carpets, couches, rugs and even the interior of your car
• Cleans stains left from food, pets and life’s little messes
• Gets rid of odors

Blotting versus rubbing

It may sound silly, but the cleaning technique is as critical to removing a stain on your carpet as the cleaning solution itself. Your first instinct may be to grab a towel and start rubbing because it’s the quickest method. The problem is, this rubs the stain/liquid in even further.

Blotting immediately after a spill is the best way to successfully remove the stain. Start at the outer part of the stain and work your way in, blotting and dabbing the affected area. Once the towel is damp from pulling up the stain/liquid, you’ll want to grab a clean one.

• What you will need
• 2 clean, dark-colored spray bottles (for storage)
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
• Distilled water
• A white cloth

What to store your cleaner in

You’ll want to store your hydrogen peroxide solution in a dark-colored spray bottle. We’ve had a lot of success with dark-colored glass bottles. We’ve used both chalkboard labels and a label maker to quickly and easily identify our cleaners. Why dark bottles? Hydrogen peroxide decomposes to water if it’s exposed to light.

Why is it necessary to mix the vinegar solution and hydrogen peroxide solution in separate bottles?

Contrary to what some DIY recipes tell you, you shouldn’t mix the two liquids in one bottle. Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are wonderful cleaning/disinfecting ingredients. Unfortunately, they don’t play well together when combined into one solution (they form peracetic acid). They CAN be used back to back when cleaning and disinfecting.

Do you need a final rinse with water?

This cleaner is safe to use without rinsing with water. However, some people prefer to take that extra step, just to be cautious. This is a personal preference and is totally up to you. We personally don’t do an extra rinse.