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    Home

    The Best Carpet Cleaner Recipe

    by Jessica 55 Comments

    The best carpet cleaner recipe - great for pet smells, wine stains and so much more. It will leave your carpets clean and smelling amazing!

    Cleaning carpets can be daunting, but it's easy to do the this easy Carpet Cleaner Recipe! You just need a few ingredients to make your own carpet cleaner to use at home in your carpet cleaning machine or one that you may rent from a store.

    homemade carpet cleaner

    I'm not sure about you, but my carpets could use a good cleaning about once a month...if not more often. Unless you own your own carpet cleaner, that's just not feasible for most people. Paying to have your carpets cleaned can get pretty expensive, and renting a machine can seem like a hassle. And the carpet cleaning solution...it's expensive! I own my own carpet cleaner because we have 3 pets and I'm a clean freak, but if you don't, there are a few options for you. You can either pay someone to professionally clean your carpets, buy your own carpet cleaner, or go to your grocery or home improvement store and rent an industrial carpet cleaner. The industrial carpet cleaning machines are a great way to get your carpets cleaned without spending a ton of money. You can rent them for either 24 hours or even for a few days. I used to do this all the time and clean the carpets in our home over a two day period. They are really strong machines and can really get the job done. The kicker for the rented machines and home owned machines is that you need carpet cleaning solution. The solutions available at the store are quite expensive and quite frankly, I don't think they work very well. So, I made my own! It not only cleans the carpets like a charm, but has my favorite stain busting mix in it as well, so some of those more tough stains will come out! It's great for pet stains and odors as well as wine and food stains.

    This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using one of these links, I will receive a small commission.

    What's in Homemade Carpet Cleaner?

    • 1 gallon plastic or glass container with lid (you can use an old milk jug or a bucket)
    • 1 cup hydrogen peroxide ( Purchase HERE )
    • ⅛ cup dish liquid ( Purchase HERE )
    • 1 tablespoon Oxiclean (Purchase HERE )
    • ½ cup fabric softener (Purchase HERE )
    • Funnel ( Purchase HERE )

    If you are interested in purchasing your own Carpet Cleaner for Home, THIS is the one I use.

    homemade-carpet-cleaner-ingredients

    How to Make Homemade Carpet Cleaner

    Step 1 - Add the hydrogen peroxide, dish liquid Oxiclean and fabric softener to a large gallon jug using a funnel.

    making-homemade-carpet-cleaning-solution

    Step 2 - Fill the remainder of the jug with water and mix well.

    DIY-carpet-cleaner

    Step 3 - Fill the reservoir of your carpet cleaner with warm water and add 2 ounces of the homemade solution.

    carpet-cleaner

    Step 4 - Clean your carpets according to your carpet cleaners instructions.

    cleaning-carpets

    Store the remainder of your carpet cleaning solution to use whenever you need it again!

    homemade-carpet-cleaner-recipe

    Looking for more carpet cleaning ideas? Check these out!

    red-wine-carpet-stain

    Use THIS Easy Trick to Remove Carpet Stains ...even red wine!

    Need to remove odors from your carpets and rugs? Use my Easy 2 - Ingredient Odor Busting Carpet Sprinkle! Just apply and vacuum the stink away!

    the-best-stain-remover

    Get stains out of just about anything with The Best Stain Remover Ever! It only has two ingredients and is a true miracle worker on carpets, clothes, upholstery and more!

    Find these easy cleaning tips and more HERE on my Home Tips Page!

    « 3 Ingredient Homemade Bleach Alternative
    Hundreds of Easy Cleaning Recipes and Tips »

    Comments

    1. Michele says

      May 13, 2016 at 12:21 am

      Just tried this ony light colored carpets. Worked great!! Had everything on hand and super cheap to make. I made 1/2 the recipe. A must try.

      Reply
      • Lorry Norton says

        May 05, 2017 at 3:53 pm

        Where is the recipe??? I've looked everywhere and I can't find it.

        Reply
        • Lisa says

          November 01, 2020 at 10:06 am

          Step 3 – Fill the reservoir of your carpet cleaner with warm water and add 2 ounces of the homemade solution.

          Reply
        • MLT says

          August 03, 2022 at 5:08 pm

          1 gallon plastic jug
          1 cup hydrogen peroxide
          1/8 cup dish liquid. (Dawn)
          1 Tablespoon Oxiclean
          1/2 cup fabric softener
          Use a funnel

          Reply
      • Barb says

        January 24, 2021 at 2:00 pm

        Wow.. this works great.. I’ve been wanting to try it. Made a half batch.. stored it in milk jug. And to use. I poured some in spray bottle.. before I could even scrub. The grease mark was gone.. my hubby was watching me.. and couldn’t believe his eyes.. it’s was very coooool.

        Reply
        • Jessica says

          January 24, 2021 at 7:26 pm

          I'm so glad you loved it!

          Reply
    2. PMH says

      July 25, 2016 at 6:09 pm

      It discolors my carpet and I have a steel gray bluish Mohaw carpeting, so try a spot first

      Reply
    3. Gregg says

      August 20, 2016 at 2:22 pm

      Where's the recipe for making your carpet cleaning solution?

      Reply
      • MLT says

        August 03, 2022 at 5:10 pm

        1 gallon plastic jug
        1 cup hydrogen peroxide
        1/8 cup dish liquid. (Dawn)
        1 Tablespoon Oxiclean
        1/2 cup fabric softener
        Use a funnel

        Reply
    4. Mona says

      February 18, 2017 at 8:49 am

      How much of each do you use. Nowhere do I see a recipe on the amount to use on the rug shampoo. Dawn dish detergent, hydrogen peroxide, and oxi clean and water.

      Reply
      • Gayle says

        September 21, 2020 at 9:30 pm

        The amounts of each ingredient needed is listed just above the how to. Did you scroll right to the how to? You probably scrolled right past it.

        Reply
    5. Jean says

      July 02, 2017 at 6:05 pm

      How much of your solution do you suggest using in a shampooing machine? Or do you just use the solution alone without adding any water?

      Reply
      • Nancy says

        October 01, 2018 at 10:57 am

        2 ounces

        Reply
        • Sue says

          March 06, 2019 at 4:38 pm

          In the actual water part, or where the normal shampoo goes? I have a Bissel.

          Reply
          • Trudy says

            March 02, 2020 at 3:11 pm

            I have a Bissel as well. Did you get a response to this question? Or have you tried it yet in the Bissel?

            Reply
            • Devon says

              December 24, 2020 at 1:43 am

              I love this recipe! I have the Bissell pet shampooer and I just fill the entire shampoo reservoir with the mixture. I skip the fabric softener as a personal preference but it works nicely when I use it. I have light tan carpet and this stuff has held up for blood, vomit, mud, and plenty of other tough stains.

            • Sarah Murphy says

              July 19, 2021 at 9:24 am

              Can you use this on the industrial professional machines or will it foam too much?

    6. Becky says

      July 03, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      What does the fabric softener do? Is it necessary? I do not use it in our laundry so I would waste a whole container.

      Reply
    7. Jmartatx says

      September 18, 2018 at 10:15 pm

      I replaced the fabric softener with Lysol Fresh Scent Laundry Sanitizer. After I used the cleaning solution on the carpets I rinsed the carpet with plain water. My house still smells fresh a week later. Make sure to spot test on lighter carpets as the sanitizer does have a blue tint. I did not have an issue with mine but always best to test first.

      Reply
    8. Babs says

      October 01, 2018 at 11:19 am

      Eeek!!! Other than the water and hydrogen peroxide....these are bad scary ingredients! At least use a natural dish liquid. I've used Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap instead. The fabric softener contributes to respiratory issues, especially in children and pets, and leaves a greasy residue (on your clothes too!) and the Dawn has strong chemical scents. Clean just has its own nice scent. For many years I've used borax and washing soda, and have also found a pure and scent free oxygen cleaner online. Works beautifully. Great recipe with a few healthy tweaks. Thx. Love your tips and recipes!

      Reply
    9. Wendy says

      October 01, 2018 at 4:48 pm

      Our carpets look great and it was easy and so inexpensive to make, like some of the other people said I also left out the fabric softener ( I don't have any) and it still did a fantastic job, lots left over for the next shampooing
      Thanks again for the great "recipe"

      Reply
    10. Shirley says

      October 01, 2018 at 6:23 pm

      When I bought my oriental rug I was told never to have it cleaned, or use chemicals.
      Vacuum well and use a solution of White vinegar. A clean sponge using your hand. . .

      ..

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 02, 2018 at 6:59 am

        Oriental rugs are a different ballgame all together and require special care just like dry clean only clothing. I would definitely stick to the manufacturer's recs on this one!

        Reply
      • Diane says

        November 22, 2020 at 11:45 am

        Do not use oxiclean on oriental rugs if they’re made of wool or silk.

        Reply
      • Marilyn Gebhardt says

        May 23, 2021 at 6:40 pm

        Is there a substitute for the Oxiclean?

        Reply
        • Rose says

          May 27, 2021 at 1:47 pm

          I was wondering the same thing.

          Reply
    11. Noreen Nugeness says

      October 02, 2018 at 3:36 am

      I have a little Shih Tzu and I'm afraid these ingredients would be harmful to him. Is it pet friendly? The Groomer told me that a client of hers hired a company to clean her carpets and her dog was allergic to whatever was used and his paws and legs were all swollen. I'm really skeptical about using anything that isn't totally natural and PET FRIENDLY. Also, I have a brown rug in my living room and hallway, and I read one of the comments that it faded the rug. Please advise. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 02, 2018 at 6:58 am

        Hi, Noreen! I've used it for years, and we have two dogs and two cats.There aren't any harsh chemicals in this mixture, so I'm not sure why it would be harmful to them...that's kind of why I avoid having a cleaning company come in and clean my carpets with their concentrated solutions. The only thing that some people don't want to use is the fabric softener, but I love it for the smell. You can use less or leave it out if you like.

        Reply
        • Linda says

          November 29, 2018 at 4:57 am

          People use Dawn to take off oil from wildlife after an oil spill. I would think if they used it for that purpose it would be okay with the small amount one uses to clean carpets.

          Reply
    12. Laura says

      October 07, 2018 at 10:30 am

      If you want to store the leftovers make sure to store it in a dark bottle. Hydrogen peroxide is light sensitive. That’s why it comes in a brown bottle.

      Reply
    13. Deborah says

      October 17, 2018 at 9:40 am

      Has anyone substituted Borax for the oxi-clean in the carpet cleaner recipe?

      Reply
      • Dana M Cornelius says

        June 04, 2020 at 1:09 pm

        I'm going to try🙄.

        Reply
    14. Michelle Zee says

      August 18, 2021 at 6:37 pm

      Thanks for these tips on how to make your own cleaning solution. For really tough stains, I definitely think that hiring a professional carpet cleaner to give your house that deep clean makes life so much easier and makes such a huge difference!

      Reply
    15. Sage says

      September 13, 2021 at 12:15 pm

      Thank you for sharing this recipe! I also have dogs, and my carpets are constantly in need of deep cleaning! This is a great, affordable option to keep your home looking fresh! I've found getting my carpets professionally cleaned about twice a year and deeply cleaning them myself once a month keeps them looking clean! I can't wait to try out this recipe!

      Reply
    16. annon says

      March 17, 2022 at 6:45 pm

      distilled white vinegar

      Reply
    17. Kara P says

      May 18, 2022 at 3:17 pm

      This worked so well! Thank you for the recipe! We get a carpet cleaning about once a year but the spots and spills with having 2 dogs and a toddler really start to add up, LOL! This was a perfect in-between- cleaning hack! Thank you!

      Sending lots of love from Omaha, NE!

      Reply
    18. Nancy says

      June 10, 2022 at 11:58 am

      The assault of video ads on this website makes it unreadable. It is incredibly annoying. I get needing ad revenue. But this is ridiculous. How does one comfortably read an article when video ads are popping up around and over the content? SMH Studies show video ads are NOT more effective. I suppose they cost more though. Those ads give me a negative impression of whatever product or service it is. I'll consult a different website wtihout 50% video ads on a page.

      Reply
    19. Tanner says

      July 21, 2022 at 5:19 pm

      I'm amazed at how well this carpet cleaning recipe turned out! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    20. Mitch Lehrke says

      July 30, 2022 at 10:28 am

      There's certainly a great deal to know about this subject. I like all of the points you have made.

      Reply
    21. for sale says

      November 12, 2022 at 9:32 pm

      Nice i really enjoyed reading your blogs. Keep on posting. Thanks

      Reply
    22. Jennifer says

      January 01, 2023 at 6:21 pm

      I found your recipe a couple of years ago and it seriously is a game changer! Before trying your recipe my carpets would not get as clean and they felt weirdly crunchy when stepped on with bare feet. The fabric softener ingredient makes them soft to the touch, plus they smell good! I can't believe how much dirt comes out with your recipe and my Bissell pet pro carpet cleaner! Thank You!

      Reply
    23. Tristan Kiffer says

      January 08, 2023 at 7:04 pm

      I every time used to read piece of writing in news papers but now as I am a user of net so from now I am using net for articles or reviews, thanks to web.|

      Reply
    24. Judy Berentsen says

      March 14, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      This carpet cleaner is the absolutely best I have ever used. It is unbelievable what stains it removes. I use it to spot clean and I use it in my Hoover steam cleaner! It works better than the Hoover brand recommended! It is awesome on cleaning chair cushions!

      Reply
    25. Elaine says

      February 14, 2017 at 11:51 am

      I can't find your recipe for carpet cleaning solution...

      Reply
    26. Momamma says

      February 23, 2017 at 1:49 pm

      http://www.ehow.com/way_5787069_homemade-recipe-carpet-cleaner.html

      Reply
    27. Anna says

      December 31, 2017 at 9:06 pm

      The link is the last sentence. Click and it takes your to ehow and to the recipe.

      Reply
    28. Lorry Norton says

      May 05, 2017 at 3:55 pm

      That link shows how to use it, but the amounts are not there.

      Reply
    29. PATRICIA says

      June 18, 2017 at 4:44 pm

      1 gallon plastic container
      1 cup hydrogen peroxide
      1/8 cup dish liquid
      1tablespoon oxiclean
      1/2 cup fabric softener
      funnel

      Reply
    30. Gayle says

      September 21, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      The amounts are listed above the how to.

      Reply
    31. Robyn says

      September 19, 2017 at 4:20 pm

      I leave the fabric softener out...it is sticky and will attract more dirt. Won't even use if for my laundry, as it clogs the drain. Terrible for septic tanks.

      Reply
    32. Sheryl says

      March 10, 2018 at 9:25 am

      Thank you, I was like others, couldnt locate the amounts for this recipe on the link.

      Reply
    33. KINDA L VANOVEN says

      March 18, 2021 at 6:25 pm

      Can you substitute the oxieclean with something else?

      Reply
    34. Mary says

      October 01, 2018 at 10:27 am

      I totally agree with you! It has a waxy feel that is so hard to wash off! I use vinegar as a softener in my wash and wool dryer balls in the dryer.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Carpet Cleaning Tips and Tricks - The Country Chic Cottage says:
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      […] The Best Carpet Cleaner Recipe […]

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    2. Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks - Mom 4 Real says:
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      […]  No professional needed.  If you are looking to make your own carpet cleaner, take a look at my carpet cleaner recipe.  It works really well. If you don’t have carpet, but have hardwoods, I have a fabulous wood […]

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    I’m Jessica, a mom on a mission to show other women that you can live well without breaking the bank. I like to share the thrifty, creative ways that I make changes in my home in the hopes that it will spark the creativity in someone else! I love to share DIY projects, crafts, simple recipes and cleaning tips too! Read More…

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