The Best Way to Clean Carpets at Home

The short answer

For most homes, a reliable way to deep clean carpet is hot water extraction, often called steam cleaning. You vacuum thoroughly, pretreat problem spots, run a carpet extractor with a suitable cleaning solution, rinse with clean water, pull out as much moisture as you can, and dry the room quickly with airflow.

That is a general rule rather than a rule for every carpet. Fiber type, age, backing, warranty terms and what is actually on the carpet (dust, grease, pet urine, mold) all change the best choice. The sections below help you match the method to your situation.

Pick the method that fits your carpet and situation

If you are weighing the two main approaches, our comparison of dry vs wet carpet cleaning explains the trade-offs in more detail.

Before you start: safety and prep

• Check the care label, warranty and manufacturer instructions. Some warranties ask for particular cleaning methods or intervals.
• Keep children and pets out of the room while you clean and until the carpet is dry. Keep cleaning solutions, powders and machine tanks out of reach.
• Ventilate the room. Open a window or run a fan, especially if you use any scented or solvent-based product.
• Use only one cleaning product at a time. Never mix bleach, ammonia and vinegar, or combine bleach with any other cleaner. Bleach and ammonia release toxic fumes, and bleach and vinegar release chlorine gas. If you have used one product, rinse the area with water before using another.
• Test first. Try any cleaner on a hidden patch and check for color transfer or fiber change after it dries.

How to deep clean carpet with a home extractor (step by step)

1. Clear the room. Remove furniture where you can. For pieces you cannot move, many people place plastic or foil under the legs to avoid stains and finish damage.
2. Vacuum slowly in more than one direction. Dry soil turns to mud once wet, so remove as much as possible first.
3. Spot treat and pretreat. Apply a carpet-safe pretreatment to heavily soiled traffic lanes and spots and let it sit for the time the label gives.
4. Fill the machine as the manufacturer directs. Use the recommended carpet solution. Using more detergent than the label says does not clean better and can leave residue that attracts dirt.
5. Work in slow, overlapping passes. Push forward while spraying, then pull back slowly over the same strip with the trigger released to draw up the water. Avoid soaking the carpet.
6. Rinse with clean water. Fill the tank with plain water, make another pass, and repeat until the water coming up looks reasonably clear.
7. Do a dry pass or two to extract as much moisture as possible.
8. Dry fast. See the next sections.

Spot treating and pretreating

For spills, blot with a white cloth or white paper towel, working from the outside in. The Carpet and Rug Institute advises against scrubbing or using a brush, because bristles can fray the pile and change its texture. Apply a small amount of a carpet-safe product to a cloth, work it in gently, then blot with clear water to remove leftovers.

For heat-sensitive problems such as urine, do not use a steam cleaner on the spot. The Carpet and Rug Institute notes that heat can set the stain and smell. Extract the liquid first and rinse with cool water.

Rinse, extract and dry

Drying is where many home jobs go wrong. Carpet that stays wet for a long time can develop odors and mildew and may ripple or shrink. To help:

• Run ceiling fans or floor fans pointed across the carpet.
• Use a dehumidifier or air conditioning in humid weather.
• Open windows only if the outside air is drier than the indoor air.
• Keep foot traffic off until the carpet is dry to the touch and no longer feels cool and damp.

How long this takes varies a lot. Our guide to how long carpet takes to dry after steam cleaning gives typical ranges and signs that something is wrong. If the carpet ripples as it dries, see why rugs ripple after cleaning and how to fix it.

Dry and low-moisture options

Dry compounds, absorbent powders and low-moisture encapsulation products use little water, so they dry quickly. They suit maintenance cleaning between deeper cleans and carpets that should not get very wet. They generally do not flush out heavy soil the way extraction does, and product left behind can attract dirt if it is not fully vacuumed away. If anyone in the home has allergies or sensitivities, check the product label and ventilate.

Homemade cleaners: what to know before you mix anything

Many guides suggest vinegar, baking soda, dish soap or hydrogen peroxide. Some people use them successfully on spots, but they are not risk-free:

• Do not combine vinegar with bleach. It releases chlorine gas.
• Do not combine bleach with ammonia-based products, which includes some glass and floor cleaners. This releases toxic chloramine vapors.
• Do not mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in the same container. The combination can form a corrosive acid. If you use both on a stain, use them separately and rinse in between.
• Use small amounts of dish soap. Too much leaves a sticky residue that draws soil back into the carpet.
• Test on a hidden area. Peroxide and bleach can lighten or remove carpet dye, and wool is sensitive to strongly alkaline products.
• Never use homemade mixes in a machine’s tank unless the manufacturer says it is permitted. Some machines are damaged by, or void warranties for, non-approved solutions.

For routine deep cleaning, a product labeled for carpet extractors is usually the simplest choice. The Carpet and Rug Institute runs a Seal of Approval program that lists tested products.

Pets and children

• Keep pets and children off the carpet until it is fully dry. Damp carpet also holds cleaning product residue.
• Rinse thoroughly. Clean-water rinsing helps remove leftover detergent that children and pets can pick up on skin, paws or hands.
• Choose pet-specific enzyme or odor products for urine and vomit, and follow the label. Our guide to getting odors out of carpet covers this in more detail.
• Store concentrated cleaners, baking soda mixtures and spray bottles out of reach and in their original, labeled containers.
• If a child or pet may have swallowed or inhaled a cleaning product, contact poison control or a veterinarian right away rather than waiting for symptoms.

What professionals do differently

Professionals usually use stronger equipment that heats water and pulls out more of it, which often shortens drying time. They also usually inspect the carpet, identify the fiber, pretreat, agitate, and rinse in a defined sequence. Many carpet makers and trade bodies suggest professional deep cleaning roughly every 12 to 18 months; see how often to steam clean carpets for how that changes by household.

Rental machines can do a good job, but they tend to be less powerful, which can leave more water behind. Go slowly and do extra dry passes.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the vacuum before wet cleaning.
• Using too much detergent and not rinsing.
• Soaking the carpet, which slows drying and can cause rippling or odors.
• Scrubbing spots, which can fray or distort fibers.
• Using heat on urine or protein stains.
• Replacing furniture on damp carpet.
• Mixing cleaning products.

FAQ

How can I deep clean a very dirty carpet?

Vacuum thoroughly, pretreat the worst areas, and use an extractor with several rinse passes. A very dirty carpet may need a second round after it dries, since some soil rises to the surface. If it is heavily soiled, smells of mold, or has had water damage, a professional is a safer choice.

Does vinegar and Dawn clean carpet?

A small amount of dish soap diluted in water, and sometimes a little vinegar, is a common home mix for light spots. It may help on some stains, but it is easy to overdo the soap, and rinsing matters. Test it first, do not mix it with other cleaners, and consider a labeled carpet product instead for whole-room cleaning.

What do professionals use to clean carpet?

Most use hot water extraction with truck-mounted or powerful portable equipment, plus pretreatment products chosen for the fiber and soil. Some use low-moisture or dry methods for particular carpets or commercial settings.

Is steam mopping the same thing?

No. A steam mop does not extract dirt and water the way a carpet extractor does. See do steam mops clean carpets.