Keeping your home nice and tidy can be really frustrating, especially if you have a house full of kids traipsing in and out all day. It can also be very expensive to boot. So, when it comes time to find cleaners that are powerful enough to lift those heavy duty stains from your carpets you might be overwhelmed by the heavy price tag that comes with them. The good news is that there is a much more affordable solution if you want to take the time to make the cleaner yourself. When you read the labels of those high priced bottles of cleaners at the store you'll quickly discover that most of those ingredients you already have around the house anyway, so why not make your own homemade carpet cleaner and save a few bucks in the process?

For Spot Cleaning

Before you start putting together your own concoctions for cleaning your carpet you need to decide what type of cleaner you need. When you simply want to remove stains and spots for a small area of your carpet then try this simple solution. You will need a small spray bottle, a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid (preferably clear), a tablespoon of white vinegar, a cup of warm water, a teaspoon of baking soda, a clean absorbent towel and a clean sponge.

Mix all the ingredients together but be prepared for some interesting reactions as vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, so you're going to get a lot of fizz before you're done. When you're ready to use your homemade carpet cleaner, vacuum over the area first and then wipe it with the sponge to get it moist. Spray the stain liberally with the carpet cleaner and then softly rub the stain and dab it dry with the towel. You should be able to start seeing results almost immediately.

Non Toxic Spot Cleaning

If you're into being completely organic and you want to get an effective carpet cleaner that is also non toxic try mixing together equal parts of vinegar and water with a few drops of essential oils to add fragrance to your home. This solution may not be as thorough as other chemical based cleansers but it can work well just the same.

A Word Of Caution

While these and other homemade carpet cleaner solutions can do well in cleaning your carpets the natural way, if you plan to use them in your carpet cleaner, you need to read the instruction manual thoroughly. Some machine manufacturers warn that if you use anything in the machine that is not already approved by the manufacturer you could very well nullify your warranty.

Still, all in all, keeping your carpets spot free in between professional cleanings doesn't have to cost you a fortune. There are many natural cleaners that can do quite well without adding in a host of toxins and all other sorts of dirt and filth that gets into your house. Besides, once you learn all there is to spot cleaning, you may be able to come up with a few recipes yourself.