Though carpets make our homes a great deal cosier, they often bear the brunt of our daily lives. Heavy foot traffic, accidental spills, and other forms of soiling can quickly turn your once-plush carpet into a grimy and uninviting spectacle. Beyond the unappealing appearance of a dirty carpet, heavily soiling invites allergens (like dust or pet hair), mould, and many kinds of bacteria into your home, leading to a plethora of potential health risks.

If you want to learn how to clean your heavily soiled carpet the right way, you’ve come to the right place. In this DIY guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps of how to clean heavily soiled carpet and share some practical tips to help you keep your carpet pristine for as long as possible. Say goodbye to dirty carpets and hello to a healthier living space.

Table of contents:

  1. How Do You Assess the Soiling Level?
  2. What Safety Precautions Should You Take?
  3. What Cleaning Supplies Do You Need to Gather?
  4. Vacuuming
  5. Pre-treatment
  6. The Cleaning Process
  7. How Should You Rinse and Dry the Carpet?
  8. How Do You Spot-Clean Stubborn Stains?
  9. How Can You Deodourize Your Carpet?
  10. What Post-Cleaning Maintenance Steps Should You Follow?
  11. When Should You Consider Professional Carpet Cleaning Options?
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How Do You Assess the Soiling Level?

Before we dive into the deep cleaning process itself, it's crucial to understand what we mean by "heavily soiled." Heavily soiled carpets are not just your average dirty carpet in need of regular cleaning. A carpet that’s heavily soiled shows signs of persistent stains or deeply embedded contaminants, and often gives off an unpleasant odour.

To address these issues effectively, you need to first identify the specific type and extent of soiling. If you’re dealing with a stain, try to determine exactly what the stain is so you can choose the proper cleaning agent. For example, you may not necessarily use the same cleaning supplies to remove wine spills as you would to remove pet stains.

You should also be aware of what kind of carpet you have, as different materials respond best to different cleaning techniques. It’s important to keep your expectations realistic at this early stage of the cleaning process, as very heavily soiled carpets may show minimal signs of progress at first and require multiple cleaning sessions.

soiled carpet, vacuum attachment, another soiled carpet with a wine stain and a wine glass

What Safety Precautions Should You Take?

Now that you’ve identified the type of soiling you’re facing, you need to take the proper safety precautions before you do anything else.

If you’re cleaning heavily soiled carpet (or performing heavy-duty cleaning of any kind), you should always wear personal protective equipment, including gloves, a mask, and safety glasses at a minimum. Many kinds of cleaning agents contain chemicals that could be extremely hazardous if you inhale them or get them in your eyes. Likewise, many kinds of mould or other contaminants could be dangerous to inhale or touch with your bare hands.

If you have children or pets in the house, it’s absolutely crucial to protect them by keeping them away from the area where cleaning is being performed.

ppe and hazard sign

What Cleaning Supplies Do You Need to Gather?

Next, you’re ready to gather your supplies so you can begin cleaning. The exact supplies you will need (such as the specific type of cleaning agent and carpet cleaning machine) depends on the specific type of soiling you’re addressing. However here’s a basic checklist of carpet cleaning supplies:

  • A high-quality vacuum cleaner
  • A carpet cleaning machine
  • The appropriate cleaning agent(s)
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, a mask, and safety glasses
  • A bucket and clean cloths
  • A spray bottle
  • A carpet brush or carpet agitator
  • Protective sheets or plastic covers

Usually, you can find a specific carpet cleaning agent that’s intended for the type of soiling you’re addressing. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations provided on the product packaging. For many kinds of stains and odours, you may have success using a 3:1 mix of baking soda and lukewarm water or a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water.

carpet brush, carpet wand and vacuum cleaner

Vacuuming

Now you’re ready to start cleaning. The very first task is to vacuum the area to remove loose surface debris. Taking this preliminary step will make it easier to clean deeply-embedded contaminants. Be sure to use a high-quality vacuum cleaner, preferably with attachments designed specifically for heavily soiled carpet.

Pre-treatment

When you’ve finished vacuuming, it’s time for pre-treatment. Apply your chosen cleaning agent to the spots you’ve determined to need the most attention (such as visibly stained areas), and let it sit for the amount of time recommended by the product manufacturer. Let vinegar or baking soda solutions sit for 15 to 30 minutes before you get to work scrubbing. If you’re using baking soda to remove an odour, let it sit for at least 3 hours — or preferably overnight.

Allowing the cleaning solution to sit for a while before you begin the cleaning process in earnest gives deeply ingrained contaminants time to break down and loosen, making it much easier to remove them from the carpet fibres.

white vinegar and baking soda

The Cleaning Process

After you’ve let your cleaning agent sit for an appropriate amount of time, you can move on to the cleaning process itself:

1. Choose the Appropriate Cleaning Method

It’s very important to choose a cleaning method that suits your carpet’s material. For example, steam cleaning works well for many types of carpets, but more delicate materials can only be dry cleaned. Make sure you understand what kind of material your carpet is made from and whether or not there are any particular cleaning methods that will damage it.

2. Use the Right Equipment

Use the appropriate type of carpet cleaning machine for the method you’ve chosen, following the manufacturer’s instructions to complete the cleaning process safely and efficiently. If you don’t have access to any kind of carpet cleaning machine, you can shampoo your carpet by hand using a dedicated carpet shampoo, but this method is not ideal because it’s very difficult to remove the shampoo residue afterward.

3. Focus on High-Traffic Areas

Pay special attention to high-traffic areas of your carpet, since these are the areas where dirt and grime tend to accumulate. For best results, use targeted cleaning techniques in these spots, such as manually agitating the carpet with a brush for maximum soil extraction.

4. Work in Sections

To make larger cleaning jobs more manageable, divide the carpet into smaller sections and focus on cleaning one section at a time. This will allow you to concentrate your efforts appropriately to ensure each area receives the attention it needs.

5. Adjust Cleaning Intensity as Needed

If you run into especially stubborn stains, don’t be afraid to adjust your cleaning process accordingly. Some of the most heavily soiled areas may require multiple passes or extra attention before you achieve your desired results.

6. Avoid Over-Wetting

While thorough cleaning is important, be careful not to over-wet the carpet. Excessive moisture will take a very long time to dry and can cause mould or mildew to grow, resulting in more harm than good in the long run.

before and after carpet cleaning

How Should You Rinse and Dry the Carpet?

After you finish the cleaning process, it’s time to rinse and dry your carpet. Don’t neglect this step — leaving cleaning residue behind after you’re done cleaning your carpet will actually attract more dirt and debris, causing the carpet to become soiled again very quickly. Not to mention, leftover cleaning residue can harm your carpet fibres over time and reduce your carpet’s lifespan.

Rinse your carpet by following the instructions for your carpet cleaning machine, or by wetting (again, be careful not to over-wet) the carpet with a sponge or towel and scrubbing it gently to draw out shampoo residue.

To dry the carpet, use towels to soak up excess moisture and then let the remaining moisture air dry. It will likely take at least 24 hours for your carpet to dry completely, but it's critical to allow it to do so before using the space again. You can use fans or natural sources of ventilation to accelerate the drying process.

open window and a fan

How Do You Spot-Clean Stubborn Stains?

Here are a few special tips for spot-cleaning those extra-stubborn stains:

  • Isolate the Stain: Pinpoint the exact location of the stubborn stain and concentrate your efforts on the specific problem area. It’s normal to spend a large part of your cleaning time on a few stubborn spots.
  • Choose the Right Cleaning Techniques: Stubborn stains sometimes require different cleaning techniques. Whether it's a red wine spill or a pet accident, switching to a more appropriate cleaning method (even if it’s only for that specific spot) is often the key to making progress.
  • Be persistent: Stubborn stains don’t usually vanish right away. Be persistent and patient, and be prepared for several rounds of cleaning before the most problematic areas are completely clean.

How Can You Deodourize Your Carpet?

Once your carpet is visibly clean and stain-free, you may also want to eliminate lingering odours. Try to avoid harsh chemical deodorisers. Instead, use a carpet-friendly deodoriser like baking soda.

Apply your chosen deodoriser evenly across the whole carpet and allow it to sit for the amount of time recommended by the product manufacturer before vacuuming. If you’re using baking soda, allow it to sit for several hours or longer, and reapply if necessary until the odour is completely gone.

baking soda and a light-coloured carpet

What Post-Cleaning Maintenance Steps Should You Follow?

Now that you’ve deep cleaned your carpet, follow these tips to keep that “new carpet” look and smell for as long as possible:

  • Vacuum your entire carpet regularly to prevent dirt and debris from accumulating. Just because your carpet doesn’t look dirty yet doesn’t mean it hasn’t begun to collect contaminants. Making vacuuming a part of your weekly routine can significantly extend the lifespan of your carpet and help to keep your living environment healthy.
  • Act quickly to avoid common stains. The longer a mess sits, the more challenging it will be to remove. You can prevent many spilled substances from staining simply by cleaning them up immediately.

When Should You Consider Professional Carpet Cleaning Options?

Keeping your carpet clean isn’t just a way to make your home look nicer — it’s also crucial for ensuring the wellbeing of your family and pets. Use the tips we’ve outlined to make sure you’re cleaning your carpet effectively and taking appropriate ongoing precautions to keep it in top shape.

If you’re struggling to clean a severely soiled or very old carpet, consider enlisting help from a professional carpet cleaning service. At a certain point, any kind of DIY job can become more stressful than it’s worth. In cases like these, opt for professionals.