Homemade Carpet Cleaner, Freshener & Vacuum Sachets

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Here’s an easy and natural way to clean stains from your carpet and brighten them up, just a few simple ingredients are needed! You’ll also find below an easy carpet freshener mix (using baking soda and dried lavender or herbs of your choosing) and instructions for making lavender sachets for your vacuum.

Spray Bottles Are Great For Homemade Cleaners

Ingredients:

2 tsp eucalyptus oil
2 tsp glycerine
2 TBS vinegar
2 TBS bicarbonate soda
2 TBS methylated spirits

Directions:

• Pour all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well to mix.
• For spot treatments: Spray stain and rub clean with a piece of pantyhose.
• For whole carpet cleaning: Cover the broom head with a piece of pantyhose then spray with mixture. Sweep the floor.

Source: Natural Cleaning Recipes From Warringah Online Home (pdf)

Herbal Freshener

*First published October 25, 2007 and moved to this page for better organization

This makes a big batch of carpet freshener that will last quite awhile. You can cut the amounts down if you like until you find your favorite blend. To give yourself a small variety to choose from, you could split the recipe in three then add three different fragrance choices to each container/mix.

Ingredients:

6 cups baking soda
3 cups dried lavender buds/flowers*
1 cup cornstarch

Directions:

• Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container (a clean ice cream pail works great). Set aside for a couple days before using. Sprinkle generously on carpet and let sit for one hour before vacuuming.

Alternative Recipes:

• Cloves & Cinnamon (50/50 mix or whatever you prefer)
• Lavender & Rosemary (50/50 mix or whatever you prefer)
• Dried Mint Leaves
• Eucalyptus
• Potpourri

Crush the herbs or flowers up a bit first before adding to the recipe.

Using Essential Oils: Instead of using dried herbs, you can substitute with essential oils, experiment with amounts for best results. Make sure to mix it in thoroughly and let sit for a few days before using.

Vacuum Bag Sachets

Mixing Lavender And Herbs

Slip these fragrant sachets into your vacuum bag and enjoy the pleasant fragrance when you vacuum the floor. They’re easy to make using just a few simple ingredients and best part is: they don’t make a mess!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dried lavender*
1/4 cup dried rosemary*
1 TBS cloves*
1/2 cup cedar shavings
1 TBS baking soda
5 to 7 drops of essential oil (your choice)
Pantyhose or cheesecloth squares

*Or use 1/2 cup of your favorite herbal blend

Directions:

• Mix ingredients together then store in a sealed glass container for 1 week.
• Make plain sachets or pouches using pantyhose or cheesecloth that will hold three tablespoons of the fragrant mix, fill with mix then tie or sew shut.
• Store ready-made sachets in a sealed glass jar until needed.

Tip: Instead of using the above mix, try using your favorite potpourri blend, add a few extra drops of essential oils if needed.

Instructions For Use:

• Pop a sachet into the new vacuum bag each time you change it. When you vacuum, the fragrance from the sachet will fill the room.
• If you’d rather skip the sachet, simply add a few tablespoons of the fragrant mix into the new vacuum bag when changing it.
• Use a fresh sachet each time you change vacuum bags.
• If you prefer a stronger fragrance, add a few more drops of essential oil to the sachet pouch before placing in the vacuum bag.