7 Tips to Revive Your Carpet

7 Tips to Revive Your Carpet

If your carpet looks dull and matted, you’re likely wondering how to revive your carpet to its former glory. Fear not: There are plenty of ways to clean your carpet and refresh it with the help of a few household items. Follow these tips and tricks to revive your rug or carpet today.

1. Try Ice Cubes and a Stiff Brush

Even great-looking carpet shows wear and tear after a homeowner moves tables, chairs, or couches into new positions, leaving behind unsightly carpet divots. Dealing with these furniture indentations is simple: Get an ice cube from the freezer and place it on the divot.

Let it melt naturally, or use a hairdryer to hasten the process, but make sure not to use a high heat setting, or risk damaging the carpet. Once the ice is melted and the divot fully saturated, use a stiff brush to gently scrub the pile up and back into place.

2. Use a Damp Cloth and an Iron

If your carpet pile has been trampled after years of use, try revamping it with a damp cloth and a steam iron. Start by wetting a microfiber cloth and placing it over the affected carpet area, and then place a hot iron on top of the cloth for several seconds. This step will lift the fibers back up again.

There are several caveats when using this technique, including never letting the iron touch your carpet directly. Even if the contact lasts only for a few seconds, it may leave burn marks. Also, keep the cloth damp when using this method on multiple spots. It’s the combination of water and heat that helps straighten the pile. If either is missing, the technique won’t work.

3. Clean with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Similar to the methods above, using homemade carpet cleaner made of vinegar or baking soda can help refresh your carpet pile, with the added benefit of spot cleaning.

1. Start by applying baking soda to the carpet and working it into the fibers with a stiff brush. Baking soda acts as a natural carpet cleaner, removing odors and killing bacteria.
2. Rub it in more than one direction and use a fair amount of pressure to saturate the carpet.
3. Allow the baking soda to sit overnight.
4. The following day, vacuum it up.
5. Next, mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and coat the area.
6. Use your brush to raise the pile, and let dry.
7. The smell of vinegar will dissipate after a few hours, and you’ll have a clean, new-looking patch of carpet.

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