Steam Cleaning

Hi Folks,


Since we have company coming into town, we had to steam clean the two carpeted rooms in the house.  I just wanted to share how we get this done quickly and easily.

Investing in a steam cleaner is a plus when you have pets.  Most grocery stores will rent these out but it's often super convenient to have one around the house.  Also the cleaners they sell with it often smell harsh and I'm not convinced they are very pet-friendly, even the ones that are meant for this purpose.  We have a Bissell Quick Steamer and it works out great.  

 The only down side is frequent refilling and emptying out the tanks but it works great. 

First thing we do is spot clean any scuff marks from the shoes in high traffic areas with Dreft stain remover in the spray bottle.  Very mild smelling but it actually works.  Then I run over the spots with a solution of OxyClean dissolved in water.  After that, I mix up a solution of Mrs. Meyers super concentrated Lavender laundry detergent.  Just a little goes a long way, you don't even need to fill up to the little indicator line for the solution on the tank.   I usually mix all the solutions with scalding hot water and work my way around the room. 

  

What I like about this isn't just the fact that the solution is easy enough on the carpet fibers but it actually leaves the room smelling awesome for days after.  Mrs. Meyers has tons of other scents for the laundry detergent and other than lavender, the lime verbena scent is also nice during the spring and summer.  After you are finished with the cleaning make sure you let it all dry for several hours, but you don't have to do anything beyond this step.

Hope this helps with your fall cleaning!