Carpet cleaning and getting the right carpet cleaning machines is one of the biggest problems people have today. If you are lucky enough to have one of those carpet cleaning machines that brush or steam the carpet then you are all set, but for those of us who don’t have one the dilemma of getting the equipment home is far from over.

In order to have clean carpets we not only have to get the equipment home but then have to figure out which shampoo to use. It is expensive enough to rent the machine but to have to pay for that expensive shampoo just makes it that much harder.

Since I am one of those people who likes to squeeze a nickel out of a penny, that means I like to find and do the impossible. I have made it a goal in my life to keep as much money in my pocket as possible and not just blow it off to the retailers.

One thing I learned is that you do not have to use that expensive shampoo. There are several formulas for making your own that work even better than the store-bought ones.

Equal parts of blue window cleaner and water make a great cleaner and vinegar and water are also great. Just be sure to make the ratio one part vinegar to 10 parts water. And last but not least, you can use liquid Tide and water to make a great shampoo. When using vinegar remember that the smell will be on the carpet until it becomes dry, which is four to five hours.

So now that you know how to get an inexpensive shampoo, let me tell you how to save by not renting or buying that steam cleaning machine.

The first thing you do is put your cleaning solution in a spray bottle and spot clean your carpets. Next, comes the actual cleaning. Cleaning the carpet with a mop works unbelievably well. You can use a regular mop or a sponge mop. Either one works well, just remember to wring out the mop good before going over the carpet. You don’t want the carpet to be too wet.

Go back and forth over the carpet just like you were mopping the kitchen floor, except you may want to go over it extra times to work the dirt up out of the carpet. Once finished, wait for the four to five hours for the carpet to become completely dry.

Once the carpet is dry, run the vacuum cleaner over it to pick up any remaining dirt and fluff up the carpet. Now you have great looking carpets and spent practically nothing.