This homemade carpet cleaner solution cleans carpet stains left from food, accidents, pets, and life’s little messes. And with a cost of $1 per gallon to make, this secret formula is gonna save you a TON of money!
This is the original homemade carpet cleaning solution recipe – all others out there are just simple copycats.
This formula was created by my amazing sister – who tried & tested out many different products on her carpets and came up with this recipe. She’s the best.
This one is guaranteed to become your favorite and you’ll make this diy carpet cleaner recipe over and over again, year after year like I do.
Watch My Video: How To Make Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution
But Does It Really Work?
I have four messy kids and a big dog. My carpets are downright gross much of the time. I am also one of the worlds biggest cheapskates and hate having to rent one of those Rug Doctor machines for shampooing AND pay $20 or more for carpet cleaning solution.
But I’m telling you, this carpet cleaner solution diy recipe is tough on stains. And when I say tough…I mean crazy TOUGH on stains! This stuff is even stronger than those store-bought expensive ones.
Its cleans clean carpet stains left from food, spills, pets, and life’s little accidents. And yes, it will get rid of pet odors too, and leave your house smelling amazingly awesome. It’s a Rug Doctor copycat recipe, only better.
Here is a dark stain that was in my son’s room. Now you see the spot.
Then you don’t. Boom!
Best ever homemade carpet stain remover.
I love the way this cleaner works. And when you add in that teeny bit of Downy fabric softener it leaves your carpets sooo soft too.
How Much Does This Homemade Carpet Cleaning Solution Cost To Make?
It’s ridiculous how much money the store-bought carpet cleaning solutions cost. I mean, $20-$30 per bottle of concentrate? And sometimes you need several of those bottles if you’re shampooing your whole house. It’s too much.
This ultra concentrated carpet cleaning diy solution with Oxiclean (or Dollar Store knock-off), liquid Tide laundry detergent, LA’s Totally Awesome cleaner, and Downy fabric softener only costs $1 per gallon to make vs $20 for 1/2 gallon of Rug Doctor solution.
You will save so much money using this DIY carpet shampoo recipe instead. Plus these ingredients can easily be found at your local Dollar Stores.
PRICE BREAKDOWN:
For my homemade carpet shampoo recipe I spent:
$0.97 for the Tide packet (of which I used maybe 1/2 of, so $.50)
$3.97 for the Downy (of which I used $0.15 worth)
$1.00 for the Awesome cleaner (of which I used $0.15 if that)
$1.00 for the Oxiclean cleaner (of which I used .20 if that)
==> Grand total $1.00 for a GALLON of concentrated mix solution for carpet cleaning machines.
The Rug Doctor concentrated formula runs around $19.59 for a 1/2 gallon.
Yeah, that is some serious SAVINGS folks!!! Wow.
It’s Super Concentrated
This diy carpet shampoo recipe makes a CONCENTRATED MIX just like the fancy $20 Bissell solution where you only add in like 1/4 cup of the solution to a gallon of water.
You will mix together your ingredients and add them to a gallon of hot water. THIS becomes the concentrated solution.
Even though it seems like a small amount of ingredients, a little goes a long way. So add in only a little bit of this solution each time you add water to your carpet cleaning machine. Or better yet just follow the instructions per your machine. I’ve used this carpet cleaner solution for my Bissell machine with no problems.
OTHER GREAT DIY CLEANING RECIPES
- All Natural Carpet Cleaning Solution Using Vinegar
- DIY Carpet Cleaner Powder Dry Shampoo
- Homemade Armor All Car Cleaning Spray
- DIY Liquid Hand Soap recipe
- Make Your Own Swiffer Wet Pads
- Homemade Laundry Detergent
SUBSTITUTIONS & FAQ
WILL THIS SOLUTION WORK ON ANY CARPET CLEANER MACHINES?
I’ve personally used this recipe with Rug Doctor rental machines, my SpotBot hand held machine, and with my upright Bissell carpet cleaner machine. Never had any issues. And I’ve had my machine for over 6 years, with no problems. It really is the best carpet cleaning solution for machines of all types.
That being said I suggest you read your instruction booklet that comes with your carpet cleaning machine for warranty information. Some machines warranties are no longer valid if you don’t use a certain type of cleaner with the product.
WILL THIS WORK ON UPHOLESTRY? RUGS? IN MY CAR?
I have used this solution on my carpets, rugs, in the interior of my cars and even on couches. It works great and gets out the stains, which makes this mama very very happy. It’s powerful enough to remove stains yet gentle on fabrics.
AND of course, always test a small area of carpet or fabric for colorfastness before you do the whole project.
CARPET CLEANING SOLUTION SUBSTITUTIONS
I get a lot of questions about substitutions for this recipe. Especially for the LA’s Totally Awesome Cleaner, which some people can’t find or is not available in their stores.
But before I go any further, I will say that this homemade carpet cleaner solution recipe is the BEST and most perfect way to make it. If you sub other ingredients I can’t for sure say your solution would work as well or remove stains as well.
- Liquid Tide Laundry Detergent – You can substitute the liquid inside of the Tide pods, just poke a hole in it and measure the 2 tbsp. You can also substitute other liquid laundry detergents if desired.
- LA’s Totally Awesome Cleaner – this USA made product is so amazing and can usually be found at dollar stores. I haven’t tested it myself yet, however the Mean Green cleaner might be a good substitute.
- Oxiclean – substitute the generic dollar store brand for the more expensive name brand.
- Downy Liquid Fabric Softener – You can use any fabric softener you prefer as a substitute.
Now if you need to have an all-natural homemade carpet cleaner for shampooer recipe that is non-toxic, organic, scent-free or dye-free I have another recipe using vinegar to clean carpets. It’s not quite as tough on stains, but is a great alternative.
DOES DIY CARPET CLEANING SOLUTION EXPIRE?
If I have any solution leftover after shampooing, I just add it to an empty gallon container, label it and store with my other cleaners.
Store it in a cool and dry place and it will stay good for 6 months or longer.
WILL THIS WORK ON PET URINE & ODORS?
Yes, this recipe is the best carpet cleaning solution for pets! It’s worked it magic on my pet odors from urine, pet stains and years of accidents. You may need to shampoo it a few times depending on how bad it is, but it’s worked amazingly well on all my pet accidents.
HOW DO I USE THIS TO PRE-TREAT STAINS?
I like to pre-treat my stains by using a 50-50 mix of the concentrated solution and water. You can add it to a spray bottle or just use your fingers to dab a bit of it on the stain. Let it sit for 5 minutes then shampoo over it. Repeat if necessary.
FINAL CARPET RINSE OR NO?
After shampooing your carpets with this homemade carpet cleaner solution should you then do a pass over your carpets with water only?
This is a personal preference as most die-hard carpet cleaners out there say that if any cleaning product is left on our carpets, it will attract more dirt and you’ll end up with dirty carpets. So if you’d like to take that extra step, feel free.
I personally like the smell and softness the downy fabric softener leaves behind and my carpets haven’t had stains come back in the same places. The solution is so diluted down that I’m not worried about it. So I don’t do the extra rinse personally myself.
But it’s totally up to you to do what you feel is best here.
DISCLAIMERS
Disclaimer: make sure and read your instruction booklet that comes with your carpet cleaning machine for warranty information. Some machines warranties are no longer valid if you don’t use a certain type of cleaner with the product. AND of course, always test a small area of carpet for colorfastness before you do the whole floor.
Homemade Carpet Cleaner Solution
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp liquid Tide laundry detergent
- 1/4 cup LA's Totally Awesome cleaner
- 1 scoop Oxiclean (3 tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon Downy fabric softener optional
- 1 gallon hot water
Instructions
MAKING THE SOLUTION
- In a small bowl, combine the liquid Tide, Awesome cleaner, Oxiclean and Downy if using. Stir together with spoon until well combined.
- Add mixture to a gallon of hot water, stirring gently so you don't make bubbles. Stir slowly and gently until all Oxiclean particles are completely dissolved.
- Use immediately in your carpet cleaner machines or pour into a gallon-sized container with a lid. Label outside of container: Concentrated Carpet Cleaner.
HOW TO USE SOLUTION
- Before you begin carpet shampooing, make sure that your carpet has been thoroughly vacuumed.
- It's a good idea to test this homemade carpet cleaner on a less visible area of flooring to make sure it's safe for your carpet and wait at least 24 hours for the test spot to dry to see the results.
- Read the directions that came with your carpet cleaning machine for how much cleaner to add as some reservoirs are smaller than others. For typical carpet shampoo machines, fill your reservoir with hot water. Then pour 1/4 cup of this concentrated solution into your water filled reservoir. (**The ratio I use is about a gallon of hot water to 1/4 cup of this concentrated cleaning solution.)
- Then you can run the machine over your entire carpet, making sure to show special attention to stains or spots. Wait least 24 hours for the carpet to dry and you're done!
Notes
Add leftover concentrated solution it to an empty gallon container, label it and store it in a cool and dry place. It will stay good for 6 months or possibly even longer. PRE-TREATING STAINS
Make a stain pre-treat mixture by using a 50-50 mix of the concentrated solution and water. You can add it to a spray bottle or just use your fingers to dab a bit of it on the stain. Let it sit for 5 minutes then shampoo over it. Repeat if necessary. FINAL CARPET RINSE NEEDED?
This is a personal preference as most die-hard carpet cleaners out there say that if any cleaning product is left on our carpets, it will attract more dirt and you’ll end up with dirty carpets. So if you’d like to take that extra step, feel free. I personally like the smell and softness the downy fabric softener leaves behind and my carpets haven’t had stains come back in the same places. The solution is so diluted down that I’m not worried about it. So I don’t do the extra rinse personally myself. But it’s totally up to you to do what you feel is best here. Disclaimer: make sure and read your instruction booklet that comes with your carpet cleaning machine for warranty information. Some machines warranties are no longer valid if you don’t use a certain type of cleaner with the product. AND of course, always test a small area of carpet for colorfastness before you do the whole floor.
Happy cleaning everyone! And happy saving money too.
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Lisa says
IMO best spot remover/carpet cleaner is Spot Shot (non-toxic, safe around children & pets) sold at Walmart. It works! Purchased a home with nice carpets except one area. Nothing worked until I sprayed Spot Shot…gone for good in less than a minute. My husband & I were shocked & relieved! Have also been advised to spray cleaning solution (50%water/vinegar) directly on carpet prior to cleaning as opposed to putting it directly into the machine. I will be adding Downey to my next batch of homemade solution. Great tip!
Jessica says
I’ve had success with using Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castile soap (liquid). I’ve used a little under 1/4 cup of it to clean about 400 square feet.
Jack Harris says
Tried this “secret recipe” and this did no better than any other carpet cleaner we’ve used. This was used on cream colored carpet in a high traffic area and we have no kids in the house. Was really disappointed in this because the only solution is tear the carpet out and put down tile.
Roseane says
I stumbled on this looking for a way to salvage my new carpet from the horrors of renters. The carpet is only 6 months old, but they had pets and something spilled on the living room that I still have yet to identify. So sitting on my counter are all the ingredients. I use Tide pods and I think I can pop one for the Tide. I came back to read measurements and got caught up in the comments… Even after reading each one, I am still game for anything that will save my carpet. I will let you know how it works. Thank you so much for sharing.
Roseane says
I used one Tide pod (the whole thing) and it made the 2 tablespoons that the recipe called for. Some spots required me to go over them twice, but since they were undetermined, I really did not mind. The messy water I poured out looked like DARK CHOCOLATE milk… YUCK… But my bedroom carpet is restored back to good looking. Thank you so much for this tip. Next… the living room and more unnamed spots. I think the worse of them I will pretreat to see if they will come up on the first pass. I am sold on this stuff and will try it as a laundry pre treatment next… Thank you so much,.,
Becky says
How would I get charcoal and ash stains from a dutch oven off of my white carpet? I do not have a carpet cleaner. Is it possible to use your recipe and basically hand scrub it out?
Happy.MoneySaver says
I have only used it in my machine but I say give it a try!
Ashley S. Sachs says
Thanks for the great recipe. Even though there are a few nay sayers here I am still going to try this out on my new carpet for sure to try and keep it going strong! Thansk!
Ashli Marts says
OK, so after reading your post and all the comments I tried this a couple weeks ago. It did an awesome job and it smells so much better in my house now(I have 3 stinky boys). Now I have this gallon jug of awesome cleaner and nowhere to go with it. So I got to thinking about the ingredients and realized every single one can be used in your laundry, off I went. I do kids clothing resale and often buy clothes in bulk so some of the pieces diet are awful with stains, especially the baby clothes. I did a presoak with the awesome oxy then I added a little bit of this awesome concoction to my soap and you’ll never guess what happened. I can sell the clothes now!!! After so many tries of getting some of those out I had just about given up. Now, there were some really bad ones that only lightened up but all in all, it did great.
Charle Mead says
Holy holy crapola!!!! I have NEVER in my life seen a carpet shampoo do what your recipe has done for my carpet! I have a potty training son, two other children as well and my carpet gets to the point of being sticky. It’s old apartment carpet to boot, so it always gets a “wet dog” type of smell even if I use high end Rug Doctor shampoos or others containing Febreze. I have just spot cleaned with your recipe and it actually smells CLEAN! It got out old cakes in pizza sauce and ovaltine in the first pass, with the handheld attachment that does not have a beater bar. So friggin wonderful… Absolutely awesome!
Happy.MoneySaver says
So glad you like it! 🙂
julia says
I just finish cleaning my carpet with the solution works great . Thanks for sgaring ….
Nicole says
Just made this and cleaned my carpets…AMAZING. that is all….
Stephanie Jones says
I did a little bit of a different variation of your first solution just a few minutes ago and it worked great and smells really good to!
Yours:
2 Tablespoons Liquid Tide
1/4 cup Awesome cleaner
1 scoop Oxyclean
1 teaspoon Downy
Hot Water, one gallon
Mine:
1/2 teaspoon Dawn dish soap (always add last so it doesnt suds up when adding water)
1/4 cup Awesome cleaner
1 scoop Oxyclean
1 teaspoon Gain Fabric Softner (its what i had)
Hot water
Also for anyone who is interested i also have a variation of the vinegar recipe as well. I have 4 big dogs, 2 cats, a 3 year old and a boyfriend so we have lots of stains and smells so maybe once every 3-6 months i use this recipe to clean my carpets and my house smells SO clean when im done.
1. Sprinkle Baking Soda (lightly) all over the area you want to clean (if its a large area then do it in sections )
2. Put half white vinegar half water into a spray bottle and spray over the area that you just used the baking soda on. (the strong vinegar smell is gone once your done with the carpet cleaner)
3. Let sit on the carpet for 5 minutes.
4. Fill your carpet cleaner tank ALMOST to the top with hot water.
5. Pour in 1/4 bottle of peroxide
6. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap (blue kind)
When you are done your carpets will be stain free and odor free and i have personally used this on a room with way to much cat pee (that cat is now an outside cat) and smell and stains are gone!
Betty819 says
You listed 1/4 bottle of peroxide(3%)..what size of bottle are you referring to? That sounds like a lot of peroxide. I’m dealing with normal wear and tear from traffic flow plus leakage from an incontinent senior citizens. My Bissell Quick steamer machine has not been used in at least 4 years. Usually I hire a professional to come in and clean all the carpets. His system is truck mounted and he will not come for the small area that I need cleaned now. I just looked at the size of my bottle of peroxide and it is 16 oz. so I would add 4 oz. of peroxide? I have a spray bottle that I keep white vinegar and water and lemon scented essential oil in when I find a new spot or spots (usually in my barefeet during the wee hours of the morning) Talk about starting your day off wrong!
I had planned to try this with my Bissell steamer today but woke up not feeling good. It’s going to be hard to keep him off the wet carpet while it dries as he makes lots of trips to bathroom. I can’t afford for him to take a fall.
Sammy says
Thank you!
angie merkle says
Joe, Not only did I read this info in the manual, but the guys at the repair shop told me the exact same thing. Only use what your machine recommends. And no, I don’t stick with just my machine’s brand. I buy other brands when it goes on sale. I just make sure to never put vinegar, liquid laundry detergent, fabric softener or oxy clean in MY shampooer. I spent a pretty penny on it..I want it to last, so I take excellent care of it. Yes I would agree with you that if you’re paying to use a rental, you could put whatever the heck you wanted to in it. All of the above and then some…
And I just have to ask, WHERE IN THE WORLD are you buying bottles of carpet cleaner for $40??? Ripoffs ‘R Us?? Wow. I have NEVER paid more than $11 for a bottle of Hoover or Bissell carpet cleaner at our local department store. And those are the largest economy size bottles. I use a manufacturer coupon (which the company sends me for free by me simply asking for them), I buy ONLY when they’re on sale (which is twice a month) and they usually have a coupon stuck right to them. $11 for a 60 oz. bottle..which lets me do 5 room fulls of carpet and all my rugs that are too large/heavy to throw in the washing machine. The only downfall to using this kind of solution is some of the brands do not smelly best. That’s where essential oils come in. I can use whichever scent i’m currently into. An added bonus to certain oils: some are disinfectants (carpet is double clean and germ free), some are calming/soothing (helpful when u have a fussy baby) and they all smell wonderful which makes for a very pleasant smelling home.
Daniel says
So you are willing to pay $11 every time you clean your carpets?
Bissell cleaning solution is $14 for the small one at Lowe’s and $30 for the large bottle of the Pro grade cleaner. I did buy a bottle so I could test it against this homemade.
Donna says
I agree _I have not seen Bissell for less then $18 + and I don’t have time to constantly look for coupons 🙁 . There is nothing wrong with looking for more economical and possibly better ways of cleaning. I do not mean to sound rude but if money is not a problem for you _ why are you reading this blog?
Aminta says
Hi thank you so much fire posing this! I’m hoping it will work for my carpets as I’m going to attempt to try this very soon. I do have one question… does it have to be downy fabric softener out can I use a different kind? Thanks!
Happy.MoneySaver says
The Downy softener is optional so you can use what you like or even leave it out!
Donna says
Thanks so much for posting this :), as a senior living on a fixed income I simply can not afford the expensive brand names. Please keep up the great work 🙂 .
Happy.MoneySaver says
Thanks, Donna!
Joe says
“There is a reason the manual says to ONLY use the solution designed for the machines!!!”
Yes, but I suspect the reason is mostly related to their business model. I plan on using a rental. I dont plan on buying the $40 bottles of soap. … $40? LOL
Betty819 says
Joe, I was thinking the same thing but have no way of haulint the commercial carpet cleaner.
angie merkle says
I just wanted to add in my 2 cents and say that the one recipe with the vinegar in it is a BIG no-no..I’ve owned 3 carpet shampooers in the last 14 years. The first two ended up getting thrown out after about 6 months or so..My husband and I couldn’t figure out what in the heck was wrong with them. We took them both apart, cleaned them REAL good and they still wouldn’t dispense either the water or the soap. When I received a third one as a gift, I VOWED to keep this one longer than 6 months! I faithfully cleaned and rinsed every part of it after every use and took very good care of it. However, after about the 8th month, it started not dispensing the soap. My husband and I were dumbfounded! So……we took it to the local vac repair shop with lots of questions. As the repairman started the initial “checkup” on it, the first thing he said was “You use vinegar as a part of your cleaner in here, don’t you?” After I said that I did, he said “I thought so. As soon as I opened the cap to the soap dispenser, the smell of vinegar hit me in the face. That, right there, is your problem.”
You see, i too HATED paying so much for the commercial carpet shampoo solution and have always made my own all-natural solution using white vinegar, laundry detergent, oxy-clean powder, and fabric softener. He went on to explain to us that vinegar, over a short time will eat away and wear down all of the tubing and rubber seals in a carpet shampooer and that is why the soap dispenser stopped dispensing soap . Also, if you use the oxyclean powder, it will eventually plug up any holes..causing your soap not to dispense. Same exact thing happens when you use fabric softener. No matter how well you rinse everything after you’re finished, the residue from the oxyclean and the fabric softener will totally gum up the works bigtime. My husband and I had to, at one point, talk a thin, sturdy wire and snake it up the tubing because the residue from the oxyclean had hardened inside it and it took forever..it was nearly like cement! Also, when the repairman took apart the bottom of my shampooer, some of the parts under there were so gummed up from the fabric softener that it was I had run my machine through jelly…..and my homemade cleaning solution only used a tsp of softener per gallon of water. The repairman eventually gave our shampooer back to us and told us nothing really could be done and we’d be better off to buy a new one b/c the fee just to look at it started at $80. The rubber seals and tubing was too far gone. So with some Kohl’s cash, a 30% coupon and a birthday gift card, we bought our 4th carpet shampooer. I’ve ONLY used the commercial cleaning solution made for it and with three kids, a very active pet ferret and a nephew who stays with us more than he’s home, it gets used quite often. I’ve now had my shampooer for 1 year and 1 month and it works just as well as the day I bought it.
***There is a reason the manual says to ONLY use the solution designed for the machines!!!
Rachel T says
Silly question, I’m sure… But, how much hot water am I adding to the original mixture going into the gallon jug? Thank you, I can’t wait to try this on our carpets.
Happy.MoneySaver says
One gallon of hot water!
Nydia says
Do you need those professional cleaning vaccume cleaners or can it be any kind?
Happy.MoneySaver says
Any kind!
Debbie says
I have used a diluted mixture of Dawn and hydrogen peroxide, works great.
Donna says
Hi Debbie,
I really love Dawn, could you please give me your recipe? I am on a fixed income and simply can not afford to keep buying the brand name rug shampoos.
Thanks in advance 🙂
Kristin says
I just tried this and it worked amazing! I think even better than the store bought. It cleaned up marker, dirt and oil stains, and coffee stains. (3 kids, 2 dogs and a husband’s messes) thank you so much for sharing it will be saving me Alot of $$.