Those who are lucky enough to have decks and decks of laminate flooring, you do not know our struggle. As carpet and rug owners, keeping our floors clean is a daily struggle, and it often makes for several angry scrubbing sessions with a scourer.

It doesn’t have to be like this! There are several tips that can be used to ease that struggle. Keeping those carpets clean is important, especially if you’re considering selling the property soon. If you’re renting, the same goes, and your landlord won’t be happy with that huge coffee stain. So, without further ado, here are five of the top carpet cleaning tips for just about any scenario.

1. Vinegar 

You’ve probably had that vinegar in your cupboard for years, gathering dust. But, it’s more useful than you give it credit for. Simply mix one part vinegar with one part water and load it into a handheld sprayer. You can use an old bottle or a pre-built sprayer for this.

Apply this solution liberally to the stained area, and leave to settle for 15 or 20 minutes. Then, press a clean sponge into the area, and it should soak up the solution and the stain fast! Once the area is clear, rinse it with water to get rid of any excess and dry with a towel.

2. Freeze dry gum

Chewing gum is the bane of any householders existence. Once it sticks, it really sticks, and is usually a pain to get off. But, there is a way around this. Head to the kitchen and grab a couple of ice cubes. Surround the chewing gum with the cubes for a few minutes, just before the ice starts to melt.

Then, lift off the gum with a spoon and cut any strands free with some scissors. If done right, you’ll lose a tiny bit of carpet, but the area will be unnoticeable to the naked eye.

3. Outsourced cleanliness

Sometimes, you’ll just have to accept the fact that your best efforts won’t get the job done. If you’re selling, and you need a good job done ASAP, you might feel out of options. Luckily for you, several carpet cleaning companies can perform a spotless job at quite short notice. All being well, you won’t have to worry about that awful stain too long!

4. Use an iron for wax

Candles are a nice little treat for relaxing at the end of the day, but they can produce mess. Wax, much like gum, can stick to the carpet and refuse to budge. But, again, there’s a solution. Lay a clean towel over the wax, and ready your iron. Warm up the waxed area with the iron, and after a few seconds, it should scrape right off. You may have to do this a couple of times to get every last drop of wax though.

5. Don’t clean it!

And finally, probably the easiest option on this list. Use strategic placement of rugs to cover those stains, and never worry again. I’d only advise this if you’re the homeowner, and not renting. At the end of your tenancy, that stain will definitely be discovered.

I’d only recommend this as a last resort. You really should be getting rid of those stains! If you were shopping for a new home, you’d expect a clean carpet right? Do you have any carpet cleaning tips? Let me know in the comments!