When it is time to clean a carpet in any of the rooms around the house, the first thing that comes to mind is vacuuming. But what if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner because you just moved in, or it is broken, or someone is sleeping in the house and you don’t want to wake them up?
In fact, cleaning a carpet without a vacuum cleaner is possible. After all, back in the days when technology was not so advanced, people still had carpets. And yes – they were cleaning them regularly. Depending on the type of carpet, you can use different methods. For example, some carpets can be swept. Keep reading to find what other methods you can use to clean the carpets at home without a vacuum cleaner.
Note: Of course, if you do not have the ability and time for these recommendations, we advise you to turn to professionals in carpet cleaning.
1. Broom and dustpan – Sweep your carpet using a stiff-bristled broom and a dustpan. The bristles should be hard enough to get rid of loose dirt and debris. Use a dustpan with a long handle so you do not have to bend. If your carpet is extra dirty or dusty, or you have not cleaned it in a while, you can use some elbow grease or water to dampen the end of your brush. Those will reduce the amount of dust flying around your room and help lift more dirt from the fibres of the carpets.
Start at one corner of the carpet and begin sweeping in short, quick strokes. As dirt and dust pile up, sweep them into the dustpan as you go.
Unlike when vacuuming, it is best if you dust around the room after you have cleaned your carpet. That is because sweeping your carpet will cause dust and dirt to become airborne and float freely in the air. If you want to dust your shelves and other surfaces, wait for the dust from the carpet to settle, then get on with the wiping.
2. Carpet sweeper – A manual carpet sweeper is a great tool to have in the house. The main difference between a vacuum cleaner and a carpet sweeper is the fact that the latter does not require electricity in order to work. Other benefits of a sweeper are that it is much cheaper than a vacuum and is also a lot simpler and easier to use. The only con is that a carpet sweeper may be a bit hard to manoeuvre, as well as struggle a bit on carpets that are extra dirty and leave dirt behind that a regular vacuum cleaner would usually pick up.
3. Rug beater – If you can remove your carpet or rug, take it outside, throw it on a clothesline, porch railing, fence, or even heavy furniture. A carpet or rug beater will remove impressive amounts of dust and dirt. It is best if you manage to hang it for better cleaning results.
Often made of ratan, a rug paddle has a stiff handle and a wide paddle at the end. Start at the top of your carpet, take all your frustration out on it, and see how much dist will come out. Keep beating it until no more dirt comes out. Beat both sides of the carpet/rug. You can use a rug beater to get the dust out of your upholstered furniture as well. If you don’t have a proper rug beater, you can use an old tennis racket.
4. Stiff-bristled brush – If you want to clean your carpet by hand, grab a stiff-bristled scrub brush and use it to remove all dust and dirt from its surface. This method will work best if you take your carpet out and hang it over a sturdy support. Start brushing dust and grime out starting at the top and working your way down. Use short and quick strokes. Remove larger dirt particles and hairs from the bristles of the brush as you go.
5. Carpet sticky roller – A carpet sticky roller acts exactly like a lint roller used for clothes. It will lift and remove hairs, dirt, dust, and other particles from your carpets. The long handle will make cleaning much easier. The wide roller has sticky sheets that can easily be peeled off when covered in dirt and grime. This tool is just perfect for whenever you want to clean your carpet and you are in a hurry, or just don’t want to bother dragging a heavy vacuum cleaner around the house. What is more, it is ideal for quickly removing pet hair from upholstery whenever your guests are on their way and you don’t have time to properly take care of the cleanliness at home.
6. Shaking – While this method will not work for large or heavy carpets, it is perfect for small rugs and fluffy carpets. If your rug or carpet is heavily soiled, grab it, walk out of your house, and shake it. Grab it by one end and shake it as hard as you can. If there is more dust on the surface of the rug, beat it in order to remove more of it.