Sometimes, kids don't see the difference between your living room carpet and a napkin. Other times, the dog thinks he's entertaining you by running through the house after he just finished burying a toy in the backyard. All the time, consistent foot traffic can leave behind dirt that eventually builds up and leaves your carpet looking a little dingy.

People often rely on homemade cleaners for fear of ruining their carpet with a manufactured cleaner. Baking soda is widely known as nature's deodorizer, but its small particles can cause permanent damage to both your carpet and your vacuum cleaner. Since the powder is so fine, remnants of it can sink through the carpet and padding and stay sitting on top of the floor underneath. The fine particles can also clog the pores of your vacuum's bag or HEPA filter, which can drastically reduce suction power. As if that weren't bad enough, baking soda dust can potentially seep through your vacuum's filtration system and get sucked into the motor.

Club soda is another popular option for helping dissolve liquid spills, but won't help much when it comes to sticky stains or ground-in, greasy messes.

Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is a cleaner, degreaser, deodorizer and stain remover that powers out dirt and grime and removes stubborn stains on washable surfaces and all types of carpet, including nylon, polyester, wool, cut pile or loop pile. The powerful cleaner can be used to clean carpet stains or in carpet cleaning equipment to tackle tough soiled carpet areas. There are also no particulates that could stay down in the nap or harm cleaning and vacuum equipment.

Outside of spot cleaning each time a spill happens, plan to deep clean your carpet every 12 to 18 months. If you have light colored carpet, kids or pets (or all of these), you may need to clean at least twice a year.

Directions for Cleaning Living Room Carpet:

If you're unsure about how Simple Green will affect a surface, be sure to spot test before cleaning.

Spot Cleaning Carpet By Hand

1. Remove the mess and blot the stain with paper towels. Always blot from the outside of the stain inward so you don't spread it.
2. Dampen a clean cloth with cool water then blot the soiled spot again. Avoid using warm water as heat could further set your stain.
3. Mix 1 oz. of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner with 1 cup of water in an empty spray bottle. Spray the cleaning solution onto the stained area.
4. Let it sit for a few minutes to soak.
5. Gently rub and blot with a clean, damp towel or absorbent cloth.
6. Allow the area to dry completely.

1. Mix 4 oz. Simple Green per ½ gallon of water into your carpet cleaning machine.
2. Apply solution onto the carpet in sections.
3. Agitate by gently brushing or scrubbing the area with a soft nylon brush.
4. Extract with the carpet cleaner and clean water. If necessary, add a small amount of white vinegar to reduce foaming in the recovery tank.
5. Allow the area to dry completely.

You may need to repeat this process depending on the mess. Do not allow your Simple Green solution to dry onto carpet.