If your carpet gets a lot of traffic, or it has dents from years of unmoved furniture, it's time to clean it up.Even though brushing and vacuuming may be enough, deep dents need more attention.Use a blow dryer, ice, an iron, and water to boost the strength of your carpet.After these primary treatments, you can rub the carpet with your fingers, scraper with a spoon's edge or use a fork to fluff it.
Step 1: The carpet areas should be sprayed with water and/or vinegar.
In a spray bottle, mix equal parts of water and vinegar.Thoroughly spray the area.Don't saturate the carpet so that it's soaking wet, but make sure to cover the whole area with liquid.Before you use the spray bottle, make sure it is clean and free of other chemicals.
Step 2: The cleaner should sit on the carpet for a short time.
Give the mixture time to work.How long you let the mixture work depends on how deep the dents are.Wait about half an hour or give it at least ten minutes.The area you spray is more likely to be cleaner than the rest of the carpet.
Step 3: Put a towel over the liquid.
Press the towel into the carpet.The majority of the liquid has been soaked up.You will flatten the carpet out again if you press too hard.It is important to use a white towel to keep your carpet clean.
Step 4: The edge of a spoon is what you should use to remove the carpet.
The edge of the carpet you are fluffing should be against a spoon.Pull the spoon across the carpet in straight lines.The carpet fibers will spring up again.If a spoon doesn't give you the results you want, try combing the carpet with a fork.When the dent is gone, try a brush with stiff but non-metal bristles.The hair brush works well.
Step 5: Before you walk or put something on the carpet, allow it to dry.
Before the carpet is dry, make sure you don't walk on it.Don't put furniture back on the spot when it is wet.Depending on the size of the area, this could take up to 3 hours.
Step 6: Ice cubes should be put on the dents.
Put ice from the freezer in the dents in your carpet.If you have multiple dents, like from the four feet of a couch, place at least one ice cube in each of them.Place more than one piece in the dent if it is at least two inches wide.
Step 7: Allow the ice to completely melt.
If the dents are covered with ice cubes, leave them alone for a while.Depending on the temperature of the room and how much ice you put in each dent, this could take up to an hour or more.
Step 8: You can clean the water with a towel.
Use a clean towel to soak up all of the water when the ice has melted.Press the towel gently so you don't damage the carpet again.It is important that the towel is clean and white.
Step 9: Use your fingers, spoon, or fork to fluff the carpet.
Rub the damaged area with your fingers to make the carpet stand up.If this doesn't fluff the carpet enough, you can use a spoon or fork.Once the fibers are fluffed back up, use a soft brush to even out the carpet.
Step 10: Put a cloth over the area you want to fluff.
You can grab a hand towel from the linen closet.Wet the towel with warm water.It should be over the damaged or flat carpet.If you have to fluff up a large area, you may need to use more than one towel or repeat the process a few times.
Step 11: The towel should be steamed with an iron on medium heat.
Put your clothes iron in the medium heat setting.Move it around in a circular motion by holding it a few inches above the towel.After 30 to 60 seconds, check the carpet.You should not put the iron on the carpet or towel as it could damage the fibers.
Step 12: Make a noise with your fingers.
After heating the area, place the iron on the side that won't burn anything.Don't burn yourself if you remove the cloth from the area.Rub the carpet with your fingers.If necessary, apply the towel and heat it.Pull the carpet with the edge of a spoon or comb it with a fork to fluff it.It's a good idea to brush the carpet after.
Step 13: The spray bottle needs to be filled with clean water.
You can find a new spray bottle or rinse an old one.Warm water from the faucet is what it should be filled with.If your faucet isn't very clean, use bottled or distilled water.Some carpet fibers can be damaged by extremely hot water.
Step 14: The carpet should be sprayed with water.
Don't spray it so much that you soak the carpet, but make sure you cover the flat area completely.Over time, spraying too much water can ruin your carpet.
Step 15: It's a good idea to blow dry the carpet.
You can use a hairdryer near the area of carpet that you plan to work on.The dryer should be set to a low heat setting.It is okay to have the fan high if the dryer has a high fan setting.Move the dryer back and forth across the area by holding it six inches from the carpet.
Step 16: Put your hand up the carpet.
Rub your hand across the carpet to get it to dry.If the carpet doesn't fluff the way you want it to, grab a brush with stiff but soft bristles and brush it a few times.