Spring Cleaning Saving Tips: Buy a Carpet Steamer w/ Upholstery Attachment

I know, we money saving divas hate it when we're told to buy someone's product in order to save money. Grrr, right!?!

We'll I'm not selling anything. So, hopefully that helps. Before you ever start your spring cleaning, go buy a carpet steamer. I don't care what brand, or from what store. Just get one! And make sure you get one with an upholstery attachment.

You can get a steamer with an upholstery attachment for somewhere in the neighborhood for $160-$200. If your spring cleaning plans included having your carpets professionally cleaned, you should easily be able to purchase with the money budgeted for the cleaning. With an upholstery attachment you'll also be able to clean your furniture as well.

Here are some of the benefits of owning your own steamer:
- More frequent cleaning of your carpet and upholstery. Since you'll be doing the work, it might not sound like a benefit, but this will increase the longevity and day-to-day appearance of your carpets and upholstery.
- Decreased allergens. If you, your entire family, or just one family member have allergies, keeping your soft surfaces cleaner will result in fewer runny noses, itchy eyes, sinus congestion or headaches and other allergy symptoms.
- Better smelling home. When your soft surfaces are clean your home smells better overall. You'll need fewer scented candles, air fresheners and fabric refreshers (ex: Febreeze).
- Fewer or milder chemicals in your home. If you have a carpet cleaner at the ready, you'll be able to treat spills and stains on carpet and upholstery more quickly and thoroughly. This will likely mean you don't need a spot treatment for your carpet and another one for your upholstery. Often, if you get to the stain with your steamer loaded with plain water, while the stain is still fresh, that's all you'll need.
- Most effective, and coincidentally green, way to remove pet odors. The best way to remove pet odors (ie: that pee smell from your dog/cat's accident) from your carpet is to douse the area with strait, white vinegar. Allow that to sit until dry. The vinegar reacts with the ammonia in the urine, deactivating the stain and smell. Remember in science class how an acid neutralizes as base and vice-versa? That's how this works. When it's dry. Go over the area with your steamer loaded with plain water to clean any residue from the carpet.

I have my own "homemade-ish" solutions for my steam cleaner. Stay tuned for those recipes.