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Have you ever bought those canisters of carpet deodorizer…well, if so, you can make a homemade version that I feel is much, much healthier, cheaper and deters odors and pests (like carpet bugs/mites, ants, etc). I LOVE it! It also can double as a carpet stain remover. I will explain how to use it for that purpose too!
Here’s the ingredients needed:
- 1/2 cup of Borax
- 1/2 cup of Baking Soda
- 7-10 Cinnamon Essential Oil and 7-10 drops of Cassia Essential Oil or just use 7-10 drops of Cinnamon/Cassia Blend
- 7-10 Lavender Essential Oil
- 7-10 Peppermint Essential Oil
The reason why I use all of these oils specifically is that they smell completely awesome together, they get rid of odors, they freshen the carpet and this specific combination is a pest deterrent. Pests like ants hate lavender and peppermint and carpet bugs/mites hate cinnamon and cassia. I am sure that this would probably deter many other 6 or even 8 legged pests than just that short list too, but those are the two main carpet/home pests.
Remember that we posted information on our top 7 essential oils for household cleaning in our list of 25 (and growing) homemade products. If you are curious what 7 oils are on our list and if you don’t have them, how to get them for very cheap then check out our post HERE on the Best Essential Oils for Natural Household Cleaning.
This is safe, non-toxic, and an all-purpose carpet product all-in-one! Also, Borax is used in laundry detergents to boost the cleaning power, so you are not only just pouring a deodorizing dust, but I notice that my carpets get cleaner too!
Here’s how to make it:
- Mix the 1/2 cup Borax with the 1/2 cup of Baking Soda until well blended
- Then add your drops of essential oils – use 7-10 of each oil. It will make for a nice fragrant blend. The more drops you use, the stronger smell!
- Then put into a container to use as needed. If you don’t have a “pouring” or “sprinkling” type container, just a reusable plastic bowl with lid or other storage container would work. I only had this option for a while until I found this cheap pouring container.
- Then sprinkle the blend on your carpets and if you don’t have a pouring or sprinkling container, just use a spoon!
- Let it sit for 15 or so minutes
- Vacuum up the powder and enjoy the results!
Now this is a healthy, but versatile product. You can use it as a carpet stain remover too! First, the BEST carpet stain removing tip is to attack it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Your chances of getting it removed decrease greatly if the stain sets for any amount of time. If you get a stain, immediately blot up what you can and then cover the stain in this mix and let it set for several minutes for the borax and baking soda to soak up the rest. Then vacuum away the stain!
For tougher or dry stains, mix 2 TBSP of this mix with 1 oz of water and then apply to your stain. Wait until it dries and then either shampoo/scrub it up or vacuum it up depending on how bad the stain is.
For mattresses, you can use this just like you would on your carpets – sprinkle on, let it set for a few minutes and vacuum it up! I would love to think that it will also keep dust mites and bed bugs at bay for the same reasons as ants and other pest, but I can’t fully say it will because I just don’t know. However, we’ve never had bed bugs, so who knows 🙂
Also, if you sprinkle this in the bottom of your garbage or diaper pails either in the garbage directly or even in the bottom of the bag each time you change it, it will help to deter odors this way too!
Finally, similar to stains, if you have urine or vomit issues from pets or toddlers on carpets or mattresses, after blotting up what you can, then cover the wet spot with this solution, let it set and vacuum it up – – it is safe, natural and actually kills bacteria with the oils listed above and very, very effective for this purpose too!
Seriously, this stuff is just pure awesomeness! I am sure that there are more uses that what I listed above, it is really fantastic!
So here’s my estimated cost breakdown per batch:
- 4 oz of Borax for .16 total
- 4 oz of Baking Soda for .13 total
- Essential Oils – I estimate them to be around .01 a drop at the MOST, so in total, you are probably maybe using .21-.40 depending on the oils and how strong you want it = .21-.40 at most
TOTAL per batch = .50
If you get any of the items on sale, it would be even less!
Here’s a printable recipe that you can put in your home binder:
| Homemade Natural Carpet Deodorizer and Stain Remover | | Print |
- ½ cup of Borax
- ½ cup of Baking Soda
- 7-10 Cinnamon Essential Oil and 7-10 drops of Cassia Essential Oil or just use 7-10 drops of Cinnamon/Cassia Blend
- 7-10 Lavender Essential Oil
- 7-10 Peppermint Essential Oil
- Mix the ½ cup Borax with the ½ cup of Baking Soda until well blended
- Then add your drops of essential oils - use 7-10 of each oil. It will make for a nice fragrant blend. The more drops you use, the stronger smell!
- Then put into a container to use as needed. If you don't have a "pouring" or "sprinkling" type container, just a reusable plastic bowl with lid or other storage container would work. I only had this option for a while until I found this cheap pouring container.
- Then sprinkle the blend on your carpets and if you don't have a pouring or sprinkling container, just use a spoon!
- Let it sit for 15 or so minutes
- Vacuum up the powder and enjoy the results!
We also HIGHLY recommend that you put this in your home binder along with many more things we will be sharing! See all of the information on this in our previous post HERE about Put Together Your Home Binder with Free Downloads.
Finally, use this new thrifty and healthy cleaning product as part of our Spring Cleaning Challenge.
If you want even more ideas too, be sure to visit these links!
- Shopping list to be able to make 23 natural homemade cleaning products for a very low price tag of $12.
- And then if you wanted to make them anti-bacterial and anti-viral, we also shared the natural but effective add-ins for much less HERE.
RecessRequired
Thanks for continuing to show me ways to save money! I love it! My whole family uses the homemade laundry detergent and this is great too!
Cassie
Awesome! I love this stuff too!
Joni
Just did all the bedroom carpets and the house smells awesome!
Cassie
YAY! I just love it! Thank you for sharing!!
Jacqueline Homan
Does this not leave a residue on the carpet??
kristin
Would i be able to use this recipe and just use peppermint essential oil? I am just looking to remove an unknown smell from my carpet? I have two kids, one very wild child so i have no idea what it is but it smells gross! i tried store bought carpet cleaner and it just brought the smell up even more! But i dont have the money right now to go out and buy the other essential oils. Thanks!
Cassie
Absolutely Kristin! Just modify it with whatever you have on hand 🙂 Peppermint alone is really nice!
Kristin
Thank you so much! I put in just the peppermint essential oil and i let it sit for probably 20-30 min and vacuumed it right up. The smell was gone! Amazing! Before i found this pin on pinterest I was about to buy a $200 carpet cleaner! Thank you for saving me a ton of money 🙂
Cassie
I am so excited that you were able to get it out! I am also so excited that you saved $200! It just warms my heart and it is one of the reasons why we started this site! Thank you for the update Kristin!
Mary
I’ve never used borax before. Is it safe for carpets? In other words, it won’t leave a “bleached” area where the stain was, will it? Is it also safe for small children when they play on the floor?
Cassie
Hi Mary,
It does not leave a bleached spot. It is used in laundry detergents to “boost” the cleaning power of whatever else is in the laundry detergents (or bleaches) to make them more effective. I use mine all over and haven’t had any discolorations or issues whatsoever, but my carpets are relatively neutral and so I would test an inconspicuous spot to be certain first.
As far as the safety, we wrote this article here to help explain it more: https://thethriftycouple.com/2013/05/16/is-borax-safe-or-not-and-should-it-really-be-used-in-homemade-natural-cleaners/
Hope that helps!
Barb
Baby Clothes: Soak items in 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax and warm water; Follow-up with a hot or warm water wash, adding 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax along with your regular detergent. Delicates: Dissolve 1/4 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax and 1-2 tablespoons of detergent in a basin of warm water; Soak delicates for 20 minutes, then rinse in cool water; Blot items with a towel and lay flat to dry. Laundry Stains: Works great on tough stains including tomato sauce, oil/grease, grass and ground-in dirt; Add 1 tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax per gallon of water or 1/2 cup in washer; Pre-soak for at least 30 minutes before washing. Hard Water: Help your detergent to work more effectively by conditioning the water and removing hard water minerals; Add 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax with your regular detergent to get cleaner, fresher-smelling clothes. Toilet Bowls: Sprinkle 1/4 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax into the bowl, then swish with your toilet brush; Let it stand for 30 minutes or overnight. Carpets & Rugs: For tough stains: dissolve 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax in 1 pint water; sponge on, wait 1/2 hour, rinse well; let dry and vacuum. Garbage Disposals & Drains: Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons in the food waste disposal and/or drain; Let it stand for at least 15 minutes, then flush with water for a few seconds (with disposal on). Dishwasher: Boost the cleaning power of your dishwashing detergent by removing hard water minerals and residues from the wash water; Add 1/4 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax in the bottom of the dishwasher to reduce spots and film from dishes and glasses. Laundry Boosting: Add 1/2 cup to every load along with your regular detergent: Improves cleaning power of detergent; Helps remove tough stains; Natural alternative to ColorSafe bleach; Deodorizes and freshens; Naturally softens hard water. Bathroom Cleaning & Deodorizing: Sprinkle 20 Mule Team Borax on a damp sponge or cloth and wipe on shower/tub/tile: Cleans without chemical fumes or scratching (great for porcelain and fiberglass); Removes soap scum, hard water deposits and dirt; Helps eliminate odors and freshens. Kitchen Cleaning & Deodorizing: Sprinkle 20 Mule Team Borax on a damp sponge or cloth and wipe on counters and appliances: Removes grease and grime; Makes dishes sparkling clean.
Ingredients: Sodium Tetraborate (a Natural Mineral).
Warnings: Eye irritant. May be harmful if swallowed. Contains sodium tetraborate. Avoid contact with eyes. Do not take internally. First Aid: In Eyes: Rinse with water for 15 minutes. If irritation persists, contact a physician. Ingestion: Rinse mouth, give a large glass of milk or water. Do not induce vomiting. Call a physician immediately. Keep out of reach of children. Not for drug use. [Information is from 20 Mule Team Borax]. I’m 60 and borax has been around FOREVER 🙂
Danielle
Borax also kills flea eggs, bonus!! 🙂
Cassie
Sweet! Thank you for that extra information. I love natural cleaning items that can do a bit of everything 🙂
Tammy Lober
Oh I love this! Thank you for sharing!
Nancy Wells
I’m assuming this is safe for pets?
Cassie
Hi Nancy – I replied to one similar comment, but thought I would reply directly to you as well.
We wrote an article to address the issue of the one questioned ingredient – Borax: https://thethriftycouple.com/2013/05/16/is-borax-safe-or-not-and-should-it-really-be-used-in-homemade-natural-cleaners/
Similar to salt, would you give your kids and pets access to salt? The short answer is “no” because they can hurt themselves although it is a natural substance. But it is safe for normal use 🙂 Hopefully that helps!
Nichole Erickson
No, it’s not considered safe for kids or pets. http://www.naturemoms.com/dangers-of-borax.html
Cassie
Actually, we wrote this article to address this issue: https://thethriftycouple.com/2013/05/16/is-borax-safe-or-not-and-should-it-really-be-used-in-homemade-natural-cleaners/
Similar to salt, would you give your kids and pets access to salt? The short answer is “no” because they can hurt themselves. Also – Nichole, the link to the article you posted is plagiarized word for word from one main popular article (that many sites quote) that confuses Borax with Boric Acid. They are not the same thing 🙂
Hopefully that helps!
Tricia
Hi where is the best place to buy the essential oils
Cassie
Hi Tricia,
This post talks about the best place to get them: https://thethriftycouple.com/2013/03/15/hot-deal-on-essential-oils-to-use-in-our-homemade-natural-cleaning-products/
Patkopy
Just found this on Pinterest and was wondering if I could use it in the laundry to get rid of smelly towels????Thanks
Natalia
Just add baking soda in the washer machine when you wash your towels and voila!
Cassie
Yes – you should be able to! Good idea!
Natalia
A Patkopy- to get rid of smelly towels just add baking soda in your washer along with your detergent.
Raine
Just a warning to those with animals, especially cats, essential oils can be toxic to them, their bodies cannot break down the toxins & may prove harmful/deadly to them over time. I am not trying to be negative because I think making your own household cleaners are way better for us than the unknown chemicals in store bought products, just please keep your pets safely away from the oils 🙂
Venus Smith
Thanks for the advice 😀 Just wanted to mention that I found a surprising number of professional companies actually use natural and/or non-harsh chemicals as part of their service. As a disabled person I find this a great middle ground. I can personally recommend carpet cleaning birmingham but there are plenty on Google if you’re not in the area.
housecarpetcleaningservices.wordpress.com
You can finhd four dissimilar Carpet clean-up methods plus, dry cleaning,
shampooing, steam cleaning and foam cleaning.
This spray will chase the fleas away thanks to
the pennyroyal. Whatever your reasons are, you may
need a reliable carpet cleaner.
Janice
I would think that the oils would leave a residue on the carpet that would attack dirt. Did anyone find this to be true?
jeri
no you don’t use enough for it to do that. It’s a dry powder even with the oil in it. Just add about 5 to 7 drops it works great.
Jillian Miley
For your mattress for Bed Bugs you could add Melaleuca oil. Lice, Bedbugs and Scabbies hate Tea Tree oil. You would still want the other oils to mask the smell of the Tea Tree oil.
jeri
I tried this and it works great. I only had lavender oil so that’s all I used and it worked great. Thanks so much. I have 2 Dobermans and boy do they get the place dirty. The oil makes it smell great!!!
Janine
I just tried it and I a impressed!! We were having some odor issues from a geriatric dog and naughty cats and they are gone!! I used lemongrass, lavender and clove because those are some I had on hand, sounds weird but actually it turned our to be a nice combo. Thanks!!
paula
can you use warming oil? thats all wal mart carried? sorry if this is a stupid question, i havejust started making homemade products…..Thanks for any advice
Ellen
no, warming oils are a different product. Get essential oils at a Whole Foods type store.
Sandra in Phx
Oh my goodness. I am cracking up. I just Googled natural carpet deodorizer and your site popped up. It was the first site I looked at. I read through and was SHOCKED when I got to the photo of you sprinkling your carpet. THAT IS THE **EXACT** CARPET I NEED TO DEODORIZE IN MY HOUSE! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I think that means it is a sign that I need to use this recipe!
Cassie
Oh wow – that is way too funny! I love that carpet. It adds a little sunshine in our home 🙂
Hm
An old parmigian cheese container would probably work great!
Shieldmaiden
I add a 1/4 cup of Borax to each laundry load and my clothes and towels have never smelled so fresh nor been so soft. It’s wonderful!
Linda
I am concerned about using the vacuum cleaner getting stopped up picking up all this baking soda or ruining it. I have read of this from site Thank You !
J
Yeah… except if you don’t own any of these products its like $30 or more of stuff to buy :/
Maria J. Minton
Thanks for sharing this cleaning recipe, it works for us. We have not use borax so we usually need time to complete cleaning job.
Mark W
This certainly looks easy to do. Why have I never come up with something like that? I would’ve saved a lot of many on cleaning alone. Ah, lost opportunities…
Will Phillips
Stumbled accross this the other day after I spilt beer on our carpet and WOW it actually worked. Cheers for the advise!
Ryan Love
Found this after doing a bit of Googling!
I’ll be giving it a try on the weekend, just need to get some of the ingredients tomorrow on our weekly shop!
I’ll be sure to report back with how it works. Thanks for sharing.
All the best,
Ryan
Joe
Having a vacuum store and seeing all the damage borax can do to a vacuum I would caution when using this method. While an effective cleaning method Borax will clog filters and bag pores. Straining the vacuum motor and damaging it. If you are buying big box store/amazon throw away vacuums this may not worry you but on a quality vacuum that is tested to last for 15+ years with a 7 year motor warranty it will void the warranty all together. You won’t be able to get the borax out either because it will embed itself in the filter and bags. I know its not a homemade solution but host dry carpet cleaner will be more effective and is all natural.
Ill give it 2 stars because it is effective but people should know the damage it can cause to a vacuum. If you are going to use this then use a cheap amazon vacuum. After all you wouldn’t want to shorten the lifespan of your subzero fridge from 15 years to 5 and void the warranty right? 10k on a fridge isn’t Cheap so kill the sub $500 sears fridge
Charolett
I am going to make some this week. I make a lot of things homemade. Can I give you a tip? You can save your parm lids and they fit on a canning jar. You can make your carpet freshener up and put in the jar. When you need it, just pop the lid and sprinkle out and shut the lid, and it will be fresh and saved for the next time. Thank you and can’t wait to try it
Alex
That is a GREAT idea! Looking forward to trying that next time we have one available. 🙂