Spring Cleaning Shortcuts

Carpeting and Rugs: Shortcut

Target needy areas—high-traffic zones and stains that have been bugging you forever. Give the rest a quick (but still substantial) once-over.

Tools

• Vacuum
• Cotton cloths
• LA’s Totally Awesome concentrated cleaner and degreaser—great on carpet stains ($3, amazon.com)
• Hair dryer

Steps for Wall-to-Wall and Area Rugs

1. Scope the joint and determine which areas need the most care (near entryways, where people eat, play spaces).

2. Take a vacuum to the problem areas, going back and forth for about 30 seconds in bad spots. For area rugs, do the top of each rug, then lift and fold back the corners where you can to vacuum the underside.

3. Dampen a cloth with LA’s Totally Awesome cleaner and degreaser (not for sisal, which doesn’t like moisture) and apply it to stains; let sit for five minutes, then blot with a fresh, dry cloth, working from the edges of the stains toward the centers. Blot again with a fresh cloth, this time applying pressure with your foot to get really deep.

4. Use a hair dryer set on high to dry each spot. Open the windows to finish the job.

Time investment: About 10 to 15 minutes for a 15-by-15-foot carpeted room (the same for each area rug); 6 to 10 additional minutes per stain.