Revive Your Rug

Are your rugs or carpet in need of revival?  With a 90-pound hairy beast running all over, mine were definitely in need of a face-lift.  I used to buy a special carpet powder for pets, but it was $3 a box and I went through it too quickly.  It was great at loosening fallen pet hair and removing the lingering doggy scent.

So, I looked for a way to make my own and found one that I couldn't be happier with.  Here's how to home-make it:

- baking soda (enough to fill your chosen container)
- 6-8 drops essential oil of your choice (I used lavender)

Pour the baking soda into you container, leaving enough room at the top to give it a good shake.  Drop in your essential oil and shake it up until it's well distributed.  Sprinkle liberally over the carpet.  Let it sit for at least 20 minutes while you do something else. (This give the baking soda time to absorb all the unwanted odors.)  I've let mine sit overnight before, and it did fine, but you can test on an inconspicuous area of your rug/carpet if you want.   Use it every time you vacuum or just whenever your rugs need an extra boost of freshness.

It's easiest if you put the carpet powder in a container that has a sprinkle lid (an clean parmesan cheese shaker works great).  But in true home-made style, I made my own (okay, honestly, it was because I didn't have an empty container).

If you are fresh out of parmesan shakers too, here's how to make your own "sprinkler":

- Put the lid and ring on an empty mason jar.
- Use your trusty hammer and a nail to pound as many holes into the lid as you want (the more holes, the more powder comes out with each shake).
- Label it and fill it up with the carpet powder.
- If you're going to store it, putting an old scrap of cloth or even some plastic wrap between the lid and the ring will help keep the essential oils from evaporating.

Happy carpet cleaning!