Can I use homemade laundry detergent in a carpet cleaning machine?

[dolphin9600]

Hi all. I made the homemade laundry detergent (borax, washing soda, ivory soap...) and I love it! I used it to clean some stains off the carpet in my van and it worked really well! I was wondering, I have a Bissel Pro Heat carpet cleaning machine, can I use the homemade laundry detergent in the carpet cleaning machine to clean my carpets in my house? Do I just put the detergent in the container I would normally put the carpet shampoo on the machine? Has anyone tried to clean their carpets with homemade laundry deteregent?
Thanks. My carpets really need to be cleaned asap.
Katie

[Jaxxie]

You can but you have to be careful. You will most likely will have to buy a defoamer to put in the extractor tank because of the suds the laundry soap may create. I have actually used Tide liquid in my steam cleaner but in very small amounts. It never hurts to try, but I would also assume the type of carpeting you have will play into how well it works also.

Happy cleaning!

[bestmidwest]

Jaxxie's right, I would just try a teeny bit at first. If you use too much it will stay in the carpet. The soap will attract the dirt and your carpet will be more dirty than when you cleaned it!! Good luck.

[dolphin9600]

Well, I tried the homemade laudry detergent in my carpet cleaner......................................................







and it worked GREAT!!! I put about 1/3 laundry detergent and filled the rest with hot water. The carpets look so good! They were dying to get cleaned! The carpet vacuums much better now too. I have the hallway and the master bedroom left to clean and then I will be done. I'm doing some major cleaning before ds goes in the hospital so I can come home to a clean house (IF dh and dd keep it up-shouldn't be hard if they pick up after themselves!!)
Thanks!
Katie

[mayfly]

oh thats great news, thanks for letting us know.