How to clean high traffic "dark" path in my carpet

**KellyTheChef** · 08-30-2008, 03:38 PM

Hey all!

We have a light tan freize (sp?) like carpet (cross between plush and freize...hard to describe) that has multi colors flecked throughout. It hides little imperfection stains...but has a darker area where we walk all of the time. I used my carpet cleaner for the hallway and the living room. The area where we walk is still DARKER. I even went back over it NUMEROUS times, and used the water surge so it would get doused with the carpet cleaning water solution...and went very slow so the scrubbing heads would have plenty of time to "scrub" before sucking the water back out.

Any ideas on what I can do here? I had even sprayed on a stain remover over the pathway, and waited a few minutes before using my carpet cleaner.

Thanks if you know of anything in particular that works well to get out high traffic path dirt!

**Jennie4PC** · 08-30-2008, 03:41 PM

I have that same problem. One of these days I am going to higher a carpet cleaner to come in and do it.

vwpamperedchef · 08-30-2008, 03:43 PM

What about white vinegar? Its like the all purpose cleaner for me....

**janetupnorth** · 08-30-2008, 04:32 PM

Put a couch over it and change the flow of traffic!

(Sorry couldn't resist...our cream carpet is older than dirt...I'm AFRAID of what is under it!...clean just doesn't seem to happen no how many times I scrub it!)

**cwinter474** · 08-30-2008, 04:40 PM

I agree with Janet!

What about the Oxiclean don't they make a carpet cleaner?

**janetupnorth** · 08-30-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote by cwinter474

I agree with Janet!

What about the Oxiclean don't they make a carpet cleaner?

Of course it probably looks funny with a couch in line with a door!

**Ginger428** · 08-30-2008, 04:43 PM

Every once in awhile we would use Oxiclean(sp?) DH would put it in a spray bottle with warm water & let it set in for awhile & then steam clean it...HTH

**cwinter474** · 08-30-2008, 04:46 PM

Quote by janetupnorth

Of course it probably looks funny with a couch in line with a door!

True, but might be a good conversation started, or keep people from visiting.

**lacychef** · 08-30-2008, 11:41 PM

I just shampooed my carpets yesterday....yuck, I don't think you can ever get carpet totally clean

Tempting to rip it up & see if I have hardwood floors underneath!
Good luck!

**cwinter474** · 08-30-2008, 11:43 PM

Quote by lacychef

I just shampooed my carpets yesterday....yuck, I don't think you can ever get carpet totally clean

Tempting to rip it up & see if I have hardwood floors underneath!
Good luck!

That would be so cool.... I would LOVE to have hardwood floors!

**lacychef** · 08-30-2008, 11:49 PM

I have hardwood in my dining room & love it. I'm pretty sure that I do have it in my living room too under the carpet...one day I'll get a wild hair & rip it up!

**cwinter474** · 08-30-2008, 11:50 PM

Quote by lacychef

I have hardwood in my dining room & love it. I'm pretty sure that I do have it in my living room too under the carpet...one day I'll get a wild hair & rip it up!

put on your Nike's and "Just Do It"

**Teresa Lynn** · 08-31-2008, 12:06 AM

This won't help you now but when we built our first house 20 years ago we had the yucky builder grade carpet. We lived with it as long as we could & 3 years later bought new carpet & upgraded to what we hoped would last with kids. The salesman told us to never shampoo (even professionally) your carpets. His reasoning was it will always have residue which will cause the dirt to build up and look dirty. He said vacuum every other day (I do every day cause thats my quirky personality)

We never cleaned it and the day we moved out 7 years later they still looked new.

When we were building this house in 1998 we went back to the same carpet store ordered the exact dark green we had in the other house and it still looks new. (same guy and he told us the same thing again)

People will walk in and think its been replaced & comment on how soft it is. It actually is probably the only thing in the whole house we haven't changed. funny how even though we designed it and had it custom built we have "tweaked" it thru the years.

**KellyTheChef** · 08-31-2008, 08:36 AM

Teresa...I know that is what my problem is...I am HORRIBLE about sweeping! I don't know what the problem is since if I did it each day, it would take all of 5 minutes! THAT is what I need to do. Get this stain path cleaned up, and then vaccum each day!

I also have a dog (60#) and this door is where she comes in and out. If her feet are wet or dirty, I wipe them with a microfiber cloth...but I know she is the one really making the dirty path.

But, first things first...I need to get the dirt OUT OF THERE! (It actually just looks like a shadow...but it's only on the "path"!)

**chefjeanine** · 08-31-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote by Teresa Lynn

The salesman told us to never shampoo (even professionally) your carpets. His reasoning was it will always have residue which will cause the dirt to build up and look dirty.

That's what I was going to tell Kelly! Because of that residue, it will look dirtier even faster.

**jnell232** · 09-01-2008, 07:24 AM

try windex....yes, the blue stuff!! you will be amazed!!!!

**pampered.chris** · 09-01-2008, 07:32 AM

Kelly, I have berber and was told that I can't use a stain treater on it!! I was like what?!
I bought my house w/ the berber in place and replaced some other flooring in the house. I mentioned the "pathway" thru two of the rooms caused by 3 little boys living their prior. The people at the flooring store sold me some carpet cleaner that is all powdery type and not liquid.
I haven't tried it yet (been afraid) but I have steam cleaned my carpets with OxyClean instead of shampoo. I had to do this when the contractor that was working in my basement allowed someone to stand and they must have used the spot to wipe their feet in the middle of my light cream colored berber. The area was bigger than a basket ball!! It did come up but while steam cleaning, but when I was doing it my floor looked dirtier than it did. But it took out the "pathways" and looks great now!!
Best of luck!!!

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