Homemade Carpet Shampoo That Works

I have my own carpet cleaning business, and I make my own homemade shampoo. While it is true that too much detergent in a homemade cleaner can be hard to remove, there are ways to make carpet shampoo without detergent. My cleaner is vinegar and astringent based, and I have found there is little it cannot remove. While I tend to agree with the detergent/soap thing (it leaves crunchy carpets and left behind residue can attract dirt) there are ways to make shampoo without having those issues.

While I won't say everything in my personal shampoo recipe, combining 1 gallon white vinegar, 1 large bottle of lemon juice, and 1 pint of witch hazel will make a super effective carpet cleaner that is safe for use in commercial or home shampooers. Also, sprinkling baking soda on the carpet before shampooing will remove the worst odors and boost the above mixture's cleaning properties. Below is a before and after photo.