DIY Carpet Powder: The Affordable Way To Freshen Up Carpet

blond woman pouring powder on a rug/vacuum taking powder off rug

Freshen Up Carpet With This Easy DIY Carpet Powder

I don’t do it every day, but sometimes it’s nice to boost the “clean smell” of the house by sprinkling my carpets with a little deodorizing carpet powder. (I can only imagine that if you had pets it would be more of a necessity than a nicety!)

But rather than spending $5 on a bottle of carpet powder with all sorts of strange and hard-to-pronounce ingredients, I decided I’d whip up a batch of my very own deodorizing carpet powder! It worked wonderfully, and I’ve been using it ever since!

While this DIY carpet powder might not remove tough stains from your carpet, it’s made from all natural ingredients, and it’s also made with products you can easily find. It’s fairly inexpensive to make, too!

Since my homemade carpet powder relies on essential oils for its freshening power, it has other benefits too. Essential oils not only smell great, but they can also improve your mood, clear your sinuses, or even make you feel more energized.

How To Make A Natural Carpet Powder

Ingredients:

1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup baking soda
30 drops essential oil(s)
OR
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cloves
Glass jar

woman's hand pouring borax from measuring cup into jar

Directions:

Start by combining the borax and baking soda in a glass jar. Using borax around the house is not only safe, but offers similar benefits to baking soda in terms of absorbing dirt and odors.

woman's hand putting essential oil into powder in a jar

Add around 30 drops of your essential oil(s) of choice, then put the lid on the jar and shake until the mixture is free of lumps.

woman's hand putting a spoonful of cinnamon into jar of white powder

If you don’t have essential oils on hand, you can add a teaspoon of cinnamon or ground cloves for scent instead. (Or why not combine the two? Try 20 drops of sweet orange essential oil and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a scent inspired by homemade orange rolls – yum!)

blond woman using cordless vacuum to get powder off rug

How To Use Your Natural Carpet Powder

Simply shake the powder onto your carpets, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before vacuuming thoroughly.

Bonus Tips For Success

Avoid ground cinnamon or cloves if you have a lighter colored carpet, because it could cause discoloration. If it’s the scent you’re after, you could use cinnamon or clove essential oil instead.
If you or someone in your household is sensitive to smells, use plain baking soda as a carpet powder instead. It can effectively absorb odors on its own.

How do you freshen up your carpets?