Faithful readers will recall a tip from Julie in which she shared her simple homemade carpet shampoo made of hydrogen peroxide, hot water and a tiny bit of liquid laundry soap.

That tip set off a semi-avalanche of responses requesting specific details, many of which cautioned — wisely — that hydrogen peroxide can bleach some types of fabrics and carpets that are not colorfast.

CARPET CLEANER DETAILS: Mix hot water and liquid soap, preferably a simple biodegradable soap like Era, Blue Dawn or Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap. Add enough hydrogen peroxide to make the overall solution from about 1/2 to about 2 percent hydrogen peroxide. Fill carpet cleaner reservoir. (For 1 gallon of water, this would be approximately 1/4 cup to 1 3/4 cups 35 percent hydrogen peroxide. Three percent hydrogen peroxide, the strength found in drug stores and supermarkets, mixed 50-50 with water results in 1.5 percent strength.)

In theory, hydrogen peroxide could alter the carpet color, depending on the kind of dye. However, this is unlikely when using 3 percent peroxide. I have poured 3 percent hydrogen peroxide directly onto carpet in my home and not had any problems.

For the best result, make sure you are using fresh hydrogen peroxide (no older than six months) that has been stored in a dark place. Hydrogen degrades quickly when exposed to light.

Caution: You should ALWAYS test any kind of stain treatment or cleaner in an inconspicuous area to make sure the item to be cleaned (carpet, upholstery, garment) is colorfast and you will not be making things worse.

WHITE GROUT CLEANER: In a bowl, mix fresh hydrogen peroxide (you will get the best results using 35 percent percent hydrogen peroxide), baking soda and a few drops of Blue Dawn to form a thick paste. Using an old toothbrush, apply the paste to the grout, and give it a good scrub. Allow it to sit on the grout for a few minutes or until you achieve your desired results, and then rinse very well.

STUBBORN CARPET STAIN CLEANER: Interestingly, I've heard from quite a few readers who have used the White Grout Cleaner above as a last-result treatment for an ugly, stubborn carpet stain — even the worst, which is red wine on light-colored carpet — with great results. Adjust the amount of hydrogen peroxide to make a thinner slurry. And, of course, test first.

Becky writes: We had tenants in our house for a few years, and we got new carpets in all but one room after we moved back. The room was one we didn't use much, and the carpet was fairly new, but the tenants had made a big stain in a very obvious location. I'd tried everything to get that stain out. Today, I mixed up a recipe of that stain remover (see above White Grout Cleaner), scrubbed it into the stain, left it for over an hour and then rinsed well with boiling water in our Hoover SteamVac. The stain is GONE! That stain had been there for several years at least. I just wanted to thank you, because it saved us having to replace the carpet. I'll be sharing the recipe out with everyone I know.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.