Keeping your carpet clean throughout the year is an ongoing battle, and even more so when you’re hosting during the holidays. Between holiday parties, melting candles, chocolate, and other holiday treats, we can use all of the carpet cleaning hacks we can get.

So we asked some professional cleaners for their favorite tricks for a cleaner carpet—and we wish we knew them sooner.

Use a Fork for Fluffing Carpet

Over time, carpets naturally start to look flat and lifeless, especially in high-traffic areas like living rooms, entryways, hallways, and stairs. But James King, operations manager at DeluxeMaid, has a solution.

“Use a fork,” he says. “Yep, any regular old fork that you already have in your kitchen. Gently rake the tines through the fibers to fluff it up.”

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Remove Gum With Ice Cubes

If you’ve ever got gum on your carpet, you know it can feel like you’ll have to live with it forever. The sticky substance just works its way into the fibers like nothing else, and sometimes the only solution is to cut it out with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife.

But before you break out the shears, there’s actually a much easier solution for removing gum from carpet, and you likely already have this item in your home.

“With an ice cube, you can place it directly and let it sit for a few minutes until the gum hardens up,” King says. “Simply scrape off with a spoon or a butter knife and it will come off way easier without pulling up the carpet fibers.”

Use Essential Oils for a Quick Refresh

Taylor Riley, founder of Boom. Facility Services Advisors and co-founder of Impact Cleaning Professionals, has a simple trick to freshen up carpets or rugs before guests arrive. While he says it doesn’t necessarily help to clean, it does help to make your home smell fresher if you’re short on time.

Riley recommends mixing some of your favorite essential oils into baking soda—he likes to use lavender or lemon. Sprinkle the baking soda onto the carpet, let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, them vacuum it up.

“It’s a quick and easy way to make my carpets smell fresh and my home guest-ready without much effort,” he says.

Use a Steam Iron for Wrinkles

Steam irons aren’t just for clothes. According to King, they’re also a great way to remove wrinkles and creases from rugs and carpet.

King suggests starting with a dampened cloth, towel, or washcloth, and laying it over the crease or wrinkled area.

Then run your steam iron over the cloth.

“I’ve used it for those folded spots and I love how quickly it smooths things out,” King says.