Tips for Removing Carpet Stains

General Tips

  • Always clean the stain from the carpet as soon as possible after you spill something on it. Don’t allow the stain to dry into the fibers, since it becomes much more difficult to get them out. Fresh stains are usually wet, and come out easily.
  • Never wipe the stains. Wiping them will simply spread the mark to a greater area of the carpet. Instead, blot as much of the spill as possible.
  • Use a kitchen cloth, a tea towel, or another type of soft cloth for cleaning that won’t dissolve upon contact with water. Tissue paper rolls may seem like a good idea, but once they come in contact with water they start to break up, leaving small piece of the tissue which gets stuck to the carpet fibers making it much more difficult to clean.
  • Use vacuum cleaners regularly to make sure your carpets and rugs are dust free.
  • Always test any new product or stain removal method on a small, inconspicuous area of the carpet first.
  • Using powder is a great way to clean your carpet.
  • Carpet shampoo is another popular way to clean your carpets. There are many different brands of carpet shampoo available. But always read the instructions before applying it to your carpet.
  • Always ask your manufacturer about the material of the carpet, because every product react differently on different products.

Water-Soluble Stains

(alcoholic beverages, ice cream, jelly, milk)

  1. Mix 1.25ml of washing powder or white vinegar with 960 ml of water
  2. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray onto the stain
  3. Rub the area with a sponge and blot it with paper towels

Heavy-duty Water-Soluble Stains

(blood, chocolate, coffee, mustard, tea, wine)

  1. Mix 15 ml of ammonia with 240 ml of water
  2. Use a mild detergent instead of ammonia for a wool or wool-blend carpet
  3. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray onto the stain
  4. Rub the area with a sponge and blot it with paper towels
  5. If this doesn’t work for you then you can use a stain removal product

Pet Stains

  1. Soak up as much liquid(using old bath towels)as possible. Keep doing this until no more moisture comes up
  2. You can make your own solution(mix laundry detergent with water) or you can use any one of the commercial carpet cleaners.
  3. Using a clean cloth or sponge, blot the area, working from the outside of the stain toward the center.
  4. Rinse with clean water and blot with a clean towel.
  5. You can also mix white vinegar with water and repeat the above steps. This helps remove any soap residue, and it also deodorizes.
  6. Lastly place a dry towel over the area and blot it to pull up moisture. Keep doing this until no more moisture comes up.

Oil Stains

Place a paper towel over the carpet and iron on warm setting. The oil should come up off the carpet and stick to the paper towel.

Wax Stains

Scrape off as much wax as possible with a blunt knife or spoon. Use ice cubes to freeze the wax. Vacuum before the pieces soften, and blot the carpet with a white towel. If you find any remaining residue you can use a stain removal product.

Nail Polish

Blot the area with a rag dipped in nail polish remover.

Urine

Act quickly! Urine is highly acidic and will bleach some carpets. Absorb as much as possible with towels, then blot with a damp, cool cloth. Apply a solution of washing detergent mixed with water, rinse and blot dry.

Image Courtesy: http://www.carpet-cleaner-london.com/

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