In life, accidents will happen, and most can be easily resolved, and in most cases, you would even need to request help from a professional. First of all, no matter the type of spill, the process of how to clean and remove carpet stains remains the same. Thankfully, it’s easy! Just follow these simple steps. If something is spilled onto your carpet, no matter what the circumstances, prompt action is required to prevent staining, so be prepared.
1. Be prepared and remove the excess
Immediately brush off any excess substance with a spoon or a knife, so your cleanable spill doesn’t soak up anymore and turns into a permanent stain. Gently but swiftly, Blot away the excess liquid with a clean, absorbent, white cloth, work from the outer edge of the stain to the center to prevent spreading. Never rub as this can permanently damage carpet fibers. Always blot and repeat until the cloth no longer picks up any color.
2. Treat with a cleaning agent
Now that you have soaked up as much as you can from the affected area, spray the remaining stain with a cleaning agent of your choice, it recommended to use a cleaning agent that deal with and specifically matches the type of substance spilled. Both a store-bought stain remover and a handy homemade formula work equally as effective.
It is the recommendation to have the following items and solutions on hand for dealing with the most common spillages as soon as possible:
· Clean white absorbent cloth or towel
· Dry cleaning solution or a potent surgical spirit (check your local chemists)
· Detergent Solution – With the ratio of one teaspoonful of a well made mild dishwashing detergent ordinarily used for washing woolens to 300ml of warm water
· Detergent vinegar solution – With the ratio one to one ratio of one teaspoonful of white (avoid malt) vinegar to the detergent solution
· Ammonia Solution – With the ratio of one teaspoonful of branded and reliable household ammonia (should be available from local supermarkets or hardware stores) to one cup of warm water
Take plenty of time; it is worth the extra effort as over-wetting the stain can cause further damage to the backing of your carpet. Then let sit for at least 10 minutes.
3. Blot the stain away
Reach for a new clean, super absorbent, white cloth again. Start blotting from the outside to the middle of the stain repeatedly until the stain no longer transfers to the cloth. Follow by blotting with cold water, ensuring not over wet the affected area, and then gently blot dry. Once complete you may leave the affected area to dry overnight to see if the results are pleasing, repeating this process again if necessary.
4. Speed up the drying process
This handy tip works if you want to dry thoroughly your carpet as quick as possible. Cover the dampened area with a 1/2-inch-thick layer of paper towels or thick cloth, weighted down by a heavy object, swapping out the paper towels or cloth until dry.
You can also hire a professional carpet cleaner in your local area to do all of this for you for a very nominal fee while you focus on what matters most to you. We recommend hiring a professional, with good reviews, that knows what they’re doing. There are many review based sites out there, and most (good) companies have a presence on these sites. A professional carpet cleaning solution that we enjoy doing business with is Andrew Thompson, founder of VT Mobile Carpet Cleaning, and we found him through review sites like Yelp, Google My Business, and Angie’s List and made a comparison of all of them.
Take a look at one of our favorite carpet cleaning tips from our fellow friend at YouTube:
Here are the most common carpet stains solutions
· Chocolate, Blood, Sweets, Ice Cream, Glue, Milk, Egg, Soft Drinks and Vomit
Apply cold water immediately or club soda if you have that conveniently nearby, and then blot repeatedly with a clean, colorless cloth until the stain is gone.
· Fat-based stains (margarine, butter, gravy, etc.) Ointment, Oil, Solids, Shoe Polish and Tar
Use a spot carpet cleaner of the dry solvent variety and categorically follow the label instructions.
· Chewing Gum
Extract as much gum as you can without damaging your carpets’ fibers. Harden the remaining jammed gum pieces by placing a plastic bag of ice cubes over it. Chip gum away with a dull knife or spoon, followed by thoroughly vacuuming. If there is a lingering stain, clean with a dry solvent carpet cleaner, following the instructions on the label.
· Urine
Apply an enzymatic cleaner solution that you can usually find at a local pet supply store and other natural retailers.
· Alcohol, Tea, Coffee, Liquid Foods and juice
Lightly spritz with club soda, ensuring not to soak the carpet. Blot with a colorless, clean cloth repeatedly until the stain has vanished.
In addition to these methods, in the modern market there are several spot removers available; but remember before you try one, ensure you always test for colorfastness on an inconspicuous corner and leave it for a few days just to make sure it doesn’t discolor your carpet.
This stain removal tips and guide should help prevent or restore your carpet from some quite common and ultimately expensive staining damage. Of course, the complete removal of every stain can never be a guaranteed unfortunately, but the quick action and applying these simple procedures will give your professional cleaner the best possible chance of success of restoring your carpet to its former glory.
