Carpets can be a costly investment in your home, leading to a pleasing aesthetic appearance, creating softness in the room and giving it an overall cozy look and feel. However, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, stains and spills happen. Whether this is due to accidents, children in the home, pets or something else – they are inevitable. But this doesn’t have to mean that you should leave the stain and let it dry up, leaving an unpleasant odor behind. There are some common stains, which, with the right knowledge, you can remove by yourself. In most cases, this can be done with some basic homes solutions you typically have in your own home. Let’s take a look at how to clean the most common stains out of a carpet.
Types of stains and how to remove them
Whether a rug or a carpet, the most common types of stains you may encounter (including the steps for how to remove them) are the following:
Pet stains
When dealing with pet stains, you’re faced with either debris, urine or both. When it comes to debris, remove it using your gloved hand and dispose of it.
You should try to Blot up as much of the liquid as possible. Next, apply an enzymatic cleaner such as Poof! and follow the instructions. If Poof! is not available, mix one teaspoon of clear dish washing liquid (containing no bleaches or strong alkaline), one teaspoon of white vinegar with 2 cups of warm water (not hot). This solution must be rinsed well with clear water.
Coffee or tea stains
Start out by blotting most of the liquid up with a clean dry cloth. Mix one teaspoon of clear dish washing liquid (containing no bleaches or strong alkaline), one teaspoon of white vinegar with 2 cups of warm water (not hot). This solution must be rinsed well with clear water.
It’s also highly recommended that you do a patch test first on an inconspicuous part of the carpet so that you don’t damage it when you’re cleaning up the stain.
If the stain remains Moisten with Hydrogen Peroxide and Ammonia. Always use gloves and be sure not to apply to wool or protected nylon fibers. If have wool or nylon fiber carpet you should contact your trusted professional carpet cleaning company.
Blood stains
Blood stains are a bit trickier to deal with but not impossible. As a starting point, don’t use warm water on the stained carpet. This will help the stain adhere to the material. Instead, you should use cold water or club soda, which you’d spray onto the stain, followed by blotting it with a clean cloth. Repeat the process until the stain has disappeared. If water or club soda doesn’t work, use two tablespoons of grease-fighting liquid dish detergent and cold water, which you’ll mix together and spray onto the stain. Moisten liberally until it is soaked entirely and then blot as you see the blood being transferred onto the cloth.
Ink stains
Getting ink stains out of carpet can be a difficult task, but fortunately, there are some different techniques that can make the process much easier. Ink stains should never be rubbed or scrubbed as this can cause it to spread. Instead, use isopropyl alcohol with a high percentage of the active ingredient. Next, dampen a clean white cloth with the alcohol and dab it onto the stain until it is nearly dry. Once it’s cleared up, remove the excess moisture using a liquid-friendly vacuum cleaner. Alternative solutions include using some hairsprays, nail polish removers and other detergents with a high alcohol content (e.g. white wine and vinegar can work as well).
Chocolate stains
Begin by using a dull knife to scrape away as much of the chocolate as possible. Next, fill up a plastic bag with ice cubes and place it over the stain so that it can harden the chocolate. Scrape the excess chocolate with a dull knife once again and follow this by vacuuming the stain so that the remaining small pieces are sucked away. After doing this, apply a dry cleaning solvent such as white spirit. (Apply to towel, never directly to carpet), continue to blot until the stain is removed.
Dirt stains
Dirt or mud types of stains should first be allowed to dry before treatment. Begin by scraping off as much of the dirt as possible and follow this by vacuuming the spot. Use a solution that includes either a detergent (mild dishwashing liquid with warm water) or warm water and white vinegar. Apply the solution to the stain and then let it sit for around 10 minutes. Follow this by blotting with a cloth or paper towel.
Wine and juice stains
Club soda is your best friend for dealing with wine or juice stains. Spray the club soda onto the stain and then blot it up with a cloth until it is gone. Another alternative is to try a mixture of ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of dish soap and water, which you would mix together in a spray bottle. Spray onto the carpet liberally and let it soak for around 10 minutes. Blot the stain dry afterwards until it has been removed. However, removing dried red wine from a carpet can be a difficult task to complete on your own. If uneasy about taking on this process on your own contact the professionals at Spotless to help.
Best way to deal with carpet stain removal
If you’re still struggling with these stain removal remedies, you may want to call in your trusted professional carpet stain removal company in Pleasanton, CA and servicing surrounding areas.
With our professional and trusted floor care experts , you’ll be able to enjoy fresh, stain- and odor-free carpets once again. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! Or give us a call and one our Trusted experts can help walk you through the process.