Carpet Stains – General RulesÂ
TipKing strives to provide the best in cleaning tips and instructions for your clean carpet needs, but you should always be sure to read and follow specific carpet instructions provided by your carpet manufacturer. Warning and instructions given to you by the manufacturer are the best instructions that you can follow regarding your choice in carpet. Natural fibers, dyes, and special carpeting needs can require certain cleaning methods that your manufacturer will provide you with information about. Rugs and carpets can be made of various fibers, which differ, from manufacturer to manufacturer so be sure to read the information given to you by your carpet manufacturer. If you are ever in doubt about your type of carpet, cleaning methods, or a particular stain, do call a professional carpet cleaning service for their opinion or service.Â
Ongoing Care for Your CarpetsÂ
To keep your carpets looking great and long lasting for years to come there are just a few easy steps that you can follow:Â
Vacuum your carpeting frequently. Removing loose soils and dirt daily or at least weekly is going to ensure that your carpets will look cleaner longer without much effort.
Clean your carpets at least
yearly. If you have a large family or pets, you might want to consider having your carpets steam cleaned two or three times a year to keep up with the dirt that can accumulate on the fibers giving the carpeting a dingy look.Â
Stains
and Spills. Work on stains and spills as they occur, don’t wait for the yearly steam cleaning. Cleaning and working out these stains as they occur means you have a much better chance of getting all the stain out. Leaving a spill or stain sit for a few weeks or months lessens your chances of having the carpet look clean.Â
General Carpet Cleaning GuideÂ
Spots and spills on your carpet will involve time to remove – some will clean out within just minutes, others take hours to work out of your carpeting. The time involved will depend on exactly what the stain is and how long it has been in the carpet. Here are a few great general stain and spot removing techniques that you can use on your
carpeting.Â
Tips for cleaning stains and spots
Never rub in circular motions, just blot. Put your towel on the stain and lift it up.Â
To keep from spreading your stain, always rinse the area with a clear water spray and blot up the liquid never pushing the stain outwards.Â
Stepping on the towel, pushing on the towel or setting something heavy on the towel to bring out moisture is recommended when you want to dry the carpeting.Â
Before using any methods not recommended by your manufacturer, be sure to try a cleaning method and / or solution on an area of your carpet where you can test your carpet dye. Do not continue to use or try any cleaning solutions or methods if your test area brings out the coloring from your carpeting onto your clean towel or rag. Calling your carpet manufacture for advice is suggested.Â
What will you need to clean most spots and stains in your carpeting?Â
- Water
- Rubbing alcohol
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Clear, white vinegar
- Plastic knife or butter knife
- Clear, colorless ammonia
- Something heavy such as a book, block, or chair legÂ
- Clear bleach free dish liquid
- White towels, white rages, or paper towelsÂ
Steps in cleaning spots and stains in your carpeting:Â
(Use this method if you know it is a grease stain, or if you don’t know
what the stain is) Scrape and bring up as much of the excess liquid or
‘stuff’ on the carpeting. This could be chunky, slimy, smeared or grease
like substances among many others.Â
To break down the initial stain, take your cloth, wet it with rubbing alcohol
and dab the carpeting until you can’t bring up any more of the stain or
coloring in the stain. Never pour-rubbing alcohol on the carpeting as it can
cause additional damages but wet your rag and dab at the stain. If your stain is
not completely removed move on to the next cleaning method.Â
If the spill or stain is very wet, use your wet dry vac to bring up as much
of the liquid or moisture as possible. Use a spray of clear water to moisten the
area and dab up with your clean towel or paper towels. This brings out stains
that are water based like latex paints, jello and other mixes with water. Blot
the wet stained area with a heavy object to bring out deep down stain colors and
to dry out the carpeting completely.Â
Deep stains need additional cleaning. If you have already removed as much of
the liquid or material that is on the carpeting with a butter knife or plastic
knife, you are ready to move on and tackle that stain.Â
Use this method for stains that are deeply set, that are non greasy, and for
stains that you have already used the above methods in cleaning but have not
have the best success.Â
Make a mixture of a cup of water and a tablespoon of clear bleach free dish
liquid. Spray this on the stain and work it into the fibers with your fingers.
Use your towel and blot up the liquid removing the stain at the same time.
Continue spraying if the stain continues to come up. Rinse with clear water and
a clean towel until you bring out all the suds.Â
If you have any trace amounts of the stain still in your carpeting use
peroxide in a spray bottle, spraying it on the stained area. Work this in with
your finger tips and let it sit for about an hour. Using a clean paper towel,
blot up the moisture and re-spray to bring up additional stains. Applying
pressure such as a heavy book, chair leg or stepping on the paper towels, you
will bring moisture up from deep within the carpeting.Â
