No matter how clean you keep your home, messes are bound to happen, and that means stains on your carpets. Here are some tips on how you can clean your carpets yourself, and keep your carpet spotless!
Common Stains and How to Treat Them
Liquid Stains
Liquid stains are common on carpets, especially in areas near the kitchen or eating areas. Taking care of these stains quickly is important so that the moisture doesn’t seep into the pad, which will cause odors and mold over time.
Grab some paper towels, a clean cloth, or a sponge, and begin to blot the stain, starting at the edges of the stain and working inward. If you start at the center of the spill it will only spread it further outward.
Blotting is important, because it keeps the pressure light, preventing the stain from being rubbed deeper into the fibers of the carpet.
For basic liquids like milk and juice, blotting up the spill and following up with some warm, soapy water should take care of it.
Alcohol Stains
For treating alcohol stains, using a cloth dampened with club soda works well, but if you still have issues removing the liquid, try spraying a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Let it stand for about 20 minutes, then soak up the solution. You may have to do this more than one time if it’s a really bad stain.
Grease Stains
Grease stains are tough stuff, but making a dish soap solution is the best way to fight it. Add a few drops of dish soap, then spray it on the stain. Wait for a few seconds, then blot up the solution. For persistent stains, you may need to repeat this process a few times.
Pet Stains
Your best bet for getting pet stains out of carpet is an organic solution. They run about $10 a bottle and don’t contain harsh chemicals. A few sprays, then blot the stain up. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Blood Stains
For blood stains, pour a small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the affected area and then dab it dry. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Candy/Sugary Stains
Try to remove whatever solid debris you can with a butter knife. Then, use a some warm, soapy water and a sponge to get the sugary residue out of the carpet.
It’s important to get all of the sugar for two reasons: So that it won’t attract bugs, and because sugar traps dirt and debris.
Gum Stuck to Carpet
Take an ice cube and hold it on the gum for about 30 seconds until the gum is firm. Then you can pull the gum up and cut the carpet as close to it as possible. If done correctly, you shouldn’t be able to tell that the gum was ever there.
Wax stain
To enable the wax to be removed, it will have to be more pliable, which means heat. Lay a cloth on top of the wax, and then use an iron to warm up the wax.
Don’t keep the iron on for longer than about 20-30 seconds at a time, and use very light pressure.
Household Stain-Removers
- Dish soap
- A few drops of dish soap in a cup of water does a lot of good on greasy messes.
- Shaving cream
- Just apply a little bit to the affected area and let it foam up for about a half hour. Then blot it away.
- Club soda
- Dampen a cloth with it and use it to blot up alcohol spills.
- Vinegar solution
- Use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water for general messes.
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Works well on organic stains like blood. Pour a small amount and dab up.
- For other cleaning recipes, check out our other blog post.
Preventing Common Stains
The easiest way to keep your carpets clean is to prevent stains from even happening! Here are some tips for keeping the outside world out of the inside.
- Place rugs and carpet runners in hallways and at entry doors.
- Remove shoes at the door that are worn outside.
- Limit traffic to one door of the home.
- Spot clean spills and tracked in dirt right away.
Long-Term Care of Your Carpet
Restor-It recommends a professional carpet cleaning be done on a regular basis. Depending on the foot traffic in your home, this should be a few times a year.
Getting a regular deep clean done will extend the life of your carpet, and improve the air quality in your home. Not to mention how nice it will look!
For professional carpet cleaning, call Restor-It at 678-355-6645 or visit this page to learn more about our carpet cleaning process!
