When you take proper care of your carpet you not only extend its longevity considerably, you ensure that it will look its best for longer. One of the most important points of masterful carpet care is having a plan to address all types of contaminants that can threaten to leave their mark on your beautiful floor fabrics.
While serious staining will require professional methods and techniques, here is what you can do about the most common carpet stains that you will encounter.
WATER-SOLUBLE STAINS
For water-soluble stains, including wet paint, mud, foods and latex, combine a ¼ tsp of non-bleach detergent with a little white vinegar after carefully scraping up and blotting all residual liquids and solids. Use a clean white cloth to perform this task.
For blood, wine, coffee, tea, mustard, vomit, coffee and chocolate, you may need a stronger solution. Use the same mixture mentioned above but this time add a tablespoon of ammonia and a cup of water. Use the same dab and blot process until all vestiges are lifted.
NOTE: don’t use ammonia on a wool or wool-blend carpet as this will damage the fibers.
WAX, OIL AND FAT STAINS
Grab the iron and some paper towels as fast as you can. You will lay the paper towels over the greasy/oily/waxy mess. The idea is that the heat of the iron will melt the substances and the paper towels will blot them away. Place your iron on warm and barely hold it over the paper towels while it works to heat the mess below.
CAUTION: don’t leave the iron directly on top of the paper towels as this will burn delicate fibers, don’t leave the iron unattended either.
OTHER STAINS
If you have a home with many visitors, small children or pets, you can expect a much greater potential for accidents, here are some of the more important ones to be aware of.
Cigarette burns — not actually a stain. All you have to do is scrape away the burned bits of fiber with a credit card. Then take small scissors and snip away at the burned bits of fiber.
Gum and hard wax — Use ice to harden gum or wax and then carefully break the mass with a blunt object. Use the vacuum to collect the shards of frozen wax and gum.
Nail polish — dip the corner of a paper towel in nail polish remover and gently blot the stain until the mark is completely gone.
Urine — blot up as much urine as you can, using a damp cloth. Then make a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water. Gently dab this solution into the carpet and use a dry rag to blot it again. Repeat until all vestiges of urine are gone. Finish up by cleaning the affected area with the detergent and water solution described earlier.
Stains can be a particularly frustrating thing to encounter for a carpet owner. If you need help removing the stains for your floor fabrics call us up. Furthermore, never underestimate the importance of regular deep cleaning in keeping your carpets resistant to stains.