Removing the Most Common Carpet Stains

You may think that part of owning a beautiful carpet is dealing with the stress and frustration of greasy spills, muddy marks or coffee, wine and Kool-Aid. But this doesn’t have to be this way. Carpets of all types are besieged with these threats on their beauty and come out just fine. It’s all in how you react.

The important things you will need are patience, resolve and some of the simplest ingredients you already have in your home. So without further ado, here are the best ways to treat a stains and save your carpets.

Coffee, Wine and Kool-Aid

Act fast, but never rub at the spill. You want to remove the colored fluid by blotting at it with paper towels or clean rags. Remove as much as you can and then apply this simple solution to the affected area and then begin blotting it out and adding more until the entire colored section is gone.

-Coffee, Wine and Kool-Aid Busting Solutions

-¼ Cup of White Vinegar
-1 Tbsp dish soap
-2 liters of cold water

Remember to always test your solutions on a small corner of the fabric. If you see it causes the colors to run or be otherwise affected, discontinue use.

Pet Droppings, Vomit and Urine

While this task can range from very simple to colossal depending on the extent of the mess and the time it has been there, the importance is always to act fast and precise. Gently remove as much of the solids and liquids as you can without working them further into the fabric. If the problem is urine and it has had time to dry, use a black light to highlight the spots and then outline them in chalk.

Use a simple mixture of warm water and white vinegar to soak into the affected areas and then begin blotting this out till you are satisfied the odors have been removed. Allow it to sit for a little and when it is almost dry use the following “Odor Busting Technique” to remove the last vestiges of contaminants.

Odor Busting Technique

Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the almost dried portions of your carpet. Mix half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Put on your rubber gloves and then begin to add this mixture onto the baking soda and work it into the carpet with a toothbrush or your fingers.

Then you can begin rinsing this out with the same vinegar and water solution from earlier. Blot it dry and then vacuum.

Blood Stains

There is a lot of scare about blood, but stains like these can actually be removed easily with a little know-how. Again acting fast will be the way to prevent a permanents. Blood should never be addressed with hot water as this will quite literally “cook” the stain into the fabric. Instead do a thorough job of blotting the mess without pushing the stain further into the fabric.

Sprinkle flour onto the fabric to absorb the liquids and then sweep them gently off the affected areas. Then you can add the same “Odor Busting Technique” mentioned earlier mentioned earlier to remove the last vestiges of the bloody mess.

Ink Stains

Ink unlike most other contaminants is designed to leave a permanent mark and will therefore require specific techniques for fully removing the stain.

Isopropyl Alcohol is the most effective ink remover, but can also affect the coloring of the carpet. The higher the alcohol content the more effective. You will want to perform the same dab and blot procedure, imagine you are pulling the stain from the fabric rather than soaking it in.

Removing carpet stains

Don’t flood the area with alcohol or you could leave a larger mark. Apply the alcohol to a blotting rag and make your work slow and steady. Remove as much as you can with alcohol before you finish the job with nail polish remover. Remember to always check any solution on a small corner to see if it adversely affects the dye before applying it to a more noticeable area.

In Conclusion — when faced with a stain, time is of the essence. But don’t let that rush you into applying the wrong remedy, take time to rely on these helpful tips and you can increases the longevity of your carpets and rugs.

If you cannot get a stain out call us for St Augustine carpet cleaning services or read through our most popular vacuum cleaner blog post.