Keeping your carpets clean is a crucial factor in maintaining a comfortable atmosphere in your home. Carpets are always exposed to catch stains despite taking all precautions of keeping it clean. Moreover, it becomes much harder if you have kids or pets… OR BOTH! So being able to deal with different types of carpet stain as quickly as possible is a skill that everybody has to get. Here are the most common stains that your carpet might get. And also the best way to handle each in the right manner and without wearing out your beloved carpet.
Coffee
Coffee stains are one of the worst stains that carpets can get. That’s because they’re acidic and have deep tough colors, which makes them almost impossible to be removed if they’re not immediately handled. Firstly, Dry the spot by blotting with a dry white cloth. Make sure you are not spreading the stain even more by blotting inward and changing the cloth as it becomes saturated. Then, make a mixture of a cup of vinegar, two cups of water, and a gentle, non-bleach detergent…blot, rinse and repeat until the carpet stain disappears.
Blood
Being organic and thick, blood can easily stain your carpet and it takes persistence and combination of many steps and materials to eventually vanish away. Use dish soap with cold water to blot and clean it. And avoid using hot water as it it’s much likely to set the stain permanently. If the stain is dry and stubborn, try one tablespoon of ammonia mixed with half a cup of water, blot with a sponge and rinse with cold water. Hydrogen peroxide is also an effective solution for such type of stain. Apply it directly and let it soak in and blot with cold water.
Ink
An ink stain on any piece of cloth is such a nightmare. So imagine when it comes to being stuck in an expensive carpet! Blot the spot with a clean, white towel soaked in rubbing alcohol, but don’t apply the rubbing alcohol directly on the ink stain. As it can cause it to spread more. And also put in mind that you have to blot, don’t rub. In addition to rubbing alcohol, hairsprays, nail polish removers, and other stuff that contain high contents of alcohol will do the job. Always perform a test spot on a tiny area of the carpet. That’s to make sure these solutions are not going to cause any damage to your own type of carpet.
Pet
We all love our pets but it just so terrible when they deviate from the norm and pee on the carpet. Use blank paper or a piece of cloth to absorb the urine in the first place. If it’s already dry, apply a carpet stain cleaning product that is specifically formulated for pet stains. You will find it available at most pet supply stores. For a DIY solution, half white vinegar and half water followed by one-half teaspoon of non-bleach detergent mixed with water. Another solution is mixing half a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with one teaspoon of liquid dish soap. It will not only remove the stain but also it will remove any odors from the carpet.
Chocolate
Like most carpet stains, the quicker you handle the better. If the stain is still wet, soak it with cold water, put a small amount of light dishwashing detergent on a clean towel and rub the stain in a circular motion. Then, wait for a few minutes before rinsing with cold water and let dry. If the stain is already dry, use a butter knife and scrape off as chocolate as you can at first, then use a vacuum to get rid of the dried flakes. After that do the same steps mentioned above.
Nail polish
We know how much this can make you panic when you accidentally spill nail polish on the carpet. The best thing to do is trying to absorb as much of the stain as you can with paper towels. But DO NOT scrub the stain, as this may make it set even more. Apply acetone-free nail polish remover directly onto the nail polish stain as acetone can cause damage and discolor your carpet. This should begin to lift the stain off of the carpet to the white towels so you should continuously switch to clean ones.
Grease
Oily or greasy stains may leave a permanent mark in your carpet if not handled quickly. To remove grease and oil stains, firstly, blot away the stain excess then sprinkle a good amount of baking soda onto it. Baking soda is a great absorber of such greasy stains as well as being able to eliminate bad odors so it’s better to sit it overnight. When you’re sure the soda has absorbed the stain, use your vacuum cleaner to suck the powder from the carpet. And it should be clean again.
