Archive for month: July, 2018

If you have carpets in your home, you will undoubtedly get a few stains. Let’s face it, accidents happen! The last thing you want to do is panic and grab the nearest cleaner you can find in your home. Some cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and depending on what the spill is, can actually set the stain in rather than remove it. The most important thing to remember is to never rub any stain, always use the blotting method to remove stains. Below are a few tried and true DIY techniques and methods to removing some very common household stains such as juice, coffee, wine and pet urine.

 

1. Oil based spills
Scrape as much of the liquid as possible, but be careful not to rub any into the carpet. Sprinkle a handful of baking soda or cornstarch over the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes. While the powder is setting into the stain, mix up a solution of one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of water. Vacuum up the cornstarch or baking soda and spray a liberal amount of the solution on the stain. Use a microfiber cloth to blot the stain until all the liquid is absorbed. Then use a sponge and some cold water and blot at the area until the stain is gone.
When blotting the stain, be sure to work from the outside of the stain in, as this will make the mark less obvious.
Tip: Be sure to test the cleaning solution on a small section of your carpet before using it on the stain.

2. Juice or cool drink
Mix a quarter cup of white vinegar with a tablespoon of washing up liquid and water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the stain and leave it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Blot the stain, starting from the outside and working your way in, with a dry towel until it is gone.

3. Pet stains
Blot the stain with a solution of white vinegar and water using paper towels or a dry cotton towel until it fades. Sprinkle a handful of baking soda over the stain, let it sit for an hour and then vacuum up all the powder. Avoid cleaning up any pet messes with ammonia, as pet urine already contains it and this may encourage your pet to continually do his business in that spot.

4. Coffee
After the stain has been cleaned up and the area is dry, vacuum the spot to restore texture to the carpet. Use paper towels to soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Be sure to use a new towel once it is fully saturated in order to avoid spreading the stain.Use the vinegar, dish detergent and water solution mentioned in the juice stain section and spray this liberally over the stain. Be sure not to soak the carpet, as this will cause the coffee to sink into the carpet fibers. Blot at the stain, from the outside in, with paper towels until it is gone. If necessary, wait for the spot to dry a bit and then repeat the application of the spray solution and blotting process.
Tip: After the stain has been cleaned up and the area is dry, vacuum the spot to restore texture to the carpet.

5. Blood stains
The important thing to remember when cleaning blood out of fabric is to always use cold water. Mix two teaspoons of dish washing liquid and cold water in a spray bottle and spray onto stain. Use paper towels to blot at the spot until all the blood has transferred onto the paper.

6. Wine stains
Mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 1 cup of water (but not on wool or wool-blend carpet; instead use mild detergent and water). If that doesn’t work, you can try one part chlorine bleach to five parts water, but only on solution-dyed carpets, such as polypropylene. Bleach will harm other types of carpets; check with the manufacturer if you are unsure what type of carpet you have.

There are some instances when carpet stain removal home remedies are just not enough to get the carpeting stain-free. This is when a reputable, professional carpet cleaning company can be called upon to remove ground-in dirt, stains and odors .Even if you don’t have any mishaps, you should always have your carpet thoroughly cleaned every 12-18 months.