Tips for removing common Halloween stains from the carpet

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The best things about Halloween are the messiest! From the candy to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and adults alike. However, Halloween also brings its fair share of stains. Chocolate, hard candy, pumpkin carving guts, glow sticks and fake blood are the most common stains that end up on carpets on Halloween, so we’ve come up with a few tips to help you remove them.

 

Chocolate– Blot stain with white cloth and cold water. Once chocolate no longer transfers to cloth, apply a detergent solution to a clean end of the cloth. Continue to blot stain using the detergent solution. Let sit for a few minutes and rinse with cold water using a spray bottle. Blot to remove excess moisture.

 

Hard Candy– Carefully remove the hard candy from carpet, you may need to use a bit of cold water to moisten the candy, this is to prevent damage to the carpet fibers. Then, blot the stain with cold water to remove any residual candy pieces. Now, take approximately ½ a teaspoon of liquid dish soap and work it into the carpet fibers with your fingers. Wet a white cloth and blot the stain. You will need an additional clean cloth dipped in distilled white vinegar, and then begin to dampen the remaining stain. Let the distilled white vinegar sit for a few minutes, then press down on the stain with a clean cloth. If the stain still persists, repeat the process of dampening the spot with vinegar, and then blotting. Once you have fully removed the candy spill, flush the newly cleaned area with water.

 

Pumpkin– Start by gently scraping up as much pumpkin pulp, seeds, or puree as possible. Once you’ve removed the excess, treat any remaining stain with warm water. Gently apply the warm water to the stain using a clean washcloth and a blotting motion. Next, soak up the solution with a clean, dry washcloth. Alternating between these two steps will help lift the stain and transfer it from your carpet onto the washcloth.

 

Glow Sticks– Immediately blot up as much of the moisture as possible with a paper towel. Work from the outside of the stain toward the center to keep it from spreading and getting larger.

After blotting, mix a solution of one teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, and one cup of cool water. Dip a soft-bristled brush into the solution and work it into the stained area. Blot away the cleaning solution with a dry white paper towel. Next, dip a clean white cloth into plain cool water and “rinse” the area.

 

Fake Blood– With a dry washcloth, start by soaking up the excess liquid. Next, get a cup of cold water and dab the water onto the stain carefully. Work your way from the outside of the stain to the center in order to avoid causing the stain to grow. Then, use a clean, dry washcloth to soak up the water as well as the stain. Continue these two steps until the stain is removed. If this does not completely remove the stain, you may need to moisten the area with a 3 percent hydrogen-peroxide solution. Let sit for an hour, and repeat as necessary.

 

So, if you’re prepared, post halloween clean up doesn’t seem so scary. We hope these tips will help you have a stain-free and happy Halloween! If you need any help, call in the professionals at Indy Carpet Cleaning!

Tips for removing common Halloween stains from your carpet

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The best things about Halloween are the messiest! From the candy to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and adults alike. However, Halloween also brings its fair share of stains. Chocolate, hard candy, pumpkin carving guts, glow sticks and fake blood are the most common stains that end up on carpets on Halloween, so we’ve come up with a few tips to help you remove them.

 

Chocolate– Blot stain with white cloth and cold water. Once chocolate no longer transfers to cloth, apply a detergent solution to a clean end of the cloth. Continue to blot stain using the detergent solution. Let sit for a few minutes and rinse with cold water using a spray bottle. Blot to remove excess moisture.

 

Hard Candy– Carefully remove the hard candy from carpet, you may need to use a bit of cold water to moisten the candy, this is to prevent damage to the carpet fibers. Then, blot the stain with cold water to remove any residual candy pieces. Now, take approximately ½ a teaspoon of liquid dish soap and work it into the carpet fibers with your fingers. Wet a white cloth and blot the stain. You will need an additional clean cloth dipped in distilled white vinegar, and then begin to dampen the remaining stain. Let the distilled white vinegar sit for a few minutes, then press down on the stain with a clean cloth. If the stain still persists, repeat the process of dampening the spot with vinegar, and then blotting. Once you have fully removed the candy spill, flush the newly cleaned area with water.

 

Pumpkin– Start by gently scraping up as much pumpkin pulp, seeds, or puree as possible. Once you’ve removed the excess, treat any remaining stain with warm water. Gently apply the warm water to the stain using a clean washcloth and a blotting motion. Next, soak up the solution with a clean, dry washcloth. Alternating between these two steps will help lift the stain and transfer it from your carpet onto the washcloth.

 

Glow Sticks– Immediately blot up as much of the moisture as possible with a paper towel. Work from the outside of the stain toward the center to keep it from spreading and getting larger.

After blotting, mix a solution of one teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, and one cup of cool water. Dip a soft-bristled brush into the solution and work it into the stained area. Blot away the cleaning solution with a dry white paper towel. Next, dip a clean white cloth into plain cool water and “rinse” the area.

 

Fake Blood– With a dry washcloth, start by soaking up the excess liquid. Next, get a cup of cold water and dab the water onto the stain carefully. Work your way from the outside of the stain to the center in order to avoid causing the stain to grow. Then, use a clean, dry washcloth to soak up the water as well as the stain. Continue these two steps until the stain is removed. If this does not completely remove the stain, you may need to moisten the area with a 3 percent hydrogen-peroxide solution. Let sit for an hour, and repeat as necessary.

 

So, if you’re prepared, post Halloween clean up doesn’t seem so scary. We hope these tips will help you have a stain-free and happy Halloween! If you need any help, call in the professionals at Indy Carpet Cleaning!

8 Tips to help maintain clean carpets this fall

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Most people choose Spring as the time of year for a good deep cleaning in the home. However, many people choose the fall months to have their carpets deep cleaned. It’s just before we get busy with preparing for the holidays so it’s a good time to get your home in shape before guests arrive on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Fall is also a time when your carpet seems to get the dirtiest, since we tend to track in more leaves and dirt. We’d like to share some great tips on how to prevent your carpet from getting dirty this fall.

 

Doormats

Invest in a doormat that helps keep out the largest particles — like leaves and chunks of dirt — and make sure you get one of the right design, which depends whether it will be outside or inside. All doormats should be longer than a single stride, while inside mats should be made of acrylic with a vinyl or rubber backing. Outdoor mats should have a wire rack underneath to catch mud.

 

Shoe Rack

Make sure that you enforce a no-shoes-inside policy, or have a shoe rack that you use at the very entrance to the house to restrict the dirt to one specific area.

 

Vacuum often

To protect your carpet, vacuum entrance areas and high-traffic areas twice a week and the rest of the carpeting at least weekly. Oily soils attract oily soils, and frequent vacuuming will reduce soil buildup.

 

Start with a clean bag or filter

A dirty bag, dirt cup or filter can cut a vacuums suction power in half. The main reason bagless vacuums stop working is that the filters aren’t changed often enough. Replace or wash (if possible) the filters on bagless vacuums every three months. Replace vacuum bags when they’re three-quarters full.

 

Vacuum at the right speed

Vacuum slowly enough to get out as much dirt as possible. Make one quick pass over low-traffic areas and two slow passes over high-traffic areas. Two slow passes removes ground-in dirt more effectively than several fast passes.

 

Rotate Furniture

Carpets can wear at confined areas of the carpet pile and dirt can work its way into the carpet pile and backing. If your room layout allows it, move the furniture around. It’s best to do this every six months to prevent premature wear areas.

 

Baking Soda

Prior to vacuuming, sprinkle some baking soda over the carpet to absorb odors. Avoid carpet powders. Powders are often sold to eliminate unwanted scents on the carpet. However, such powders leave residue in the carpet which can damage it over time. Stick to baking soda if you want to remove an unwanted smell.

 

Pretreat stains and high-traffic areas

If you’ve recently had your carpet cleaned and quickly get new stains, you can always pre treat stains yourself until you’re ready for your next professional cleaning. Mix a drop of detergent with hot water in a spray bottle and lightly mist the dirtiest areas. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before cleaning the area. Be sure not to over saturate your carpet or use any harsh chemicals that could set the stain in. Do not rub stains. When removing a stain, stick to blotting motions.

 

Your carpets aren’t invincible. Dirt, leaves, and other fall debris can contaminate your carpet fibers easily. Carpeting is expensive, so you want to maintain your carpet long term. We know that keeping carpet clean is an ongoing project, but the fall months are a great time to use these tips. Even after a professional cleaning, these tips will help you maintain your carpets until your next professional cleaning.

How to remove homemade slime from carpet

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Kids of all ages are loving slime, especially the kind you can make at home! Slime is a sensory play but can even be fun for adults. While slime is a lot of fun, it doesn’t seem so great when it gets on your carpet. Don’t worry, have fun, and if you get any slime on your carpet, there’s just a few simple steps to remove it!

Step 1: Begin by pouring a generous (but not too generous) amount of vinegar directly onto the slime. The vinegar should start to break down the glue in the slime and there will be a liquid puddle in the carpet.

Step 2: Take the spoon and begin to gently scrape the slime and vinegar liquid from the carpet fibers.

Step 3: Empty the spoon into a bowl. It will take several spoonfuls before the slime is scraped from the carpet fibers. Be careful not to scrape too vigorously or you could damage your carpet fibers.

Step 4: When there is no more liquid goop to scrape up from the carpet it is time to rinse the remains. Heat up some water in a teapot or just run it through your coffee maker, without the coffee of course. With the hot water, rinse out the remaining residue in the carpet. Again only pour what you need, don’t oversaturate your carpet.

Step 5: Use plenty of dry towels to get as much water back out of the carpet as possible. Be sure to rinse all of the vinegar and small bits of goo from the carpet.

If there is remaining color in your carpet, move to the next section below, if the slime is out, continue to step six.

Step 6: Place some more towels on the area and weight down with books overnight or get the hair dryer out and use the cool setting to get the carpet as dry as possible to avoid prolonged moisture in your carpet.

Removing any Left Behind Color
After rinsing with hot water, you may notice that the slime color is still left in the carpet. The color in homemade slime is food coloring so we suggest removing any remaining color in the carpet with a home remedy for food color removal.

Step 1: First, mix up some mild hand dishwashing soap and water with some vinegar. If you used red dye switch out the vinegar for ammonia.
Step 2: Gently blot on the stain using a clean piece of cloth each time until no more color is lifted into the cloth.
Step 3: If color remains after the dish soap treatment try small amounts of rubbing alcohol alternated with water. Be very careful only to use very small amounts.
Step 4: If the color is still hanging onto the carpet use a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide gently and very lightly applied to the stain. Let it sit for about 15 min to an hour depending upon color saturation. Blot gently with a cloth and rinse with water. Be very careful with hydrogen peroxide on your carpet it can act as a bleaching agent. Test it on an unseen area for colorfastness first.

If you’ve tried the above steps and still have not been able to fully remove the slime or color from your carpet, call your trusted professional carpet cleaning company!

DIY Tips For Removing Common Household Stains From Your Carpet

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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.