Tips for Removing Carpet Stains
Carpets are expensive additions to your home dcor and you obviously do not want unnecessary harsh stains to ruin their beauty and the elegance they add to your home. Often, a lot of time is spent thinking of a possible solution to get rid of the stains and carpet stain removal basics are ignored. The various products for stain removal from carpet, that are commercially available, also prove to be inefficient most of the time.
For successful carpet stains removal, it is essential to treat the stains based on their type. Different types of stains need to be treated with different combination of treatment solutions. Listed below, are some carpet stain removal tips, for different kinds of carpet stains.
Basic Carpet Stain Removal Tips
- Scrape out the semi - solid or solid stains, using a plastic spatula and vacuum out the stain as much as possible. Do not use a knife or other sharp - edged tools.
- The liquid stain should be blotted up immediately before it can seep into the carpet fibers. Use paper towels or tissues for this purpose.
- Always test the cleaning solution on a small patch of the stain, to see if it works or is causing any damage to the carpet.
- When using a solution for stain removal, apply it to the stain using a cloth.
- When removing large stains, start working from the ends, towards the base, so that the stain does not spread further.
- Never use a brush or rub harshly to remove the stain. It will only cause more damage to the carpet.
- Be sure not to over wet the carpet while rinsing and cleaning.
- For removal of ink stains, clean with some lemon juice.
- Coffee stains can be removed by cleaning immediately with a mixture of 1 tablespoon water with 1 tablespoon glycerin.
- To remove special water based stains like urine, coffee and tea stains, use a mild water based stain removal cleaning solution, like a mixture of vinegar with lukewarm water or hydrogen peroxide with lukewarm water.
Water based carpet stains include alcohol, blood, fruit juices, wine, milk, soft drinks and water based furniture polish stains. Follow these steps to get rid of these stains.
Cleaning: Use a cleaning solution made by mixing 2 tablespoons of household ammonia (non - bleaching) in a cup of lukewarm water. Apply this solution to the stain and use your fingertips to gently work the solution over the stain. For milder stains, a solution made by mixing tablespoon dish washing detergent, in a cup of water, can be used along with the rinsing and blotting procedures.
Rinsing: Rinse off the solution using clear, lukewarm water by wetting the stained carpet fibers.
Blotting: After rinsing, you need to blot the area of the stain by placing an absorbent paper towel, that quickly soaks up all the water. You may have to repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures, to make sure that the carpet is completely free of the solution.
Drying: Allow the carpet to air dry, do not dry with a dryer as it can damage the carpet fabric.
Stain Removal from Carpet - Oil Based Stains
Oil based carpet stains are relatively difficult to get rid of, than water based stains. Oil based carpet stains include butter, cooking oil, chocolate, crayons, mayonnaise, candle wax and black grease stains. Follow these tips to get rid of these stains.
The most important thing to do, as soon as the carpet is stained with an oil based stain is, to blot it with a tissue paper or a paper towel so that the agent causing the stain, can be soaked as much as possible. Cornmeal can also be used for this purpose.
Cleaning: Make a cleaning solution, by mixing together one part wood spirits (methylated alcohol) with one part ammonia. Apply this cleaning solution to the oil based stain and repeat until the stain has been effectively removed.
Rinsing: Rinse using a mild soap and clear water.
Blotting: Blot using an absorbent towel or paper towels.
Drying: Allow to air dry or use a vacuum cleaner to dry the stained area.
If you are unable to remove the stain using the tips above, it is advisable to take the help of a carpet cleaning professional. Also, remember to read the carpet manufacturer's instructions, before treating it to any kind of stain removal solutions.
