When faced with a stain on your carpet, it's tempting to take out the sponge and start rubbing as your first step to carpet cleaning. But do yourself a favor and take two minutes to prepare a plan of attack. A good strategy can mean the difference between a clean carpet and a stain that lasts forever.
There’re several methods for cleaning different types of stains on your carpet. But before we get down to business, here are some universal rules that apply to carpet cleaning.
1. Clean The Stain As Quickly As Possible
The most important thing is to tackle the stain before it has a chance to settle in. Don't let the stains hang around there.
2. Dry Instead Of Rubbing
Before cleaning, absorb the stain substance as much as you can with a cloth or sponge. The goal is to remove as much liquid as possible, reduce its size and stop the stain from spreading. So the best way is to dab rather than rubbing vigorously.
3. Use As Little Cleaning Product As Possible
This reduces both the drying time and the risk of further spreading the stain on the carpet. For most stains, the best approach is to use sparkling water or some washing liquid (see the guide below).
4. Dry it well
Thoroughly dry with a towel after cleaning as carpets that remain wet can become moldy. You can also use a fan or hairdryer to speed up the process gently.
How to Get Rid Of the Most Common Stains from Your Carpet
· Dark Stains (Like Chocolate)
Remove what you can by scratching gently. Mix one part of soap with four parts of water and put everything on the stain using a sponge. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
· Fatty Stains (Like Pizza)
Remove what you can by scraping with a knife, then put a few layers of paper towel on the stain. Turn on your iron box at minimum heat and iron the paper to absorb the fat. Next, apply a mixture of white vinegar, soap, and warm water then rinse.
· Wine and Most Food
Clean the stain and rinse with sparkling water. If necessary, scrub the stain with soapy water and rinse.
· Tomato Sauce
Clean your carpet by first roughly removing the spilled substance with a cloth. Soak the mat in cold water for at least 20 minutes. Then wash the stain with warm water and soap or vinegar.
As always, do not rub the stain –tap gently. Wash the carpet again with clean water. If the stain is still persistent, repeat the process, this time with a little bit of alcohol.
· Chewing Gum
The best way to get rid of chewing gum from your carpet is to weaken the adhesion strength of the chewing gum by cooling it strongly. Wrap a few ice cubes in a cloth and place it over the chewing gum for about 2 minutes. The chewing gum hardens and can be removed completely from the carpet by just scrapping.
· Coffee
If the coffee gets on the carpet, you need to react quickly. The fresher the coffee stain, the easier it is to clean the carpet. To do this, make a mixture of sparkling water and liquid laundry soap and dab the stain with it using a sponge.
The situation is different with coffee stains that have already dried. The easiest way to remove them is to use baking powder. Spread the baking powder on the stain with a toothbrush and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Next, vacuum the area and then clean it with a damp cloth.
Pure alcohol, which you can buy at any pharmacy, is also effective. Put it on a clean cloth and use it to dab the carpet until the coffee is completely absorbed and the stain is gone.
· Urine
If your home is in Ann Arbor and has a pet or two, you’re probably familiar with the urine stain problem.
Now you have to be quick and clean the carpet before the odor and bacteria spread. Immediately press hard with a paper towel on the stain to absorb as much liquid as possible.
Repeat this until the paper stops absorbing moisture. Take a bucket of lukewarm water and mix in a little detergent.
Gently wash the area with the mixture using an old absorbent cloth.
If you have a residual odor, you can wash the carpet with water and vinegar and neutralize the odor.
Conclusion
I hope that was helpful. If you keep the above tips in mind when handling carpet cleaning stains next time, you will avoid potentially spreading the stain and ruining your carpet.
Having said that, always remember to take your carpet for professional carpet cleaning in Ann Arbor at least once per year –preferably twice if your house has heavy traffic.
Professional carpet cleaning can help you get rid of the stubborn stains, fleas, bacteria, and odor, as well as increase the durability of your carpet.