We feel comfortable having fresh, and clean carpets all the time, but keeping them pristine is a challenge for homemakers. Taking care of our carpets require careful cleaning to preserve their color, texture, and fiber. We freak out when unexpected staining happens such as soda spill, drops of blood, or when our little kids are messing them up. We tend to grab any cloth in our eagerness to remove them but end up spreading the stain even more. Eradicating stains while preserving the quality of our carpets is an art. Your tool is your strategy in cleaning the stains.
So, continue reading, breathe deeply, and see the breakthrough of keeping your carpets stain-free, protected, and well preserved.
10 Toughest Carpet Stains
- Removing Coffee Stains from Carpet
- Dry the stain with a piece of dry cloth. If there’s a considerable amount of spillage, make sure you change the cloth. The cloth saturated with the coffee can spread the stain even more.
- Mix 1 ÂĽ cups of water and ÂĽ cup of bleach in a spray bottle. This mixture is safe to use on carpets made of Polypropylene material. Spray the area by carefully wetting it. Blot out the stain and wash with warm water. Repeat this until the stain is fully removed.
- There are also products sold on the market that can remove this type of stain, but you have to test the product. Avoid harsh chemicals, wear gloves, be cautious, and use the product as directed.
- Removing Kool-Aid Stains from Carpet
- First, use a dry towel to erase the stain. Avoid rubbing it. It could lead to drenching on the carpet pad’s surface.
- Mix 1 tbsp. of dishwashing liquid and ÂĽ cup of white vinegar. Put the mixture in a misting spray bottle. Spray the stained area freely, soak for 5-10 minutes, and start blotting with a dry, clean towel until the stain is wiped out.
- Always do a test on a small part of the carpet to make sure the mixture is safe to use.
- Removing Blood Stains from Carpet
- You have to fix the stained carpet as quickly as possible. An immediate response is key to eliminating the blood stain completely.
- Use cold water in treating fresh blood stains instead of warm water. Blood solidifies in warm temperature. Cold water prevents the blood to permeate into the carpet.
- Add 2 tbsp. of grease-fighting dishwashing liquid to a bottle of cold water and spray it on the blood stain thoroughly until the carpet is totally submerged in the solution. Dry it with a cloth or paper towel and rinse well with cold water.
- Oxi-clean is also best for blood stains. However, it needs to be diluted with warm water. You can also add cold water after diluting and mix well. Apply this on the blood stain using a spray bottle or by just pouring it on the blood stain.
- Removing Ink Stains from Carpet
- Moisten a clean cloth using isopropyl alcohol (the higher the percentage, the better), then apply it to the ink-stained carpet. (You may want to test it first to avoid damage to the carpet).
- Be cautious not to scrub or rub. This can scatter the ink to a wider area.
- You can also use nail polish removers and some hairsprays, but they are precarious to use. They can discolor and ruin the carpet.
- Be sure to rinse with water when you use these substances. Vacuum dry until the area is dry.
- Alcoholic beverages, colas, food dyes, berries, jelly, milk, ice cream, gravy, washable ink, wet, or latex paint.
- Mix 32 ounces of water with ÂĽ teaspoon of white vinegar (or non-bleach detergent) and wipe gently on the area until stains are removed.
- Pet Stains from Carpet
- Clean the mess at once. Use gloves in picking up the solid mess and, use the blot method for the wet ones. This helps saturate the area without scrubbing or smearing. Do this several times until carpet is clean and stain-free.
- There are times when pet stains have already dried up on the carpet fibers. In this case, moisten the stained area and apply a special carpet cleaning product directly on it. You can check old urine stains by turning off room lights and using a black light. This shows old urine stains. Use chalk to outline the affected areas.
- You need to use a different approach to counteract the smell and spot. Refrain from using an ammonia-based substance to clean dog urine. Your pet may be encouraged to pee in the same area because they smell ammonia (a substance also found in dog urine).
- You can use a warm vinegar solution (one cup of vinegar and one cup of lukewarm water) to spray around the spot. Soak it to lighten the stain and remove the foul smell. Apply the blot technique around the affected area after soaking until the mark is completely gone. When dry, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda and let it set on the stain for around 24 hours then thoroughly vacuum.
- Fat, Wax, and Oil
- Put a paper towel on the carpet, then iron it warm. Upon ironing, the fat, wax, or oil will stick to the towel.
- Glue
- Press a cloth or cotton ball that’s moistened with some rubbing alcohol on the stained area. When the glue is completely wet, wipe it slowly. Repeat the process until the carpet is thoroughly clean.
- Gum and Wax
- Freeze the gum or wax with ice, and break it with a rounded or blunt object like a knife and spoon. Vacuum the pieces before they soften and dry the carpet using a white towel.
- Use white towels to absorb the liquid, and dry with a moist cloth. Then spray with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part of vinegar. Lastly, apply 32 ounces of water mixed with ½ teaspoon of mild, clear, non-bleach detergent. Rinse well and dry.
- Water soluble stains such as chocolate, mustard, tea, vomit, and wine
- Mix 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of ammonia. If it doesn’t work, mix 5 portions of water to one part of chlorine bleach (for solution-dyed carpets only). Bleach may cause damage to other brands of carpets. It is advisable to check what kind of carpet you have.
- On wool-blend carpet, only use water and gentle soap powder.
Final Thoughts on Removing Stains from Carpet
The majority of these procedures and techniques utilize household supplies and chemicals to tidy up carpet stains. There are plenty of cleaning products that are designed particularly for each kind of stain. Carpets add beauty to our home, but they can be delicate and expensive. That is why as homemakers, we must be careful in taking care of our carpets. Thus, if any of the methods mentioned above fail your expectations, you must check out other options from a local chain store that sells stain removing products. Remember, always do a test and follow the instructions correctly.