Remove Stains from Your Carpet
Edited by Graeme, Lynn, Robbi, Eng
Many different products exist on the market which will help eradicate carpet stains that you will encounter. Ideally, to minimize stains, mop them up immediately after spills or accidents happen.
For those stains that you can't get cleaned up immediately, you can save yourself a lot of money when you clean your carpets with products that you already have in your home.
- 1Have a look in your cupboards and see if you have what you may need when a spill happens:
- Detergent
- Rubbing alcohol
- Lemon juice
- Dish soap
- Clear ammonia
- White vinegar
Using These Products
You just need to know how to use the various products on their own or together to get the desired result on your carpet. You will find details below of the recommended ways to clean certain stains from your carpets.
Pet Stains
- 1This solution can be put into a plastic spray bottle and applied directly to the carpet. The carpet backing must not be allowed to get wet, so do not drown your carpet when applying the ammonia/water solution. After applying the solution, blot it with paper towels until almost dry to the touch. Do not rub with the paper towel or the towel will probably disintegrate.Use a teaspoon of clear ammonia mixed with a cup of cold water.
- 2The soap should not contain lanolin or bleach, as these could damage your carpet. Always test a small piece of carpet that is not in the main walkway for color fastness before moving on to work on the stain.When using dish soap or hand soap, make sure the measurements are roughly one quarter teaspoon to a quart of water.
- 3Nearly all the stains produced by your beloved pet can be removed by using a proprietary steam cleaner that can usually be rented from a local store for a small fee.Water can rehydrate the stain and make it easier to remove.
Ink Spills
- 1The best products can usually be obtained from the grocery store, online or through mail order catalogs.Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol can be used to clean up ink spills, whether from a fountain or ball point pen.
Beer and Wine Spills
- 1Mix equal parts white vinegar and cold water.
- 2Fill a spray bottle with the mixture and spray the stained area.
- 3Allow the cleaning solution to stay on the carpet for about 15 minutes.
- 4With a damp sponge and using a rubbing motion, start on the outside of the stain and working inward.
- 5Rinse the area with warm water.
- 6Make sure that the carpet is brushed in the direction of the pile.
- 7This usually takes several hours, depending on how wet the carpet was made.Five to six layers of paper towels should then be laid on the damp area and weighed down with something heavy, like a heavy frying pan, a brick, etc., until the area has completely dried.
- 8Repeat the process if necessary.The stain should be much improved or gone altogether.
- Note: If all that seems like too much effort, you can always call in a specialist carpet cleaner near your location to tackle the job for you.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
