Spilled a
glass of red wine all over the white carpet? You might have tried the age-old
trick – cleaning it with the white wine, but the truth of the matter is, it
won’t always work. And what happens if you spill coffee, milk, or on the other
hand, you’re pet leave you a little present
on the carpet? Many are those who have given up on cleaning the stains and
have opted for a new carpet instead. For this reason, we have decided to
provide advice on cleaning the most common stains.
Before you start
Regardless
of the type of the stain, you have to
remember that under no circumstances should you scrub it, but blot the spot and
dry it working from the outside in. This way you will not ruin the carpet
fabric and the spill will not soak through the pad.
1. Stains that can be
removed with water
We will
start with the easiest ones to remove – food dyes, milk, soda and some
alcoholic beverages. Blot the washcloth or a paper towel with warm water and
place it on the stain. If you do this immediately after the liquor is spilled,
the warm water will easily soak up one part of the stain. Now add a quarter
teaspoon of detergent (non-bleached) to 32 ounces of water and apply it to the
stain. After you let it rest for a little while, take a new, clean dishcloth
and lightly press against the stain. Next, take the paper towel to blot the
stain again, and you should see most of the stain disappear. Repeat the process
one more time, then rinse the spot with warm water and dry the wet spot with
your hair drier, as carpet left wet longer than 24h is more prone to growing
bacteria.
2. Wine and coffee
These two
are probably the most difficult ones to deal with (and at the same time, the
most common ones). It is of utmost importance to tend to them as quickly as
possible, so as soon as you get some coffee or wine on the carpet, grab an
absorbent paper towel to blot the stain. Then mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with
a cup of water, the combo which proved highly effective for wine stains. As for
the coffee stains, carpet
cleaning Perth experts advise using dish detergent and lemon juice.
In both cases, take the kitchen sponge to dab solution on the carpet, but make
sure the sponge is not soaked, but damp, since too much solution can slightly
damage the fabric. After this, there’s bound to be excess moisture you’ll have
to remove with a paper towel, and as you do that you’ll see the stain
disappearing at the same time. Depending on the severity of the stain, you
might have to repeat the process.
3. Urine and blood
This advice
is most useful for pet owners. The most common problem in this case is that the
owner doesn’t notice the stain immediately, and discovers the urine stain after
it has already dried and released a terrible odour. If you noticed the stain in
time, blot a dishcloth or a paper towel with warm water; add 1 teaspoon of dish
soap to 1 cup of water and use this mixture to dab the stain with wash cloth.
Leave this solution on the stain for about 5 minutes; if the stain is still
present, repeat all the steps one more time. If you haven’t noticed the stain
in time, then you’ll have to use a 1 tablespoon of ammonia or vinegar and ½ of
cup of water, both extremely effective for urine stains. Apply the mixture to
the stain with a sponge, but remember to be patient, as you’ll want to ensure
the mixture has a chance to cause damage to the stain. After the ammonia soaks
for about 5 minutes, put a sheet of paper towel to blot the stain.
4. Fat and Oil stains
First, take
a blunt knife and scrape off the excess grease. Next, take a bit of baking soda
and apply it to stain; known for its ability to provoke chemical reactions, it
will loosen the oil or fat-based stain. Then place a towel on the stain and an
iron on top of it all for a minute (just don’t forget about the towel, since
directly applying iron to the carpet can cause damage). At this point you can
take a dish rag damped with baking soda and powdered detergent; rub the stain
and you’ll notice it disappearing in a matter of minutes. Finally, use a damp
paper towel to blot, but since this will make oils or fats seep up, you’ll have
to remove debris with a vacuum cleaner.
The above
mentioned stains represent the most common ones that occur in an average
household, and the described methods proved to be the most effective for
removal. Do you have any tricks of the trade to share with us?
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