Everyone’s carpet gets stained at some point in time. Between pets, guests and children, somebody is going to have an accident that puts an ugly splotch on your carpet. Stains from wine, beer, and food can be the most difficult stains to lift, and it always seems like more stains are collecting all the time.
Then there are the mystery stains—no one knows who or what created them, but they refuse to come out despite multiple attempts at cleaning them. Even shampooing your carpet regularly doesn’t help. What can you do? Carpet cleaning professionals use the following secrets of their trade to lift even the most stubborn carpet stains imaginable. Here are 7 secrets of the carpet cleaning trade to help you remove even those mystery carpet stains.
1. Blot Stains to Soak Them Up, Don’t Scrub
Using a little carpet cleaning stain remover and a clean rag, paper towel, or sponge is the professional method for removing stains. Apply just enough pressure to the affected carpet fibers to allow your cleaning cloth to absorb most of the staining material. Rubbing the stain only serves to grind the stain further into the carpet fibers, and can even cause it to stain the matting as well.
2. Club Soda Actually Works
A storied traditional remedy for carpet stains espoused by housewives and cleaners for generations, it is best for cleaning up wine and beer stains. Pour a little club soda on the stain and use a cloth to blot the stain gently. If this fails to lift a stubborn older stain, try spraying it with a combination of 1:1 white vinegar and water and letting that soak in for 10-15 minutes. After that time has elapsed, blot it with a sponge or cloth. You may have to repeat this process more than once to completely eradicate the stain, but it will come up.
Once you get the stain out, rinse the spot with warm water and use your hand to sweep the carpet strands into their natural direction. Lay down some white paper towels and set something heavy on top of them like a heavy book. Leave the paper towels down for a day, and when you take them up the stain should be completely gone.
3. Try Shaving Gel/Shaving Cream
If you need an all-purpose stain remover for a mystery stain, give shaving gel or cream a try. According to the pros, it can remove just about any type of stain regardless of what caused it. Spray the gel or cream in place, then let it set for 30 minutes. After that half hour has elapsed, blot it up with a dry white cloth. Finish cleaning up the area with a 1:1 vinegar and water solution and wiping up the remaining solution with a cloth.
4. Using Ice to Get Chewing Gum Out of Your Carpet
Ever tracked gum onto the carpet by accident? It happens, but it’s not the end of the world. Grab some ice cubes from the freezer, then apply the ice to the gum for 30 seconds to freeze it solid. Use a spoon to lift up the remaining globs, then trim any remaining gum as high up on the fibers as possible. The less you cut, the less noticeable the spot will be in the long run.
5. Bust Grease Stains With Dish Detergent
Mix a few drops of Dawn or Joy in a spray bottle with about a cup of water, spray on the grease spot, then blot up the grease stain. All you have to do is repeat the process until all the grease has been soaked up from the carpet.
6. Use a Clothes Iron to Extract Spilled Wax
Candle wax spilling on the carpet happens, but it does dry rapidly and can seem extremely difficult to remove. Don’t get frustrated though, just grab your trusty clothes iron and a paper towel or an old kitchen towel. Turn the iron on and let it get hot, then put the paper towel over the spill and iron it for about 20-30 seconds. The wax will melt again and be blotted up by the towel. You may have to do this a few times, but with repeated heating and wiping you will soon find that candle wax is easily cleaned up. One caveat: don’t iron for more than 30 seconds, as this can cause the iron to burn the carpet fibers, particularly on carpets that are light-colored.
7. Hydrogen Peroxide Removes Blood Stains
If a wound or injury gets blood on the carpet, it can be easily be cleaned up with a little hydrogen peroxide and a blotting cloth. Spray a little carpet cleaning detergent down first if you are cleaning up a dried blood stain, then scrape the fibers to extract as much as possible. Then get rid of the rest. Splash some hydrogen peroxide on the remaining bloodstain or a fresh bloodstain, and it will immediately start foaming. Blot the foam with a rag or paper towel, then dry the area thoroughly with a towel. Voila. The bloodstain is no longer a problem.
Final Thoughts
Still, have stubborn carpet stains that won’t come out? Thinking about upgrading or replacing your existing flooring? The flooring experts at Remnant King Carpets in Everett and Ballard, WA are ready to help you choose a new floor that suits your lifestyle and your desire for less maintenance over time. Contact us or visit our website to check out your options or receive a quote. Don’t live with hopelessly stained carpet, find your solution at Remnant King Carpets.