Guest Blogger: Essential Tips for Carpet Stain Removal

Guest Blog #163, Entry #639, September 1, 2011

We’ve all been there. You’re hosting a party and one of your guests spills some wine, or bumps into you when you’re serving up the spaghetti, and a nice big dollop ends up on the floor – staining your lovely new carpet.

Next time it happens, don’t panic! Impress your guests by remaining cool and calm, and using these simple tips to make your carpet as good as new once again.

Image courtesy of Interior Arcade

Start with the obvious damage

Pick up any bits of food, and use a cloth to soak up any liquids. Blot the liquid up by pressing gently, don’t rub, as you could make things worse.

Many stains can be removed by blotting with a sponge soaked in lukewarm water. For more stubborn stains, a gentle carpet cleaning solution will often be effective, if you act quickly.

Work from the outside of the stain to the inside. Avoid using stringent cleaners unless you absolutely have to. If you do have to use a stringent cleaner, it might be a good idea to shampoo the whole carpet, so that you don’t end up with blotchy areas that look like they’re different shades. A quick run-over the whole carpet with a Vax Powermax should ensure that your carpet retains a uniform color.

Avoid harsh chemicals

If you act quickly, warm water and a gentle detergent will remove most stains. You should be able to avoid using harsh detergents in most cases. If you have a really stubborn or unusual stain, then try looking for some home remedies before you call in the big guns. For example, copper coins have been found to be useful for removing soot and ash, and absorbent paper, coupled with a warm iron, can be used to soak up candle wax (but be careful if you try this – the last thing you want is for the paper to catch fire).

Image courtesy of Classic Interiors Idaho

Some Common Stain Treatments:

Burns/Scorch Marks – Treat with a coin, or some sand paper

Soda – Try cold water first

Coffee – Try warm water first

Glue – Nail varnish remover

Ink – Surgical spirit

Paint – Turpentine / White Spirit

Bleach – Soak the area liberally with cold water

Egg – rinse with cold water and then apply a diluted solution of mild carpet shampoo

Image courtesy of Interiorzine

There are some stains that require more specialist treatments. For example, rust can be difficult to get out, as can radiator fluid. If you have a tough-to-remove stain, then it’s best to call in professional cleaners. There’s only so much that carpet shampoo and a Vax Powermax can do, and if you use the wrong solutions on a stain you could risk making things worse.

If you’re working with solvent based cleaners, make sure that you have plenty of ventilation.

Once you’re done, dry the stained area using a hairdryer. Don’t just leave it damp, as the backing of the carpet could decay if it’s not dried properly, and then you’d be left with a bald spot instead of a stained one.

This post was written by Crispin Jones on behalf of The Original Factory Shop. Crispin writes on subjects relating to the home and enjoys sharing these tips.

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