Carpet stains are inevitable. Even if you remove shoes in the home and ban food on the carpet, sooner or later you will find yourself with a stubborn carpet stain. Luckily you can remove stubborn carpet stains if you know what you are removing and how to remove it.
If your carpet stains are especially stubborn you may need a more powerful cleaning method than just carpet cleaner and water. A professional carpet steam clean can be very expensive. Luckily, there are many products on the market such as carpet shampooers and stain removers that you can use at home to give yourself a professional carpet clean at home.
Here are tips on how to remove stubborn carpet stains on your rugs and upholstery:
Pet stains
If you have a pet, it is not uncommon to be left with urine and feces stains. These stains can be difficult because you have to not only remove the stain but you have to also remove the smell.
First, you need to eliminate the excess moisture the best way you can. Try to manually remove the bulk of the mess and then you can begin to remove the residual stain. If you attempt to remove the stain without removing the excess moisture you will just push the mess further into your carpet.
Once the excess is removed, blot the area with an enzymatic cleaner. These can be purchased at most pet supply shops. Keep blotting until the area is mostly dry and the stain is removed.
To remove the odor you can use a vinegar mixture consisting of 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Simply spray the mixture over the area without saturating the area.
Red wine
This is one of those stubborn carpet stains that is best dealt with immediately after the spillage occurs. Do not rub the carpet as you do not want to push the stain into the carpet. As soon as the spill happens blot carefully with paper towels. Add water to dilute the wine and keep blotting. Repeat this process a few times and once you have removed as much moisture as possible, then you can start working your magic on the leftover stain.
You can make a baking soda paste to tackle these types of stubborn carpet stains. Make a paste consisting of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Apply the paste to the stain and once dried vacuum it up. If there is still a mark leftover go ahead and use a carpet stain remover or your carpet shampooer to remove the residual stain.
Ink
Don’t panic if you spill ink on your carpet, It can be removed or lightened with rubbing alcohol. Simply blot the stain with a towel that has been dampened with rubbing alcohol. Ensure that you are blotting rather than rubbing to avoid pushing the stain further into your carpet. Blotting the stain will help to absorb the ink. This can take time. Continue to blot with rubbing alcohol for around 30 minutes or so. Re-dampen your cloth with rubbing alcohol when necessary.
Make note that rubbing alcohol can dry out your carpet. After removing the stain dilute the rubbing alcohol with water. Once dry, vacuum the area and your carpet will look as good as new. This is one of those stubborn carpet stains you wish to avoid, but sometimes you can’t.
Oil
Oil stains cannot be removed with plain water. Oil and water do not mix. If you want to break down oil you will need an emulsifier. Dishwashing liquid is a great way to break down oil. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of washing liquid that does not contain bleach with 1 cup of water. Using a cloth or paper towel blot the stain with the dishwashing liquid mixture.
Next time you’re doing a spring clean see what stains you can tackle now that you have the expertise on how to remove stains.
