Carpet stains are a pain. But you might already have most,
if not all, the tools to take care of them yourself. A few household items, a
wet/dry vac, and some quickness are all you need to handle most carpet stains.
Here are some handy items that can be used in combination
with water or with each other to create cleaning solutions. It is recommended
to mix these in a spray bottle.
- Detergent and water: 1 teaspoon of gentle detergent and 2 cups of warm water.
- Detergent and vinegar: 1 tablespoon of white vinegar added to the above detergent and water solution.
- Vinegar and water: ¼ cup of vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
- Ammonia and water: 1 teaspoon of household ammonia and 1 cup of warm water.
Now that you’ve got your arsenal of household cleaning
solutions it’s time to tackle some spots.
If you’ve got food or beverage spills such as coffee,
chocolate, ice cream, or wine, or spots from organic sources like eggs, feces,
or vomit, you should use the detergent and vinegar solution. Just apply a small
amount at a time to the spot and gently blot. DO NOT RUB. EVER. And do not over
saturate the area with your solutions. It’s better to do a little at a time and
repeat the process as necessary.
For blood, even though it is organic, you want to use the
ammonia solution. But instead of mixing it with warm water use cold instead.
Warm water is one of the worse things you can put on blood. It will actually
set the blood into your carpet. So avoid it at all costs. Simply dab the spot
from the outside in. Work from the edges to the center.
For rust spots and urine you should use the vinegar and
water solution. For rust all you do is spray the solution on the spot and let
it work its way into the carpet fibers for around 30 minutes. Then you would
rinse the spot with some clean water and extract with a wet/dry vac.
Urine is a different creature all on its own. If you can
treat the urine within the first 24 hours then use the detergent and water
solution. If after the initial 24 hours then you want to try the vinegar and
water solution. Apply to the spot and blot. Afterwards you want to rinse
thoroughly with water and extract with your wet/dry vac.
Any spots that are petroleum based such as lipstick, nail
polish, or crayon, can be treated with a solvent solution like Goo Gone. Apply
to the spot and rinse thoroughly.
If some of these stains are being stubborn you can always
try some professional oxidizing stain remover after attempting the household
solutions. Remember to always rinse the spots with water and use your wet/dry
vac to extract when you are finished with the cleaning. This will help to
remove any residual solutions and prevent any solvent buildup. And whatever you
do, DO NOT RUB.