How to Clean Carpet Stains

Carpets are mainly used for decorative purposes but stained carpets can spoil the décor. Regular cleaning and preventing of stains is the only remedy to maintain the beauty of your carpet, but how long can you prevent your kids from staining it? One fine day, they may end up spilling some sauce or ink on your much-adored carpet. It is not necessary that only kids do this deed; it could be guests, any other family member or for that matter you yourself, in the course of performing household chores.

Removing stains from a carpet can at times be a daunting task. Let us go through some easy methods of removing carpet stains.

• The first and foremost point regarding stain removal is the speedy action. You should act the moment you notice the stains because any delay will cause the spreading of the stains to adjacent areas.
• Most of us have the habit of soaking a stained carpet for cleaning and some people wipe off the stains. But soaking and wiping may cause smearing of the stains, which may become permanent.
• The correct method is to blot the stains with a clean towel, paper towel or even baby wipes would serve the purpose. You can also remove the spilled material with a spoon and blot the remains. Keep a towel over the stain and apply very little pressure. Keep it like that until there is nothing left to be absorbed from the carpet. Make sure not to rub the carpet, as it can damage the fibers.
• Now, spray some water or club soda over the stain. Don't overuse the water or soda, just sprinkle the right amount to make the stain wet. Repeat the process of blotting with towel or clean cloth. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to remove the water first and then use a blotting towel to remove light stains.
• In case of more stubborn stains, the blotting method should be accompanied by stronger stain removers. It can be either ready-made or home-made cleansers. For example most food stains can be removed by some shaving cream or vinegar. Spray some shaving cream over the stain and keep it for fifteen minutes and then rinse with water.
• You can make your own cleanser by making a solution of 2/3rds cup water and 1/3rd cup white vinegar. Apply this solution to the stain and blot it with paper towel or clean cloth. You can even add some laundry detergent or dish washing liquid to the mixture. As soap can attract dirt, use water to rinse off the soap and then blot.
• In case of grease stains, apply a small amount of dry-cleaning fluid and blot with some dish washing liquid and water.
• Ink stains can be removed by blotting with alcohol or dry-cleaning liquid.
• Stains caused by wines or juices can be removed by applying a small amount of laundry detergent and water solution. Dab some club soda after and blot with a clean cloth or towel.
• In case of gum and wax, place ice cubes on the stains to freeze them and then remove the frozen pieces with a blunt knife. The residue can be removed by some cleanser in case of gum, but wax needs heat for removal. You can either use a hairdryer or an iron. Place a paper towel on the stain and iron (on low or medium heat) for two to three seconds. Take care not to overheat the carpet.

Once the blotting and rinsing part is over, the next step is to dry the carpet, as wet carpets can attract dust and other particles. You can either blow dry the carpet or use a vacuum cleaner to remove excess moisture or use a fan. Moisture retention may cause some parts of the stain to come up to the surface later. If the stain is dry and flaky, scrape it out and apply the cleaner.

Always take care to clean from the outside, in order to prevent the spreading of the stain. Clean the outer edges first and then move inwards. Use mild products on your carpet for removal of mild stains and reserve the harsh ones for more stubborn stains. It is always better to prevent staining than worrying over stain removal, but once stained, you can try to remove it yourself by following the above said methods.