Dealing with stains in carpet can be one of the most frustrating things for a tidy house keeper. And it seems that, according to Murphy's law, that the lighter the color of carpeting the more prone it is to having things spilled on it.
Never fear, if a spill can be removed while it's still wet there's a good chance of getting it completely out of the carpet. Generally, when a spilled liquid is left to dry on carpeting the molecules end up binding much more tightly to the carpet fibers.
Here are some basic steps on dealing with stains in your carpet:
- Deal with the spill RIGHT AWAY. The longer you put it off the harder it's going to be to remove the substance from the carpet fibers. Granted, the type of fiber in your carpeting can make a big difference in your ability to lift out a spill, but many modern carpets are made with nylon, which is naturally stain-resistant. Carpeting (or rugs) that are made out of organic substances like cotton, wool, or silk will be a little harder to treat. So, flushing the spill with plain water and suctioning up as much as possible with a wet-dry vac is your first step.
- What exactly is in the spill? Knowing what that liquid is that's soaking into your carpet is half the battle. Why is it important to know what it is? There are many different spot removing solutions that are designed for either acid vs. alkaline substances, or organic (eg. grape juice) vs. man-made type (eg. hair dye) substances. Identifying what you have will lead you to the best stain remover to tackle it with.
- Vacuum up dried stuff first. If you happen to come across the stain after it's dried into the carpeting then start with vacuuming up as much of that stuff as possible before applying a stain remover.
- Test a small area first. If the stain area is large enough it's advisable to test a stain-removing solution on a small portion of it first. This will tell you 2 things: 1) If it will work on your stain substance, 2) If the stain remover is color-safe for your carpeting.
- Time and agitation. Letting a stain remover sit on/in a stain for some time (read the manufacturer's specific directions because they can vary widely) will give it a chance to chemically interact with the stain to lift it from the carpet fiber. Also, using some mechanical help to remove the stain might be advisable for some substances. This is another way to facilitate the chemical reaction of the stain remover on the stain. You can do this by either using a gloved hand to manually work in the remover or using a small brush to lightly scrub the stained area.
- Blot, don't rub. If you don't have a way to vacuum out the cleaning solution then your next tool of choice for removal is a simple rag or towel. At this point you want to blot the substance out of your carpet. Trying to remove it with a wiping motion will only cause it spread out sideways in the carpeting. This is how stains in carpet get bigger and never go away. Keep blotting with fresh rags or paper towel until you don't see any stain transferring to the rag any longer.
More Information
Tackling stains in your carpeting should be handled with care to be done right. There are MANY different substance that can cause staining. Knowing what you have on your hands is half the battle.
For more information on removing stains found in your carpet, please take a look at our Stain Removal Guide, and our Stain Removal Chemical Usage Chart.
We have a wide variety of Spot & Stain Carpet Cleaners to pick from as well as Enzyme Carpet Cleaners and Spot Removal Kits.
