How To Clean Carpet Stains

Carpet flooring provides a cosy, soft, and warm underfoot, but it’s also one of the most susceptible floors to stains. Even the cleanest of people or those without kids and pets are still prone to spills and smudges on the carpet. Liquid that seeps into the fibres can quickly become set in stains. Although cleaning carpet stains isn’t as simple as cleaning laminate floors or tiled floors, with the correct technique, knowledge, and tools, you will be able to clean your carpets easily. Cleaning your carpets regularly will keep them free of dust mites, bacteria and harmful allergens, while also providing better airflow throughout your living area, ensuring the safety and well-being of you and your family. For the best methods of carpet cleaning, and the cleaning hacks you need, keep on reading below. Alternatively, to have your carpet cleaned professionally by experts with all the know-how of carpet cleaning, simply book with SweepSouth. 

Steps To Clean Your Carpet

For the most common stains including coffee, red wine, food, and pet stains, follow these steps:

1. Grab two empty spray bottles, fill one with cold water and the other with a mixture of a quart of dish soap and 1 cup of warm water.
2. Spray the solution onto a microfiber cloth. Don’t spray the carpet directly, it shouldn’t get too wet. Be sure to dab the stained area only, do not rub. As the stain begins to dissolve, start to dab with a clean part of the cloth. Keep dabbing until the stain is removed. 
3. Spray another cloth with cold water and dab the area to rinse the solution from the carpet. Follow by dabbing again with a dry cloth.
4. Then, stack a bunch of paper towels on the damp area, and place something heavy on top of it like a large pot. Overnight, the towels will soak up residual stains that are deep in your carpet. The next morning you can fluff the fibres of the carpet by hand and allow the rest of the moisture to air dry.
5. If the stain is still there after completing the steps above, then you should repeat the steps or try using a targeted carpet stain remover which states it can remove the specific sort of stain that is on your carpet.

How To Remove Food And Drink Stains From A Carpet

1. Begin by scooping up whatever you can into a paper towel with a blunt knife or a spoon. If there is much excess liquid, then make use of a vacuum cleaner that can suck up both wet and dry.
2. Then use a clean white cloth or paper towel to dab (never rub) the stain with warm water. Press firmly to remove as much of the spill as possible. Repeat this step until no more stain appears on the paper towel.
3. For a stubborn stain that won’t come out so easily, make a mixture of 1 quart of warm water and 1 tablespoon of non-bleach liquid laundry detergent, not dishwasher detergent. Apply the solution to the stain, leave it to sit for about 5 minutes, and then dab to remove the rest of the moisture.
4. Rinse the area with warm water by dabbing to remove the moisture. Repeat as many times as necessary so that there is no detergent left on the carpet. Any residual detergent may result in soiling the carpet.

How To Get Red Wine Out Of A Carpet

Red wine stains can be removed from your carpet with these few steps.

1. Start by dabbing as much of the stain up as possible with a paper towel.
2. Combine 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and ½ a teaspoon of dish soap, then apply it to the stain and leave it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a dry towel to dry up the solution and the stain.
3. If necessary, repeat the above with a wet and dry vacuum.

How To Remove Pet Stains From A Carpet

It’s impossible to prevent accidents, especially when it comes to your furry friends. Knowing how to clean pet stains is a useful skill for any cat or dog owner.

1. Always start with scooping the accident, and then dabbing excess moisture from the carpet.
2. Then, mix a detergent solution by combining 1 quart of warm water and 1 teaspoon of mild non-bleach liquid laundry detergent. Apply the mixture to the stain and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then dab the excess moisture.
3. Once the detergent is removed, apply another solution of 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 1 quart of water to neutralise the smell.
4. Dab up all the excess moisture; mould will grow easily underneath a damp carpet. To make sure that all the moisture is gone, place a paper towel on the area and apply some weight to it.
5. Let the paper towel sit on the area for about 30 minutes. Repeat with another dry paper towel if necessary.
6. Once the carpet is completely dry, you can vacuum or brush the formerly stained area to remove any dents that the weight may have made.

How To Get Nail Polish Stains Out From A Carpet

If you have to remove nail polish spilt on the carpet, remember not to rub it in. Follow these steps to get nail polish out of your carpet:

1. Apply non-acetone nail polish remover to a cotton ball and use it to gently dab at the nail polish that’s spilt before it dries. 
2. Alternate between dabbing the stain with a cotton ball and then with a clean cloth or paper towel to absorb the nail polish remover and loosen the stain. Never oversaturate the carpet fibres entirely with nail polish remover, only apply enough nail polish remover to dampen the area, and repeatedly dab with clean cotton balls and cloths until the stain has been removed.

If the stain has dried, use nail polish remover as a pretreat solution to moisten the stain, then apply hairspray or a dry cleaning solvent for more cleaning power.

Don’t use acetone nail polish remover that contains acetate, triacetate, or modacrylic. It’s best not to take the risk, especially if you don’t know the material that your carpet is made from. Acetone can cause more damage or even deterioration to your carpet.

How To Remove Coffee Stains From A Carpet

Spilt coffee can be removed from your carpet with a few household items.

1. Dab as much of the coffee up as possible with a dry towel, cloth, or paper towel. Remember not to rub the carpet. Work from the outside inwards so the liquid doesn’t spread further.
2. Combine 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and ½ a teaspoon of dish soap. Then dab the stained area with the cleaning solution.
3. Leave the solution to sit on the stain for 5 to 10 minutes, then with a clean paper towel, dry up the coffee stain and the cleaning mixture.
4. If the stain isn’t completely removed, repeat the process, and let the solution sit on the stain for longer. Then, with a wet and dry vacuum, remove all the liquid on the carpet.

How To Remove Ink Stains From A Carpet

Removing ink stains from your carpet can be tough to clean, as they contain dyes, pigments, and lubricants. So it’s important to act as fast as possible and follow these steps to get rid of an ink stain.

1. Dab fresh spills and make sure not to push the ink further into the carpet.
2. Soak the ink stain with denatured alcohol for about 5 minutes. Apply enough alcohol to cover the whole stain and soak into the carpet about ½ an inch deep, but not too deep into the carpet that it gets into the padding underneath.
3. Use an old toothbrush to rub the alcohol into too hard-to-reach fibres.
4. For a stain that doesn’t lift, apply more alcohol and let it sit on the stain for 5 minutes, then vacuum everything up with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner. 

How To Remove Grease Stains From Carpet

The idea of cleaning grease stains can be intimidating, but with baking soda, you can remove grease stains from your carpet easily.

1. Start by sprinkling baking soda over the whole stain, liberally. Use a spoon to work the baking soda into your carpet fibres.
2. Leave the baking soda to work on the stain for a few minutes, then with a wet/dry vacuum, set on a dry setting to remove the baking soda from the carpet.
3. Repeat this process as many times as necessary until the stain has been removed.

Now that you have the knowledge to clean carpet stains, you no longer have to feel defeated by stains on your carpet – there are ways to eliminate them. When cleaning your carpet stains, always test stain removal methods on a non-viable corner or a cut piece of carpet to see whether it will damage your carpet. Remember, the faster you act when a spill happens, the easier it will be to remove the stain. Also, for professional carpet cleaning services, SweepSouth is here for you.