Carpet Stain Removers
Of all the carpet
stain removers, water is the one to try first. Virtually all
others can damage your carpet. Many of them are caustic, like
bleach, and will remove the dye from the carpet if not used properly.
They generally don't become inert, so they continue to damage
your carpet over time if they are not rinsed out completely.
So try water first.
When Water
Won't Remove Carpet Stains
Many of the commercial
carpet stain removers work well, but some are designed for particular
types of stains, so read the label. Also, some will work better
or worse on a particular type of carpet, so pre-test the product
in an inconspicuous area. To do do this, apply several drops
of the solvent to your carpet, then press a white cotton cloth
on the area for fifteen seconds. Examine the cloth to see if
there is color transfer from the carpet, and examine the carpet
for color changes or other damage. If there is any color transfer
or damage at all, try a different stain remover.
To treat a spill
or carpet stain, apply the cleaning agent to a white cotton cloth
and work it into the spot gently. Work from the outside towards
the center, so you don't spread the spot, and don't rub too hard.
Blot the stain after a few minutes, then re-apply the solvent.
A shop-vac, if you have one, works better than blotting. Continue
in this way until you no longer get a transfer of the stain to
the cloth. If this doesn't remove all of the spot, other carpet
stain removers can be tried.
Once you have removed
as much of the stain as possible, rinse the area with cold water.
Blot up the water or use your shop-vac. Repeat, until you are
sure all of the stain remover is out. You can use a stack of
plain white paper towels with a weight on them to soak up the
last of the water. Also, a fan will help speed up the drying
time. Fast drying prevents any remaining stain that is deep down
in the carpet from wicking up to the surface.
Dawn dish washing
detergent (a few drops in a cup of water) makes a decent carpet
stain remover. It works especially well on greasy stains (maybe
a teaspoonful to a cup of water). Use the original blue Dawn,
and follow the process outlined above.
How To Remove Carpet
Stains | Using Carpet Stain Removers |