Some Home Remedies for Carpet Stains
By Steve Gillman
Avoid the expensive products and try these home remedies for
carpet stains.
Water
Water should be the first thing you try, especially if the
stain is new. Most carpets today come with stain-resistant treatments,
so many spills can be removed if you get to them quickly. Pour
a small amount of water on the area and blot it up with a clan
white cotton cloth or white paper towels. Don't rub the spot
- just press down to soak up the water and stain.
Add water and repeat the process. When you don't see any of
the stain transferring to the cloth or paper towels, that is
probably as far as you can go. If there is still a visible stain
in the carpet you will need to try something else.
Spoon
Peanut butter, pudding and other soft solids should be scraped
out and and lifted gently with a spoon, to remove as much as
possible before you add water or other cleaning solvents.
Vacuum
Some solids can be broken up and vacuumed once they are dry.
Just repeat this process until you get out as much as you can.
If some staining remains, try to rinse it with water and blot
it dry. Only if water is not enough should you move on to other
solvents.
Dish Washing Detergent
Dawn dish washing detergent may be one of the best home remedies
for carpet stains. Just put a few drops in a cup of cold water
and mix it gently. Use this just as water is used in the example
above, applying, blotting it out and reapplying as necessary.
This works especially well for greasy food stains.
Rubbing Alcohol
Ink and other similar stains can be taken out of carpet using
90% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). You can try the ones
that are 70% if that's what you have available at the moment.
Don't pour the alcohol on your carpet though. First put it on
a white cotton cloth and then dab the stain carefully, so you
don't spread it. Blot the area carefully, and don't rub it! Repeat
this process until you get the stain out or until you get no
more transfer to the cloth or paper towels.
Shop Vac
A basic wet/dry shop vac can be a real help for removing stains.
Use it to quickly suck up spills. It's better than a towel, which
can sometimes spreads the stain. Use it to suck up liquids as
you clean existing stains, instead of blotting with paper towels
or cotton cloth.
Note:
The specific stain-by-stain cleaning instructions throughout
the site include many inexpensive ways to deal with carpet stains.
There is a list of them on the homepage.
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