How To Get Out Carpet Stains Of All Types
The short lesson
on how to get out carpet stains: act fast. Most carpets today
come with stain-resistant treatments, so spills can be removed
if you get them right away. The longer you delay, the more difficult
removing carpet stains becomes. And there are no stain-proof
carpets (yet).
Spot Cleaning Carpets
Carpet cleaners
will tell you that "spots" are removable, while stains
are permanent. We will not stick to the technical definitions,
and in any case, the appearance of carpet stains can be improved
even when the stain cannot be fully removed. Follow these guidelines
:
Blot liquids, don't
rub them in! Use a clean white cotton cloth or plain white paper
towels. Once you have removed the liquid, rinse the spot with
water and blot again until dry. Repeat if necessary to remove
more of the stain, but don't scrub the area, or you may damage
the carpet and set the stain in more permanently.
For semi-solids,
such as peanut butter, pudding and such, scrape and lift gently
with a spoon. Rinse the remaining spill out and blot dry.
Dried solids should
be broken up and vacuumed. Repeat until it is all gone, then
rinse with water and blot dry.
Whenever you are
not sure how to get out carpet stains, try water first. If you
need something more, go to the page on Carpet
Stain Removers.
When using
a cleaning solvent, apply it to a cloth first, then work it in
from the outside of the stain to the center, so you don't spread
the spot. The procedure is to apply the cleaner, extract (blot),
rinse, extract, and repeat until you can't get out more of the
stain. Always extract solvents completely, and dry the carpet
quickly when you are done. If there is any stain remaining deeper
down in the carpet, quick drying prevents it from wicking up
to the surface.
A Carpet Stain Removal Secret
One of the most
useful tools for removing carpet stains is a shop-vac. With a
wet/dry vacuum cleaner you can quickly suck up spills, but more
importantly, you can repeatedly flush the area with water and
suck it out. This is much more efficient than blotting with a
cloth, and less likely to cause damage to the carpet.
How To Remove
Carpet Stains | How To Get Out Carpet Stains Of All Types |