Step-by-Step Carpet Stain Removal Tips
Oh no! Juice or soda spill? Did your toddler create their latest crayon masterpiece on your living room floor? Doggy didn’t make it out to the backyard in time? Carpet stains come in all sizes and severity and no two are equal. But, that’s what we’re here for!
The Kenosha Carpet Cleaning Blog is ready to equip you will all the info you need to clean ’em up with our own step-by-step process on how to remove carpet stains. No carpet is 100% stain-proof. Your best bet at preventing permanent stains is preventative measures. Here’s what we recommend:
Act Fast. Timing is of the essence when it comes to successfully removing stains from carpet. Because most carpets are treated with a stain-resistant treatment, most spills can be removed if swift action is taken. The longer you let a stain sit on your carpet, the more likely it is that it will become permanent.
Blot. Find a dry, white, absorbent cloth or white paper towel or napkin. You want the cloth to be color-free without printing to assure no color from the cloth bleeds into the stain or elsewhere on your carpet. With the cloth, gently blot the stain (Don’t Scrub! See below).
Don’t Scrub! Vigorous scrubbing might cause pile distortion. Instead, continue to dab and blot the stain with a dry cloth or paper towel until the area is 100% dry. For a stain consisting of both liquids and solids, use a piece of silverware to scrape up as much as possible. Scoop up as much of the solid as possible and then vacuum until all traces are gone.
If you know exactly what the spot is, consult the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) Spot Solver tool on their website. This great tool offers tips on how to attack almost any stain you can imagine.
Pretest. Pretest the spot removal product you intend to use in an inconspicuous area to ensure the solution won’t harm your carpet fiber or dye. Once you have applied the solution to the area you’ve chosen to test in, hold a white cloth where you’ve sprayed for 10 seconds. Examine the carpet and cloth for color transfer, color change, or damage to the carpet. If you notice any kind of change in the appearance of the carpet, it’s best to not use that solution to attempt to remove your carpet stain.
Less is More. It only requires a small amount of most cleaning solutions to remove or treat most stains. There’s no need to use an excessive amount. Remember, “Just a dab will do ya!”
Outside In. When blotting the stain, start around the exterior and work toward the center in order to prevent the spill from spreading. Repeat this process as necessary.
Stick with It. Once there is any evidence that a cleaning solution or method is working, stick with it. There’s no need to switch to a new soap, chemical or detergent or method and complicate the situation more so.
Patience. Patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s also a key component to treating carpet stains. Some steps of the process might need to be repeated several times in order to see the results you are looking for.
Rinse. Rinse with cold water and then blot it with a dry cloth until all traces of the solution are gone. If soap or lather is left behind, there’s a decent chance it will create further staining once the area has completely dried.
Dry. Simply sit a paper towel or cloth over the stain and let it absorb the rinse. Periodically replace the cloth with a new dry one until you feel the area is 100% dry.
Call. If you are not having any success with these carpet care tips, we recommend calling a professional carpet cleaner in Kenosha.
Nature’s Way Chem-Dry offers specialty stain removal techniques as part of our Kenosha carpet cleaning service and we guarantee that if we can’t remove a stain, no one can.