Stains are bound to happen – it’s inevitable, especially when you’ve got children, or have friends and family around. Whether it be unfortunate red wine spillage or a grass or mud stain, none are easy to get rid of. But with our handy stain removal tips will help you remove even the most stubborn of marks on your carpet – regardless of the fabric and type of stain.
Everyone knows that stain removal can be a hard and tedious process. While many stains are treated the same way, others require special steps, otherwise they can become a permanent fixture on your carpet. Therefore, to avoid this, it is worth thinking about carpet stain protection and how you can prevent stains in the home. It may be worth considering purchasing a doormat and, in places where stains are rife, installing flooring with a wipeable surface, such as wooden or laminate flooring.
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There are so many different types of stains that can crop up on your carpet, however it’s not uncommon to be unsure what caused the stain. Thankfully, there are ways to identify mystery stains and get you started. According to Amanda Hosey,
“When identifying a spot, it’s important to consider its location (room type) and use this to hypothesize its makeup. For instance, dining or common areas are prone to food stains. Entry areas could contain tracked-in items of any origin, but grease, animal faeces, and other substances commonly found on the ground are good starting points.”
How to remove stains from your carpet? Here are our top stain removal tips for the following:
1. Drink and Food Stain Removal
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It only takes a little knock to spill any kind of food and drink onto the floor, whether it be coffee, chocolate or a red wine stain on the carpet – the worst offender of them all.
Follow our stain removal tips to find out how to remove a red wine stain from your carpet, amongst other marks:
- Firstly, dip a white cloth (to avoid the transferal of colour) into washing up liquid and dab the spot repeatedly.
- Next, press the cloth on the spot for a few seconds to soak up as much liquid as possible.
- Wait 15 minutes for the solution to break down the stain, and then soak up the excess liquid with another dry white cloth.
- After this, repeat the previous steps but instead using a vinegar solution, which helps to remove any detergent left over that may attract dirt if left on the carpet.
- Remember to rinse the area afterwards by blotting with a white cloth soaked in lukewarm water. It is worth waiting an hour or so, until the area of the carpet has dried completely.
- After this, check to see whether the stain has faded, if it has, repeat the step until the stain is removed entirely.
There are different stain removal processes for synthetic fibre and natural fibre carpets. It is crucial you follow the correct steps, to ensure you don’t end up making the stain worse.
2. Oil or Grease Stain Removal
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From spilling cooking oil to creating a lipstick stain on the carpet, oil can be a real pain to remove successfully, so you may be wondering “how to remove an oil stain from my carpet?” As a result, copy the following steps in our stain removal guide to point you in the right direction, to leave your carpet looking as good as new.
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Synthetic Fibre Carpets
Apply a small amount of solvent to a white cloth. Dab the stain repeatedly, and then press the cloth on the spot for a few seconds to soak up the remainder of the residue. Rinse the area by blotting with a white cloth soaked in lukewarm water.
Wait one hour, or until the carpet has completely dried, to check whether the oil or grease stain has got any lighter. If it has, repeat the step until the stain is removed entirely.
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Natural Fibre Carpets
Apply a small amount of solvent to a white cloth, and then blot the area a number of times. After this, spray the stain with a detergent solution, and blot with a dry white cloth.
Further to this, spray the stain with lukewarm water and blot with a dry white cloth once again. Wait one hour or until the carpet has completely dried. Repeat the step until the stain is removed entirely.
3. How to Remove Dirt, Mud or Grass Stains
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When your house is full of people, particularly young children or pets, it is inevitable that your carpet will turn into a multicolour piece of art, with an array green and brown carpet marks. But, where do you start when cleaning a carpet stain? Here is how to remove a grass stain (or similar):
First of all, begin by vacuuming as much loose dirt, mud and grass as possible – the sooner it can be removed, the better! This prevents transferring the loose dirt particles into the stain and making the surface-area larger.
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Synthetic Fibre Carpets
Dip a white cloth into a detergent solution and dab the area repeatedly and press the cloth down for a few seconds. Wait 15 minutes, or so, and then soak up the excess liquid with a dry white cloth. Dip another white cloth in lukewarm water and dab repeatedly, and the area should be clean. If mud or dirt still remains, repeat the previous steps again.
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Natural Fibre Carpets
Firstly, spray the stain with a detergent solution, and then blot with a dry white cloth. After this, spray the stain with a vinegar solution, and blot dry with a white cloth. Reapply the detergent solution to the dirt stain, and again, blot with a dry white cloth. Spray the stain with lukewarm water and blot with a dry white cloth. If mud or dirt stain still remains, repeat the previous steps again.
4. How to Remove Blood Stains
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When you come across a blood stain on your carpet, it is normal to be worried about whether it will come out.
Here is how to remove a blood stain:
- If the blood stain is fresh, blot up as much moisture as possible with a white cloth. However, if the stain has dried, use a soft bristled brush to loosen the dried blood and use a vacuum cleaner before you begin treating it.
- Next, dab a white cloth into washing up liquid and cold water, and work on the stain from the outside edge towards the middle.
- Lightly scrub the stain, and blot as you go, to absorb the moisture. Keep blotting with the solution and the dry towel until no more colour comes out.
- Rinse the area by blotting with a white cloth soaked in lukewarm water. It is important to rid the area of the soapy water as this can end up attracting dirt to the area, which may result in another stain forming.
- Allow the area to air dry and then vacuum to lift any remaining residue and fibres.
However, if the blood stain covers a large surface area, it may be best to consult a professional cleaning service that can carry out a more extensive job.
5. How to Remove Vomit Stains
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How do you remove vomit stain from your carpet? It’s a good question, as it’s not always the easiest of substances to clean. Keep reading our stain removal tips to find out how to get a vomit carpet stain removed.
- Firstly, use a utensil to lift solids up and away from the carpet fibres – do not rub or wipe yet, as you may push the stain further into the carpet.
- Then, once the solid particles have been removed, blot as much moisture as possible using a white cloth or paper towels.
- Next, dip a white cloth or soft-bristled brush into a solution of washing up liquid, white vinegar and water and work into the area.
- Blot away the moisture to transfer as much of the stain out of the carpet as possible until no more stain is transferred or visible in the carpet.
- After, wet a clean white cloth with water to rinse the area and allow to dry naturally.
6. How to Remove Wax Stains
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It’s easy to knock over a candle and spill wax on the floor, you may be fretting “how on earth do you remove a wax stain on carpet?” It can be a real pain to remove wax stains from carpet surfaces, however, if you follow our stain removal tips, it will be as easy as pie.
First thing’s first, though: ensure no dirt gets mixed into the area, as this can make the stain much harder to remove and may require the help of a carpet cleaning professional instead. If you happen to get a wax stain on your carpet, consider following these steps:
- Rub the spot with a re-sealable bag filled with ice-cubes, in order to harden the wax as much as you can.
- Once the wax has hardened, break it using a blunt object – your hand may not be hard enough, as the aim is to make sure the wax goes into as possible.
- Next, grab your vacuum cleaner and remove all the little pieces.
- Next, apply a small amount of solvent with a white cloth and then blot the area.
- Rinse by botting with a cloth soaked in lukewarm water.
- If the area of wax spillage covers a large surface area, repeat the previous steps again.
If you are having any problems with removing stains, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Rub & Scrub. If you would like to keep your home in great shape and stain-free, take a look at our cleaning packages.
