Quick Action Can Prevent Most Common Carpet Stains
With proper maintenance, carpets can last a many years without needing replacement. Such is the theory, although there are some factors that significantly reduce this time, such as high traffic and constant treading of dust, dirt and other spoils.
Perhaps the most obvious reason you might want to replace a carpet is staining. Unlike general carpet cleaning, which requires a good enough vacuum cleaner and occasional steam cleaning, stain removal often requires additional knowledge on how and when to treat a certain type of stain. It pays to be prepared because, in the real world, an accident can occur at any time... be it because of your young children, your pet or your own clumsiness!
It is wise to know the best first-strike method for stopping stains in their tracks - blotting the stain.
Blotting means applying gentle pressure on the stained spot with a clean cloth or other absorbent material. Carpet cleaning experts all agree that the worst thing you can do is rub or scrub the carpet, as that is only going to ruin the fibers and actually spread the stain further, or worse allow it to soak through, reaching the carpet bed.
Treat the stain as soon as possible!
One more thing to remember is that treating the stain as soon as possible greatly increases the chances of completely removing it. That is why instead of panicking, you should act quickly. Here is how you deal with some of the most common carpet stains:
Red wine stains
It could be shocking to see a full glass of red wine hit the carpet on the floor. It is scary to look at and scary for the carpet as well, so make sure you waste no time in panic, because the more you wait, the more the wine will set in. Blot the excess liquid with a clean cloth before the fibers of the carpet absorb it.
The most basic form of carpet treatment in such situation is salt. Pour generous amount salt on the stain, as that will easily absorb the liquid. If the stain has already dried out, you will have to apply hot water first so that the stained area is saturated. Next, apply pre-treatment and proceed with cleaning granules and water. Leaving that on the stain for enough time will generally help absorb and remove it.
Stains from pet accidents
If you have just acquired a pet, it is likely that you will be faced with the challenge of carpet cleaning often. Coming home to a mess can be frustrating, to say the least, but nothing too difficult to deal with. The first thing you need to do is address the initial mess. In case of debris on the carpet, you must pick it up and dispose of it, while any liquid should be blotted carefully. Never rub and smear!
In case the stain is dry, you will have to moisten it before applying a specifically designed product for pet stains, or you can mix your own solution. Laundry detergent and a quart of water mix works great for pet stains, as long as you allow the solution to do its job after spraying it on the stain. Rinse with water and repeat if there is still trace of the stain on the carpet.
Blood stains
Most people dread the thought of seeing blood on the carpet, but in reality this is no cause for stress. What is more important is that you address the cause of the blood, assuming it's a cut or a wound. In terms of carpet cleaning, there is one very important thing to remember - use cold water! Applying warm or hot water will only cause the blood to coagulate, easily permeating into the fibers.
A solution that you can proceed with is mixing cold water with a little liquid dishwashing detergent in a spray bottle.. Spray till the spot is soaked and then dry it out with a paper towel or cloth so that the blood can transfer from the carpet onto the material you are using. Sometimes a single application of this solution won't be enough, and you will need to repeat a few times.
Ink stains
Ink stains are some of the most dangerous and difficult-to-remove on most any fabric... clothing, furniture or carpets. As usual, time is of the essence and there is need to hurry up for given some time, an ink stain will become permanent. A popular carpet cleaning solution is to treat the stain with isopropyl alcohol. A higher percentage of active ingredient will work better. Dampen a clean cloth with the solution and then dab it on the stain. After a few minutes, use a vacuum to clean the excess liquid. It may take several applications of this for the stain to be removed, so you must be persistent.
Coffee stains
Fortunately, coffee staining is not a difficult type of stain to clean... fortunately since it is one of the more common ones. The first thing you have to do is, as with all stains, dry the stained area as much as possible by continuously blotting with a dry towel. Next, you can apply a mix of non-bleach detergent, vinegar and water. Rinse and repeat till the area is clean. Specialized carpet cleaners for this type of stain are common in shops, so you can have a look and buy one to have ready in case such stain ever occurs.
Most of the described solutions feature household items and ingredients. However, there is a wide range of specialised products that are designed to deal with specific stains. You can rest easy, knowing that if any of the methods described in this article fail, you can always find a better and more powerful solution on the market. Read more about carpet cleaning at: http://tidyup.org.uk/