The Best Ways to Remove Stains From a Carpet

04/02/2022
The Best Ways to Remove Stains From a Carpet

We know it's inevitable that you will spill something on your carpet at some point, whether it's pets bringing mud in with them, a glass of red wine, or children taking it upon themselves to re-decorate! That's why it's a good idea to know how to get rid of those pesky stains and have your carpets looking like new again. 


Wine Stains


Wines are some of the most common, yet difficult stains that occur in the home. With it being one of the more common stains there seem to be a million different solutions out there and whilst we advise you to exercise caution using any of these methods to remove stains, this is what we have found to be the most effective from carpet cleaners. When it comes to most stains you want to get it cleaned up straight away to ensure it is easier to remove. 


The first thing you want to do is blot away any excess liquid, but try to avoid pressing down or scrubbing as this will push the stain further into the carpet and make it even worse! You then want to keep wetting the stain with water and blotting.


If you need a bit of extra oomph try mixing some baking soda with water until it becomes a paste and leaving it to dry on the stain and vacuuming. If the stubborn stain is still hanging around after that try a mix of washing up liquid and white wine vinegar followed by rinsing with water and blotting again - this method also works for food stains!


Pet Stains


Whilst the above can work for pet stains, sometimes they can be even more stubborn. When it comes to pet stains they are generally accompanied by a strong odour. This is where your baking soda and white wine vinegar comes in again! However, if they are still hanging around you may need to try a diluted 3% hydrogen peroxide solution mixed with water and washing up liquid. You want to then spray this mixture onto the baking soda area, leave it to dry and vacuum again. Remember some carpets can't be bleached clean so make sure you check before applying any hydrogen peroxide solution.


Things are also a little different when it comes to mud as you’ll want to wait for the mud to dry and vacuum up as much as possible. Then you want to go in with warm water and washing up liquid solution and continue blotting until you have removed the stain. Wet vacuums are also your best friend when it comes to quickly cleaning up pet stains but never use a steam cleaner!


Gum and Playdough


When it comes to removing playdough from your carpet it's important to try to avoid stepping on it or pushing it in further - easier said than done when children insist on pouring it all over the floor, we know! This is because to remove playdough you need to let it dry completely which can take up to several hours and the only way to speed up the process is to use compressed air or bags of ice cubes. It's important to try to avoid using water to remove it but especially hot water as this will just make things worse.


Once the playdough has dried, loosen it with a stiff brush or butter knife and vacuum. Once all the playdough is removed you should have a clean carpet again but if there is still a stain leftover from the colouring of the playdough try the above methods to remove it.


You can try this method when it comes to gum or Blue Tac too although there are a few alternatives for these. One is to heat up the gum or Blue Tac for around a minute and scrape up with a plastic sandwich bag. Applying WD-40 for a couple of seconds and scrubbing in one direction can also help in this instance but again, be cautious of it causing stains and always test on a hidden bit of carpet first.


Prevention 


Of course, as the old saying goes, prevention is better than a cure and that’s why these days there is a wide range of easy clean and stain-resistant carpets available. We particularly love the Easy Clean carpets from Cormar Carpets which features a wide range of carpets that are bleach cleanable and come with a 10-year stain and wear warranty for extra peace of mind. Abingdon Flooring also offers a Stainfree range which comes with a free lifetime guarantee. The fibres prevent food and drink spillages from entering the pile fibre so you can quickly remove spills before they stain. 

 

We hope you don't find yourself needing to use these methods to remove stains too often! If you are ever unsure about how to care for your carpet and remove stains please don't hesitate to get in touch for advice and get the professionals in! Alternatively, if you are in need of a new carpet we have a range of brands available to suit any home. We can also give you free measuring and estimate for any carpet in your home and help you decide which is the best option for you - contact us today.

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