How to remove stains from carpet
No matter how careful you are with your carpet, accidental spills will happen. More so, if you live in a household with children and pets.
When a spill happens, it is tempting to bust out the sponge, cleaning agent, and start scrubbing. While it is important that stains be removed immediately, it is equally important to take a step back and consider what approach to use.
There are different ways to clean different types of stains. Using the right one can be the difference between removing the stain and making it worse.
Below is a list of common household carpet stains and how to remove them using easily accessible household items.
Coffee and tea stains
Coffee and tea stains leave unsightly brown stains on your carpet that are very noticeable.
To remove coffee stain from carpet, dry the area first by blotting it with a clean cloth. Make sure you change cloth when it is saturated to avoid re-transfering the stains back to the carpet. Have a container ready to put your stained cloth in so you do not accidentally transfer the stain elsewhere.
A mixture of equal parts of vinegar, water, and detergent in a spritzer can then be used to remove the stain.
Certain polypropylene carpets respond well to a mixture of water and bleach. You can make the mixture with ¼ cup bleach to 1 ¼ cups water in a spritzer. If you are not sure, stick to the less risky vinegar mixture.
Ink stains
Ink stains like blood stains are extremely hard to remove. The biggest risk with ink stain is that it can spread if the wrong technique is used. The best approach is to attend to it immediately.
When an ink stain is spotted, wet a clean cloth with a little isopropyl alcohol and gently dab the stain. Don’t forget to run a spot test first to make sure that the alcohol does not react with carpet dyes.
If alcohol is not an alternative, consider using a paste made from a little milk mixed with cornstarch. Leave the paste to react with the stain for a few hours then brush off and vacuum.
Fruit or fruit juice stains
Fruit or fruit juice stains on carpet can be removed with a mixture of 1 tbs of detergent with 1½ tbs of white vinegar with two cups of water. Blot solution into stain to remove the stain then rinse and dry as normal.
Grease and oil stains
Grease on oil stains can be treated with shaving cream or cornstarch. Sprinkle the cornstarch or work the shaving cream onto the stain, leave it to dry and wipe or vacuum off.
Greasy food stains on carpets can also be treated with a mixture of 1 part salt to 4 parts rubbing alcohol. Gently but persistently rub it into the carpet fibres following the direction of the rug’s natural nap. Then clean as normal.
Red wine stains
Spilt red wine on carpet should be treated while the stain is still wet. Blot dry the area, carefully pour a little white wine onto the spot to dilute the colour.
Blot away excess moisture. Sprinkle with salt and wait 10 minutes then vacuum.
Tomato sauce stains
Once dried, tomato sauce on carpets will be impossible to remove. Act immediately by sprinkling salt on the spill, leave for a few minutes and vacuum. Continue the process until the stain is completely gone.
Tomato sauce can also be treated with a mixture of 1 tbs of dishwashing liquid and 1 tbs white vinegar with two cups water. Blot, rinse and dry as normal.
Pet spills
Club soda works well on pet urine and other tough stains. Blot up excess moisture then soak it with club soda. Keep blotting and dabbing until dry, then wash with a gentle carpet shampoo.
If club soda is not available, use a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water and remove as normal.
Vomit
Scoop up the vomit first before blotting the affected area with paper towels or old rags to remove moisture. Cover with baking soda or cornflour and leave it to act for approximately 10-15 minutes.
Vacuum when dry. Repeat the process until the stain is completely gone.
Spills and stains on carpets cannot be avoided in a normal household. When it happens, knowing what to do can aid in the efficient removal and restoration of the carpet to its original condition.
Despite all our best efforts, some stains may just be too difficult for us to handle. For particularly stubborn or old stains, it is wiser to seek the help of a professional carpet cleaning company.
Professional carpet cleaning companies also provide stain protection services which you may want to consider especially if you have brand new carpets to protect.
For a trusted and reliable stain removal service call DryTech on 1300 886 871 or log on and obtain a free-no-obligation quote today.
How to find the best carpet cleaning company
You have carpet that needs to be professionally cleaned. The job may be urgent. You want the assurance that once finished, the carpet will look like a professional has cleaned it. And it has to be at the right price.
Here are some tips to help you find the best carpet cleaner for your business or home:
Refining your internet search
The internet is probably where most people go to when they want to find a carpet cleaner. Internet search is good because you can access information quickly and effectively.
Narrowing your search to local listings will give you carpet cleaning companies that are in your local area. For example, if you live in Sydney, type in the word ‘Sydney’ as part of your search. That way you will only get Sydney carpet cleaning services in your local area. Using a local business means they can come out to you at short notice and will not price traveling costs into their quote.
Organic search can help you identify companies that are good at specific types of carpet cleaning. Type in keywords that best describes the type of job you require for example ‘remove carpet stains’ as opposed to just ‘carpet cleaning’.
Choosing the right carpet cleaner
It is never a good idea to pick the first carpet cleaning company that pops up on Google no matter how urgent the job may be.
Take several minutes to read each website carefully before you shortlist the carpet cleaning company to contact. When reading the website, look at the areas the company services, the type of jobs they do, the certification they hold, and their pricing structure (if available).
If they have a gallery, scan through these quickly as it will give you some indication of the quality of their work. It is also important to have a quick read of any customer reviews posted.
What type of carpet cleaning experience do they have?
If you own a shop or a factory, you will want a carpet cleaner that has experience cleaning in a commercial or industrial setting, not one that specialises in domestic carpet cleaning only. On the other hand, if you have spilled something on the carpet at home, you will want to know that your carpet cleaner can also handle smaller jobs.
You can drill down further to identify the type of work they specialise in by scanning their website. For example, if you have water-damaged carpets, you may want to find a carpet cleaner that lists water damage restoration as part of the services they offer.
What type of carpet cleaning method do they use?
There are many different carpet cleaning technologies available in the market.
Steam cleaning (or hot water extraction) is suitable for most types of carpet. In steam cleaning, carpet is vacuumed before a chemical is sprayed on to bond with the dirt/stain. Water is injected into the carpet from a high-pressure jet spray then vacuumed out. Steam cleaning is ideal for cleaning, invigorating and prolonging the life of carpets.
Dry cleaning uses some water but less than steam cleaning. The carpet is vacuumed and a cleaning agent is applied before being vacuumed. It is ideal for surface cleaning in areas with heavy foot traffic.
Do they have any certification?
A professionally certified carpet cleaner is trained to identify the most appropriate cleaning technique for both carpet and stain, and to use the equipment effectively. He/she also understands about work health & safety (including handling chemical).
Check that the carpet cleaning company is following Australian standards or if they belong to any professional body.
Are they transparent about their pricing structure?
A carpet cleaning company that is transparent about their pricing structure gives you the assurance that there will be no hidden costs later. Some carpet cleaners also offer special discounts for booking online or local discounts for homes or businesses in areas they service.
What type of guarantees do they give?
A carpet cleaner that is confident about the quality of their work will usually give a 100% service guarantee. The guarantee gives you peace of mind that if there are any issues later, the company is prepared to come out to fix it at no cost to you.
The best carpet cleaner is not necessarily the cheapest. Or the first one you come across when you browse the internet. Spending a little time to check out some key questions will help you identify the best carpet cleaning company for your particular carpet cleaning needs.
Dry Tech Carpet Cleaning is your local carpet cleaning company. We service Sydney CBD, inner city, Northern and Western suburbs. To find out about our complete range of services and pricing structure, visit our website today or call us on 1300 886 871.