Cleaning Carpet Tips

Tip: Carpet Spot Removal
Cleaning a carpet is simple if you act quickly to remove stains. If you wait, you’re giving the stain a chance to further embed itself into the fibers. When cleaning carpet stains, never rub at the spot. Not only will this cause the carpet fibers to weaken, and perhaps create a worn area, but it will also cause the stain to spread and penetrate deeper. If your stain disappears and comes back again, your carpet is a victim of “wicking.” (Wicking is when liquid that has pooled around the bottom of a carpet works it’s way back up the fibers to the top.) To prevent this, cover the stain with a thick towel and weigh down with a heavy object such as a book or a brick.

Tip: Oil Paint on Carpet
Before employing any chemicals for cleaning carpet stains caused by oil paint, first test in a hidden area such as inside a closet or under a piece of furniture. The last thing you want to do is incur further damage. To remove carpet stains such as these, first try a little paint thinner. Dab as gently as possible until all of the paint is removed. If this doesn’t work or no paint thinner is available, try using some dry cleaning solvent. If the paint hasn’t penetrated deep into the carpet fibers and it won’t be noticebale, snip a little bit off the top of the carpet. If none of these will work, contact your carpet care professional.

Tip: Permanent Marker Stain Removal from Carpet
Cleaning carpet stains left by permanent marker isn’t difficult if you act swiftly before the stain has a chance to set in. First try hairspray or rubbing alcohol. Spray directly onto the stain to saturate and let sit for thirty to sixty minutes. Blot with a damp sponge or cloth until the stain is removed. If this didn’t work, you can try a non-acetate nail polish remover. You may want to test this in a hidden area first however, to be sure you won’t damage the carpet further.

Tip: Slug Slime Stain Removal from Carpet
If slugs have invaded your home, you’ll want to get an exterminator in right away. These nasty creatures leave a trail of slime behind that is difficult to remove. Here’s an easy tip for cleaning carpet stains caused by slug slime: pour a little white wine on the problem. Blot with a sponge and the stain should disappear. When you’re done with that, pour a glass for yourself!

Tip: Rust Stain Removal from Carpet
It’s important to keep the area around metal furniture legs dry. If not, we might end up with rust stains on our carpets. These unsightly orange stains can set in and become a permant part of the décor if we don’t act quickly enough. It’s best to act immediately upon seeing the stain. To remove carpet stains caused by rust, it’s best to use an acid-based cleaner. Vinegar and lemon juice work well for this task because they’re both contain acids. A cleaner containing oxalic acid will also work at cleaning carpet stains such as rust.

Tip: Zinc Oxide (Desitin) Stain Removal from Carpet
When diapering a baby on a carpet, be sure to take the proper precautions and lay a towel or changing mat underneath the baby. Zinc Oxide, the active ingredient in most diaper rash ointments, can leave a spot behind. To remove carpet stains made by zinc oxide, wipe away as much as you can with a clean cloth. Cover the remaining stain with baking soda to absorb any grease and let sit for an hour or so. When time is up, continue cleaning carpet by blotting any residue left behind with a mild dish soap. Wipe clean with a damp cloth, and no one will ever know a baby’s bottom touched your floor!

Tip: Musty Carpet Odor Removal
We all know a thing or two about how to remove carpet stains, but what about removing carpet smells? Food, smoke, pets, even body odors embed themselves in the fibers of the carpet. To remove musty smells from your carpeting, try Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate . You can also try sprinkling borax (making sure no pets or children come in contact with it) or baking soda. Leave it for an hour, then vacuum. If the odors remain, you may need to rent an extraction machine, or have your carpet professionally cleaned.

Tip: Vaseline / Petroleum Jelly Stain Removal from Carpet
It’s not difficult to remove carpet stains such as Vaseline or petroleum jelly. All you need is a laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid formulated to fight grease and oil. First wipe up as much of the petroleum jelly as you can with a cloth. To clean the oily residue left behind, blot with the detergent or dish soap and blot again with a damp spong to clean the detergent.

Tip: Plaster Removal from Carpet
If you’re cleaning carpet stains made up of plaster, in most cases all you’ll need is a good vacuum. A shop vac is especially good for this task. Once all of the plaster and powder is removed, cover the stain in a thick cloth saturated with dishwashing liquid. Leave for an hour or so to loosen the remaining plaster and blot clean with a sponge.

Tip: Tomato or Spaghetti Sauce Stain Removal from Carpet
When cleaning carpet stains that are tomato based, such as spaghetti sauce or tomato soup, you can try using a liquid enzyme detergent, a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide, or an oxygenated cleaner such as Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate. When working to remove carpet stains, remember to always test a cleaning product on an inconspicuous spot first. After applying the cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with clean water. Always blot carpet stains; don’t rub them, so as not to damage the carpet fibers. Work the stain from the outside in, so as not to spread the stain any further.

Tip: Hair Dye Stain Removal from Carpet
An unfortunate accident with hair dye can make cleaning carpet a nightmare. In many cases, it may even mean the end of your carpet. Hopefully it won’t come to this. There are a few things you can try to remove carpet stains of this nature. First of all, it should go without saying that if hair dye is spilled on the carpet one should act immediately. Dampen a sponge and apply dishwashing liquid. Blot the stain with the sponge until you’ve lifted as much of the dye as possible. You can also try doing the same thing with vinegar. If this doesn’t work and the stain hasn’t set into the carpet too deep, you might be able to snip the very top fibers of the carpet without anyone knowing. If none of this works, you’ll have to call in a professional who makes cleaning carpet stains his business or rearrange your furniutre to hide the stain.

Tip: Toothpaste Stain Removal from Carpet
To remove carpet stains made from toothpaste, first let them dry thoroughly, then scrape dry. Once dry, clean with some warm soapy water and blot dry.

Tip: Milk Stain and Odor Removal from Carpet
You may have noticed a couple of days after cleaning carpet stains such as milk, the spots come back. This may be due to wicking. Wicking happens when the carpet becomes saturated and the liquid pools at the bottom. After a while, it starts to work it’s way back up through the fibers making the stain reappear on your carpet. It is extremely difficult to remove all of the liquid from the carpet fibers, carpet backing and padding underneath, thereby creating ideal conditions for bacteria and mold growth (and thus malodors). However, you might not be ready to replace your carpet just yet, so here are a few things you can do to eliminate the carpet odor. When you first begin to remove carpet stains, blot up as much of the liquid as possible with an absorbent white cloth. Place another thick cloth on the carpet and weigh down with something heavy so all of the liquid is absorbed. When that’s done, go ahead and sanitize the area. The newest technology uses peroxide and detergents to penetrate the soiled area and deactivate the odor. Simply spray a product such as Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate on the soiled area, which will penetrate into the carpet. Allow Bio-OX to penetrate for approximately five minutes. Using a clean white absorbent cloth, blot the area, pressing down firmly (do not rub) for 30 seconds. Repeat this blotting process until the area is dry. If the stain or odor persists, repeat the process. You can also use baking soda to eliminate surface (but not deeply penetrated) odors. Dampen the area with clean water and then sprinkle baking soda over it. Rub the baking soda into the soiled area and let dry; brush or vacuum to remove the dry material.

Tip: Ballpoint Ink Stain Removal from Carpet
It’s amazing how different products can be used to remove carpet stains. Take for instance a stain made from a ballpoint pen. the best way to handle this stain is to saturate the stain with hair spray.Let it sit for fifteen or twenty minutes and blot with a clean cloth until the stain disappears. Repeat as often as necessary. Blot again with a damp sponge to rinse. If you don’t have hair spray handy, alchohol can also be used for cleaning carpet stains. Use much in the same manner as the hairspray, just blot until the stain is lifted.

Tip: Miracle Grow Stain Removal from Carpet
Miracle grow, the popular ferilizer is much better suited to a garden than a carpet. Although one would assume one would go through life without cleaning carpet stains left behind by fertilizer, accidents do happen. If for some reason you need to remove carpet stains made when Miracle Grow is spilled, you can probably clean it off if you act quickly. First vacuum or pick up any powder or soid material, be as gentle as possible however, so as not to grind the product further into your carpet. If spots still remain on your carpet, Spray the mark with shaving foam and let sit for about thirty minutes. After which, blot with a clean damp cloth.

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