Tips the Professionals Use to Remove Carpet Stains
The trick to carpet stain removal is to not let them occur whenever possible. Let’s say coffee splatters on your beautiful white carpet. Sometimes you don’t notice when a stain occurs. One day carpet looks fine, then.. Hey! Where did that come from?
First, Remove the Moisture from Fresh Carpet Stain Spots
Well, it is a common thing to not notice stains when they appear, don’t feel bad. If you catch the spill before it has dried be sure to soak up all of the moisture you can with a dry white terry cloth or cotton towel.
When you have gotten all that you can it is safe to use a neutral soap and warm water to blot up the rest of the spot. Keep in mind it takes patience to achieve good results. Neutral soaps are safe to use at warm temperature because they are not acidic or alkaline. Too hot of water will make the stain permanent.
Be careful! Do not exceed 120 deg. A good rule of thumb, excuse the pun, is to use your finger to test the temperature. If it is too hot to keep your finger in the water then the water is too hot. Warning: Putting your hand in boiling water will burn you. Hot tap water is good enough.
If you have a dry stain your approach is going to need to change. There are many types of dyes. When approaching stain removal it is imperative that you first identify the origin of the stain.
Watch for Organic Stains
If a stain is brown or tan it could be organic. If it is a bright color like yellow red or blue it’s likely that it is a synthetic dye. Stains that occur from petroleum are often dark and sometimes black this is because the oily residue attracts soil.
For treating an oily spot such as tar or motor oil you can use WD-40. WD-40 is a solvent so always wear protective gear such as rubber gloves and do not spray the WD-40 on the carpet, apply a small amount to a terry cloth and blot. Never scrub the carpet as that will distort the pile.
Large Oily Spot? Better Call a Pro!
For large oil spots it’s best to simply call a professional carpet cleaner. We have specialized degreasers and solvents to solve these difficult to remove stains. Petroleum stains such as candle wax or crayon are combination stains, these include more than one type of cleaning process.
In order to achieve good results first dissolve the substance, then let the spot fully dry, once it has dried you can work on the next dye. Crayons and wax generally use synthetic dyes. Do not attempt to remove synthetic dyes at on your own, it is always best to simply wait for your next carpet cleaning.
If the stain has been set by sunlight or hot temperatures such as an iron you can have considerable difficulty removing it. Stains can be made permanent through heat, acids or sunlight. As a carpet cleaner I suggest always doing as little as possible when you are treating your own stains. Improper attempts can damage the carpet.
For more information on stain types visit our Stain Removal page where I describe for you the different types of stains that most commonly occur.
