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Friday, 27 April 2007 |
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Stains in carpet can be a hassle to remove, but with a few tips for cleaning your carpet you can get rid of most pesky stains. First, if you get the chance to catch the spill right when it happens, get a plain paper towel or white cloth/towel and BLOT the satin causing spill, and try and get as much of it out as possible this way. Never ever rub a stain, just blot it with a clean white rag or paper towel. Rubbing breaks down the fibers and spreads the stain. You can remove most food stains with shaving cream. Spray it on and resist the temptation to rub it in, then let it sit for 15 minutes. Finally rinse with a vinegar and water solution.
Club soda generally removes red wine stains or put some salt or baking soda on the stain to absorb the liquid then use the club soda.. Remove red dye stains like those found in drink mixes, Popsicles, dog and cat food with a 30/70 solution of peroxide and water. Remember, peroxide is bleach, so test an inconspicuous spot first for color fastness. Apply the mixture, wait 30 minutes, then remove as much moisture as possible and rinse with a vinegar/water solution. If the stain remains, add a bit more peroxide to the mixture and retreat. Brake cleaner also does a good quick job of removing most food stains. Pour a little on a clean cloth and gently blot the stain. Rinse with soap and water. Brake cleaner contains the same chemical professional dry cleaners used to clean stains in clothing. Do not pour brake cleaner directly into the carpet. It could dissolve the adhesive holding the fibers in the carpet. Oil, grease, magic marker, ink and gum can be some of the most stubborn carpet stains to remove. Most janitorial companies or department stores carry a product called DeSolvit. WD40 or Orange Clean also work wonders at removing these stubborn stains. Rubbing alcohol removes ink, just dab it on the stain, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes and then blot it to remove the alcohol and hopefully the ink too, then rinse the area with sudsy water. Magic marker is generally permanent and you may not be able to remove it. Freeze gum with ice cubes and chip off what you can with the blunt side of a kitchen knife. DeSolvit should remove the rest. To remove wax freeze it with ice and chip off what you can with the blunt side of a knife. Wax needs heat for removal. Some of the newer carpets are quite sensitive to heat and scorch easily, so test an out of the way spot first. You can also use a hair dryer set to the hottest setting. Set your iron to a low to medium heat. The less heat you use, the less chance of scorching your carpet. Take a white paper towel or paper bag with no writing on it (the dye will transfer to the carpet) Put the towel down on top of the wax and iron the towel for no longer than two seconds. Move the towel and redo if necessary. Generally once is enough. |
