How To Clean The 4 Most Common Stains From Carpeting
Posted on: 7 June 2016
Regularly vacuuming and occasional steam cleaning are great ways to keep your carpet looking like new. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent every spill or accident from leaving a stain on your precious flooring. Should you encounter one of the following four most common stains, there's no need to fret. These can be removed in a few easy steps.
Pet Urine
Dogs and cats may have an accident on your carpeting if they can't get outside or to their litter box in a timely manner. First, grab a few paper towels and soak up as much of the urine as you can. Discard the paper towels. Animal Planet recommends using a vinegar and water solution next at a rate of 1/2 cup of vinegar for every 1 1/2 cups of warm water. Pour the mixture over the area where your pet had the accident and leave it to soak for about five minutes. Blot excess moisture up with a clean rag.
Coffee
If your cup of coffee gets bumped while chatting with a friend over a delicious pastry, you may end up with a stain on your carpet. Again, you'll need to blot up as much of the coffee as you can with a set of paper towels. After you toss them, Good Housekeeping suggests mixing one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, one tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, and two cups of warm water together. Pour this solution over the coffee stain and continue to blot until you no longer see the coffee. You can then flush the carpet with a little water.
Candle Wax
Candles add a romantic light to any room. When transporting your candle, it is possible to get a drip or two of wax on the carpet. According to Bob Villa, you'll need to let the wax harden and then scrape away as much of it as you can with a butter knife. If any wax remains, cover it with a brown paper bag. Iron over the spot using the low heat setting and the wax will transfer from the carpet to the brown paper bag.
Ketchup
Ketchup makes almost any dish taste better. It doesn't look great on carpets, however. Martha Stewart reports that 1 tablespoon of ammonia mixed with 1/2 cup of water works to neutralize acidic spills like ketchup. Before using this mixture, make sure you scoop up as much of the ketchup as you can with a spoon. Then pour the solution over the remaining stain and blot clean.
Finally, if any odor remains after you have removed the stain in question, sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the area. Let it sit overnight before vacuuming it up. Baking soda is a powerful odor eliminator that is safe to use around pets and small children. Click here for more information on carpet cleaning.
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