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 Understanding
carpet stain removal
How to choose the
best one for your carpet
A list of carpet cleaners reveals that water-based stains require just
one method of cleaning, and that is carpet shampooing. Greasy stains
require a dry cleaning solvent, or methylated spirits. Other stains
require different methods of treatment, or treatment by more than one
cleaning method.
A carpet stain should be treated as soon as it happens. The longer you
wait, the more the stain soaks into the carpet. Left too long, a stain
can become permanent.
For a liquid stain, blot up as much as possible with a kitchen towel or
the terry towel in your carpet emergency care kit. Work from the outside
of the stain towards the center so you won't make the stain larger. For
a solid stain, scrape up as much of the material as possible and dispose
of it, then treat any remaining stain as follows in the recommendations
below.
Don't add any liquid to the stain because that could dissolve the
material and spread it deeper into the carpet. You might also get the
back of the carpet wet. When you must use carpet shampoo, you should
only dampen your cloth enough to get the carpet slightly moist.
However, you do have to use cold water on fresh blood stains. Be sure to
use cold water only. Blot from the outside edge of the stain and work
towards the center. Change to a clean cloth every time the one you’re
using becomes soiled. Keep blotting up the excess water and be sure not
to get the carpet too wet.
The area will need to dry before you can see how well the stain came
out. Put some towels on the area and weight them down with heavy books
to draw up any remaining moisture. If the stain is all but gone, you
might shampoo the entire carpet to restore it to its former beauty.
Don't try to dry the carpet with a hair dryer or other device. You could
burn the carpet, especially if it’s composed of synthetic fiber, or
damage the wool. Just keep the area well aired. You can use fans to
promote good air circulation.
If the stain persists after you’ve followed the above steps, you’ll have
to try the next recommendations. However, first try any further steps in
a hidden area of the carpet. If you find you have a problem with the
color fading or the pile being damaged, call in a professional to finish
the job.
Whenever you buy a new carpet, you should always note down what it is
made of and the cleaning products you can use on it for different types
of stains. Wool, cotton, and synthetics react differently to different
cleaning agents. Keep your notes with your carpet cleaning kit. They
will not only be helpful to you, but also to any professional rug
cleaners you may call. If you ever have to call a professional, he will
also want to know exactly what caused the stain. The more information
you can give him, the better.
Water-based stains require a carpet shampoo treatment. This is also true
for animal stains, water-based felt tip pens, beer, fruit juices,
mustard, molasses, golden syrup, and perfume.
Wine should be treated as above, then shampooed. You can obtain a
special wine cleanup liquid as well. You can use this on table linen as
well as carpet. It will be a valuable addition to your carpet care kit.
Helpful carpet cleaning information:
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