Whether you are talking wall-to-wall carpets or a beautiful throw rug, a carpet stain can make for a bad day and an unattractive mark. Fortunately, if you act fast, you may not have to live with that stain forever. We know that life sometimes throws a curveball – and that curveball just might knock over someone’s coffee cup.
How do you quickly get the most common stains out of your carpet? As carpet cleaning experts, we know how to rescue those fibers. Let’s look at the top five carpet stains and your first-response techniques to stop the stain in its tracks.
Stain #1: Removing Kool-Aid Stains from Carpets
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- Spray, Soak 5-10, Blot
Oh Yeah! When the Kool-Aid Man bursts through your wall and knocks everyone’s most heavily dyed summer drink all over your carpet, what can you do? Kool-Aid is one of the most staining substances in the universe, which is how they get those vividly colored pitchers. Fortunately, the dyes are soluble if you have some dish soap and white vinegar.
Start by blotting the stain (do not rub or scrub) to pick up as much Kool-Aid as possible. Then mix this in a spray bottle:
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- 1/4 Cup Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dawn Dish Soap
- 2 Cups Warm Water
Take your spray bottle and soak the Kool-Aid stain. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, blot, and repeat as necessary until all the dye comes out of the carpet.
Stain #2: Removing Pet Stains from Carpet
Pet mess is a natural part of adopting and training a new dog. Whether you have a puppy or a stray adopted from the shelter, sometimes messes on the carpet happen, and you need to clean them up.
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- Remove and Blot
- Apply Pet Stain Carpet Cleaner
- White Vinegar Treatment
- Enzyme Remover Spray
To remove pet mess, start removing as much of the pet accident and blot away any moisture. Then apply a pet stain remover for carpets; these products are formulated for the organic compounds in pet mess. If there is a lingering stain, apply white vinegar and blot clean. Try an enzyme spray for dogs and cats to remove a lingering smell.
Stain #3: Removing Coffee Stains from Carpet
Coffee stains are killer, but they happen to almost every coffee drinker at some point.
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- Blot dry
- 50/50 Vinegar Water + Detergent
If coffee just hit your nice carpet, start by blotting the stain up as much as possible. Then use a mixture of 50/50 warm water and white vinegar with a dash of dish soap in a spray bottle. Soak, blot, and repeat as necessary.
Stain #4: Removing Blood Stains from Carpet
When blood hits the carpet, you know there’s one heck of a cleaning task ahead. Blood takes persistence and cold water. Never ever clean blood with warm or hot water, as this will cause it to coagulate into the fibers. Instead, put ice in your cleaning mixtures and very carefully soak and blot.
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- Cold Water Only
- Blot, Rinse, Repeat
- Oxygen Treatments
Mix a spray bottle with ice water and Dawn dish soap. Spray liberally and soak into the carpet fibers. Then blot the mixture, rinse your rag, and repeat. Keep in mind this process may take a while.
You may find that oxygen treatments like Oxy-clean and other similar products have a reaction with blood that helps remove the faint orange stain from your carpets.
Stain #5: Removing Ink Stains from Carpet
Ink Solvents
The trouble with ink stains is that you never know precisely which solvent will work on the staining ink formula. Brands and colors are different.
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- Isopropyl
- Hairspray
- Acetone (Nail Polish Remover)
- White Vinegar
- White Wine
To remove ink, you will need to soak the spot, let it sit, then blot out and repeat. You may want to try one of the several solvents listed above, starting with isopropyl and trying anything else you have in the house.
Carpet Cleaning & Restoration Services in Grand Forks & Fargo
Is the stain still there? DIY carpet stain removal techniques can only take you so far. Some dyes, inks, and substances just don’t let go. Some carpet fibers are more resistant to cleaning than others. You may just not have the hours of soaking and blotting necessary to remove every last sign of the stain. Don’t worry, carpet cleaning professionals have advanced machines (ex: wet vacs and steam cleaners) along with solutions and techniques that go beyond what can easily be done at home to fight a tough stain.
Steamatic of Red River Valley is here to help get your carpets stain-free no matter what spilled or why. Contact us today for professional carpet cleaning to eliminate any recent stain that just won’t blot away.
Featured Image: New Africa/Shutterstock
