Different carpet cleaning options are present for different kinds of stains. Depending on the type of stain, the solution used to clean it will vary. Let's take a look at the different kinds of stains, and the different ways to get rid of them.
Carpets are trendy, expensive additions to home décor that enhance the elegance of a room. However, as time progresses, the lovely carpet gets dabbled with lots of stuff like wine, juice, coffee, paint, glue, etc.
If you have kids, then, staining is simply inevitable. Moreover, pets also make their mark on them. Just as different medicines are available to treat different ailments, there are specific carpet stain removal measures to remove different types of stains. Let's learn more about them.
Removing Nail Polish Stains
If you dropped nail polish on your gorgeous carpet, do not be hasty. Allow the nail polish to dry, and only then try and remove it. This is because removing wet stains may cause the stain to spread further, thereby increasing the stained area.
Once the stain has completely dried, scrape it thoroughly (don't scrub so hard that the carpet gets scrapped off). Next, dab some acetone-free nail polish remover at the central point of the stain and allow it to penetrate into the fibers of the carpet.
Next, blot out the stained area with kitchen paper (do not rub), and allow the stained area to dry completely. You can even use a glass cleaner, shaving foam, amyl acetate, baking soda, etc., to remove the stain.
Removing Pet Stains
Pet-induced stains like those left behind by vomit, urine, and feces can be very stubborn, not to mention the horrendous odor accompanied with it, which makes you feel like dumping the carpet into the garbage.
However, thanks to some carpet cleaning methods, pet stains can be removed. These stains must be cleaned as soon as possible, because delaying the process will only make it more cumbersome.
The first step is to clean the bulk by using a few paper napkins. Next, blot the stained area with some paper towels and then quickly prepare a cleaning solution.
The cleaning solution comprises a combination of ¼ teaspoon of mild washing detergent with 1 cup of lukewarm water. Dab this solution onto the stained area with the help a cloth, and repeat until the stain has been completely transferred to the cloth.
Next, mix 2 cups of lukewarm water with 1 cup of white vinegar and apply this solution to the stained area. Use plain lukewarm water to rinse off the solution, by wetting the carpet fibers. Quickly blot the area and leave it to dry. Use a vacuum cleaner after some time to dry the carpet.
Removing Coffee Stains
Coffee stains should be removed immediately after the coffee has been spilled. Before the coffee dries out, blot out the coffee with paper towels, so as to minimize the amount of coffee imbibed into the carpet fibers.
Blot out as much as you can without rubbing the carpet, as rubbing can spread the stain. Sponge the stained area with lukewarm water and allow the stained area to dry naturally. You could also use a mixture of 1 cup of lukewarm water and ½ cup vinegar to clean the coffee stain.
Remember not to splash excess water on the carpet, as the carpet may not dry for a long time. Moreover, do not spread the soap water along the entire carpet, as this can spread the stain.
Removing Paint Stains
Very little can be done when an entire bucket of paint has been spilled on the carpet. However, if just a few drops of paint have made it onto your carpet, your carpet can be salvaged. The first step would be to determine the kind of paint that has stained the carpet.
Water soluble and acrylic paints can be easily removed by dabbing the excess paint onto a paper towel. If the paint has dried, scrape off the dried paint from the carpet. Once the excess paint has been removed, rub the stained area with some soap solution.
Leave it for a few minutes, and then blot it out with a damp cloth (but do not rub). Oil-based stains will need turpentine or methylated spirit to be removed, however, the rest of the procedure will remain the same.
Removing Candle Wax Stains
Removing candle wax from carpets is a cumbersome task. You will need a cloth iron, a blunt knife, and a pack of paper pins to remove candle wax from the carpet. Using the blunt knife, scrape the excess wax off the carpet.
Next, adjust the iron's warm settings for 'delicates' and plug it in. After covering the wax stain with several layers of napkins, allow the warm iron to press the napkin layers. The heat from the iron will melt the wax underneath and get absorbed into the paper napkins. However, make sure you maintain the iron's temperature on 'warm'.
If the iron is hot, the colors of the carpet fibers will fade away. The wax residue left in the carpet fibers after the ironing stage can be removed by dabbing a little home cleaning solvent into the stained area, which can be blotted out with paper towels, and then dabbed with lukewarm water.
These were some simple ways to get rid of carpet stains. Stain removal can be a cumbersome task if you do not know what to do for a particular stain. Once you know which kind of stain you want to get rid of, you can move ahead accordingly. Irrespective of the stain type or removal remedy, make sure you do not rub the carpet, as this will spread the stain.