…and How To Remove Them Without Calling A Professional!
Hello friends and clients! Time and again my phone rings and a desperate homeowner is on the other end in search of advice for removing one kind of spot or another from their carpet. Now I am more than happy to accommodate these phone calls, but believe it or not I can’t answer my phone 24/7. So wouldn’t you like a little “go to” instruction sheet to keep handy? Now when your guest spills his/her glass of Merlot on your carpet at 11 pm on a Saturday night you can still know what to do!
Please Keep These 3 Things In Mind:
- Don’t Use Over The Counter Carpet Spotters. Those store bought cleaners tend to leave a residue of detergent that becomes gummy and attracts dirt and soil. But, if you insist on using one please use a very small amount, I’ve seen that stuff turn carpet spots into “dirt magnets” instantly.
- Always Rinse thoroughly WITHOUT Over Wetting. (i.e. have lots of clean, dry, absorbent towels handy.) It’s a fine balance between rinsing and not over wetting/potentially damaging your carpet.
- Never, Never Rub or Scrub Carpet – rubbing simply damages the carpet fibers.
The Top 4 Common Spills & Spots And How To Remove Them
Spot #1 Food: It doesn’t matter if it is chocolate, spaghetti sauce or blueberry pie. This is how to remove any food spill from your carpet. First pick up all the food, if it’s an older spill, gently scrape all the dried food off the surface of the carpet. Next, put a bit of your hand washing dish detergent into a spray bottle filled with HOT tap water. (Approx 2 drops of detergent to 2 Cups of water.) Then spray (don’t soak) the area and proceed to blot (don’t rub). Use a clean, white, absorbent towel (nothing that could bleed/transfer color). Continue this action of spraying and blotting until your desired results are reached.
Spot #2 Wine: Merlot, Chardonnay, Cab, or Blush? It doesn’t matter what kind of wine, what matters is how you take care of that spot or spill. First, blot and absorb up as much of the spill as you can. Next, get your hand dish washing detergent solution (see above) and mix 1 part of this solution to 2 parts hydrogen peroxide. Thoroughly spray the spill (without over wetting) then place a piece of plastic wrap over the area so the hydrogen peroxide solution can have a chance to do its job. Let it sit like that for approximately 2 hours. Next, remove the plastic and go through the rinse/blot routine until the spot is rinsed clean.
Spot #3 Candle Wax: Many people love to burn candles in the home. They make the home smell good and give a warm, inviting atmosphere, but when a hot candle gets knocked over that wax makes for a very tricky spot to clean. First of all, if the spot is fresh, blot up as much of the wax as you can. If it’s an older spot, scrape off as much as you can without doing any damage to the fibers of your carpet. Next, grab your iron and some clean, absorbent towels. WARNING: Your carpet fibers can melt or burn so be careful – do NOT set the hot part of the iron directly on your carpet. Now keep the iron on the lowest possible setting to melt the wax. Always keep a dry towel between the iron and your carpet. Keep repositioning the towel to a clean spot to keep that wax transferring from the carpet to the towel. If there is still color on the carpet from the wax – you are probably going to need to call me out. I don’t recommend homeowners put solvents on the carpet, please leave that to your carpet pro. I’ve seen too many people destroy the backing of their carpet with solvents.
Spot #4 Urine: This is probably the #1 call I get. If the spot is fresh, cover the area with baking soda (synthetic fibers only) and let the area dry completely. Then vacuum it up. The baking soda pulls the stain out and works amazingly. If the spot is older and already dry, use the same method described for removing the wine.
