Carpet Cleaning Tips for Busy Homes

Carpet Cleaning Tips for Busy Homes

Every home is prone to the occasional spill or stain. It’s inevitable. But it’s all about how you deal with the stain afterwards that matters. Here are our top tips for how to clean carpets that have common dried-on stains.

Wine Stains

• Blot up as much of the spilled wine as possible.
• Use plain water or mix one tablespoon of washing up liquid and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water.
• Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with plain water or the detergent/vinegar solution. Apply a little bit at a time, blotting frequently with a dry cloth until the stain disappears.
• If using a detergent/vinegar solution, sponge with cold water and blot dry.

Mud Stains

• Let the mud dry, and then vacuum up as much as possible.
• Mix one tablespoon of washing up liquid with two cups of warm water.
• Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
• Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
• Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the stain disappears.
• Sponge with cold water and blot dry.

Oil Stains

• Scrape off excess oil.
• Sprinkle baking soda, cornstarch, or other absorbent on the stain. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes, and then vacuum.
• Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with a dry-cleaning solvent.
• Blot until the solvent is absorbed.
• If the stain remains, mix one tablespoon of washing up liquid and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water.
• Sponge the stain with this solution.
• Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
• Sponge with cold water and blot dry to remove the detergent/vinegar solution.

Paint Stains

• Scrape off excess paint and, starting at the outer edge of the stain, apply acrylic paint and varnish remover.
• Gently scrape away the paint as it softens.
• Repeat, using the remover sparingly, until you have removed as much paint as possible. Be careful to keep the paint and varnish remover from spreading the stain. Otherwise you may create a bigger stain.
• To avoid this, work on the individual tufts, carefully applying the remover and working it in so it doesn’t spread to the surrounding tufts.
• If any paint remains, work glycerin into the stain and let it soak for several hours. Sponge the stain with a mild solution of washing up liquid to one part cool water.
• Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
• Sponge with a solution of one part white vinegar to 10 parts water. Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
• Sponge with cold water and blot dry.

Alternatively, if you haven’t got time for all of this and find yourselves with better things to do than cleaning. You could always hire a professional carpet cleaning company. For all of you moms living in Rochester, NY I recommend Belview Floorcare, a professional carpet cleaning company.