If you’re thinking of simply rubbing away at your carpet to remove a stain, you might be making things worse!
Unlike cleaning your tiles or your countertop, cleaning a stain is not as simple as it seems. In attempting to rub a stain off, you risk spreading the stain. When this happens, you’ll have to clean a much larger stain — which you might once again make worse.
So, is your carpet a hopeless case after you’ve spilled something on it? We’re here to tell you that it’s not. Using this carpet cleaning guide, not only will you be able to remove a spill on your carpet but you’ll also be preventing a stain.
If you want your carpet in good shape, stick around and keep reading as we give you these tips on carpet cleaning!
Carpet Spill Stain Prevention
Why Is It Not a Good Idea To Wipe a Carpet?
Wiping a carpet seems to be the go-to solution for most people. It’s also the most common cause of larger carpet stains. Done much more haphazardly, it also leads to fungal and bacterial growth.
In truth, applying any form of friction without proper instruction will not only be futile but will also create a much larger stain on your carpet. Rubbing, wiping, or brushing your carpet to remove a stain can cause the following:
Bacterial Growth
Any type of moisture can be a breeding ground for microorganisms. Your carpet can host numerous types of microbes, especially if the stain is caused by pet urine or unchecked spills.
For this reason, it’s important to clean your carpet in a way that utilizes thorough drying and heat.
Reappearing Stains
Yes, carpet stains can reappear. They return to frustrate you due to wicking and soiling.
Wicking occurs when a stain or spill is pushed into the carpet. As the spill is wiped from the top, much of it remains within the carpet.
As a result, the top layer of your carpet reabsorbs the stain, causing it to show up again.
In the case of soiling, this happens when some of the fluid remains on the carpet. Often, this can manifest as an area that is rough to the touch. Once it gets to this point, there is very little you can do.
How To Clean Carpet Spills
To clean spills, you will need the following:
- Dry pieces of absorbent cloth
- Warm water
- Spray bottles
- Carpet cleaning solution
- Paper towels
- A paperweight or anything similar
Once you have these items, you will be ready to clean most carpet spills. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Fill Your Spray Bottles
Fill one bottle with cold or tap water.
As for the other bottle, mix warm water with some carpet cleaning solution. The ratios can vary. We recommend a 1:3 ratio.
The carpet cleaning solution should occupy a third of the spray bottle. The rest should be warm water.
Step 2: Spray the Mixture Onto a Piece of Absorbent Cloth
Take the spray bottle containing hot water and carpet solution and spray one piece of absorbent cloth.
We recommend a spray bottle because the cloth should be damp, not soaked, or inundated in the solution. Making the cloth too wet can make rinsing and drying even more challenging.
Step 3: Blot, Don’t Rub!
With your absorbent cloth, gently blot the stain. You will notice that the stain fades with every stroke. Continue to do this with only clean sections of the cloth you are using.
After all, you want to remove the stain, not put it back.
Step 4: Rinse
Using the spray bottle with cold or tap water, spray water on a different cloth. After that, blot the solution to remove it from your carpet.
Step 5: Pat Dry The Carpet Cleaning Solution
Use a dry cloth to dry the solution.
As with the previous steps, do not rub as this will cause the stain to embed deeper into the carpet.
Step 6: Use Paper Towels on the Area With the Stain
Take some paper towels and stack them on the area you just cleaned. After that, place the paperweight on top of the paper towels.
Once you have done that, leave it overnight.
The purpose of the paperweight is to squeeze any remaining moisture onto the paper towels.
Step 7: Remove Any Dry Residue By Hand
Chances are, there will be dry residue. All you need to do is pick at this or gently brush this off.
How To Prevent Carpet Stains
As much as you can, it’s always better to prevent carpet stains from happening. To prevent carpet stains from occurring or reoccurring, do the following:
Take Action ASAP
The longer a spill stays on your carpet, the more difficult it will be to remove it. So, as soon as a cup of coffee spills or your pet puts its hind leg down, apply the steps in the earlier section immediately.
Unfortunately, it’s a fact that some stains can be harder to remove than others. Oil, wine, ink, and pet urine can even be next to impossible to get rid of.
What do you do in these kinds of situations?
This takes us to plan B:
Hire a Professional Carpet Cleaning Service!
From experience, we’ve learned that the best way to clean and prevent carpet stains is with dry carpet cleaning.
Dry carpet cleaning offers a lot of benefits. Other than taking the guesswork out of removing near-indelible stains, our service is quick. With SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning, you don’t need to wait long for your carpet, thanks to our dry carpet cleaning system.
Our system utilizes a proprietary 100% non-toxic, organic, and environmentally friendly dry carpet cleaning solution and process.
As a result, we can guarantee a clean carpet with no drying time!
Efficient. Quick. Professional. If you have a carpet with a stain, we’re just a call away!
Book a Demo or Appointment With Us
We get it if you’re skeptical, but that’s ok. We can give you a demo free of charge!
If you have a stained carpet, feel free to call. We service King County, Washington, and beyond!
We’re here to take your carpet and make it look as new as it did before the stain!
To learn more about our dry carpet cleaning and our carpet stain removal service, you may continue to browse our website and more articles here. –SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning