A Stain Removal Guide for Household Stains

Some stains can easily become embedded into carpets and upholstery and present a real problem for homeowners. Certain stains, like blood, grease and wine are almost impossible to completely remove through ordinary cleaning methods. We highly recommend taking the steps outlined below if you’ve been unfortunate enough to be stuck with a hard-to-remove stain on your carpets or upholstery.

*Please note that common household stains should be treated as soon as possible before they have a chance to set in. Also, scrub from the center of the stain out for best results unless otherwise noted.

BLOOD

For dried-on blood, first, brush with a stiff brush to remove the surface stain. For dry or fresh stains, blot with a solution of a few drops of regular dish soap and 500 ml cold water. Try sponging with an ammonia and water solution if that doesn’t work. Rinse with a sponge soaked in cold water and blot dry.

CANDLE WAX

Simply take an ice cube and rub over the wax until hard. Next, gently scrape the wax away from carpet fibres. You can use a small amount of carpet cleaner to remove excess residue.

CHOCOLATE

While it may seem counter-intuitive, let chocolate stain harden naturally. Then scrape off as much as possible. Mix a few drops or more of laundry detergent with 500 ml of water. Blot the entire stain with a towel, then blot to dry with paper towels. Rinse with clean water to remove residue.

COFFEE OR TEA

Blot a coffee or tea spill with a clean cloth to draw up excess liquid. Spray with cold water and continue to blot.

If this doesn’t quite do the trick, mix a few drops of mild detergent with 250 ml of lukewarm water. Blot with a clean cloth and this solution. Alternately, mix 80 ml of white vinegar with 160 ml lukewarm water and sponge area with a clean cloth. Finally, use a sponge to clean with water and blot with another clean cloth or towel.

GRASS

First vacuum excess bits, then blot the stained area with a damp towel. Mix a paste of laundry detergent and water and rub into the stain with a stiff brush. Rinse with water and blot with paper towels.

For more stubborn grass stains, wet a cloth in rubbing alcohol and rub over the remaining stain. Alternately, you can rinse with a solution of 5-parts water with 1-part vinegar. Place a towel on top and weigh down with a heavy pan until dry.

GREASE

Blot with paper towels right away or gently scrape away grease. Next, sprinkle with baking soda, cornmeal, or baby powder to cover. Allow the area to absorb grease for up to 6 hours. Vacuum, then wet a cloth with isopropyl rubbing alcohol and rub from outside in. Then mix water and a quality grease-cutting dish liquid to scrub the remaining stain. This should be rinsed with a cloth soaked in equal parts vinegar and warm water. Blot dry with a towel. Cover again with baking soda or others as above. Vacuum after completely dry.

GUM

Freeze gum to harden with an ice cube. Pull gently to remove gum from carpet fibres. Clean remaining stain with a gentle laundry detergent mixed with water or a carpet cleaner. Scrub gently with a soft brush, rinse with cool water, and blot dry.

INK

Many people are working from home these days and ink stains are more apt to occur. You can spray the stain with alcohol-based hairspray, blot, then repeat until the stain disappears. Otherwise, try sponging with a dry-cleaning solvent until absorbed, Then, mix 15 ml liquid dishwashing soap and 15 ml white vinegar with 500 ml warm water. Sponge stain with mixture; blot until liquid absorbed. Repeat until the stain is gone. Finally, sponge with cold water and blot again to remove soap residue.

PAINT

A commercial cleanser can work to remove paint stains. Otherwise, wet stain with cool water and soak up with old towels. Continue to douse with water until the stain is mostly gone. If the paint is already dry, remove as much as possible with water and an old toothbrush.

PET ACCIDENTS

Cat and dog urine are two of the most difficult stains and offensive smells to remove from carpeting. Invest in a quality pet cleaning product or call a carpet cleaning expert for professional carpet deodorizing.

WINE

Wine lovers rejoice in how to remove wine stains! The first option is to pour a small amount of white wine over the stain—this will bring the colour out. Blot. Use a mixture of warm water and mild detergent to blot some more with a sponge. Once the stain is gone, rinse with a sponge soaked in cool water, blot dry.

Alternately, blot to remove as much wine as possible. Pour a small amount of water on the stain and blot again. Next, apply a paste of 3-parts baking soda to 1-part water. Allow it to dry then vacuum. Finally, treat with a regular stain remover for carpets.

Above all, don’t let little or big stains get you down. With this stain removal guide for household stains, you’ll be gazing in relief at spotless carpets throughout your home. For everything else just give us a call—cleaning is our expertise!

In addition to our carpet cleaning services at just $30 a room, the experts at Premier Carpet Cleaning also offer area rug cleaning services for just $25 each. We’ll remove stains, dirt and soil from rugs that have lost their luster. We use eco-friendly carpet cleaning solutions to seal in the carpet’s natural fibers. Our deep steam extraction will leave your carpets looking like new!

At Premier Carpet Cleaning we offer professional carpet and upholstery cleaning services across Central Vancouver Island. Call us at (250) 758-5177 in Nanaimo or (250) 701-0377 in Duncan to find out more about our services and on how we can help you!