A list of the best tips for easily removing stains from your carpet
Carpets are one of the most beautiful additions that can be added to a home, and they have been a source of embellishment for some time. Interestingly, carpets have been part of traditional folklore too.
Unfortunately, though, our decorations can quickly become tarnished with an everyday mishap, such as a spill that can leave what feels like a permanent stain. One blemish can seem to remove the carpet’s entire beauty and charm in an instant.
There are many ways to clean a stain out of a carpet and restore it to its original beauty. In this article, we walk through 10 ways to remove stains from your carpets and help you return them to their former beauty.
As always, remember that with all stain removal techniques, you need to test on a sample first to ensure the material reacts appropriately to the method. Re-create the stains on spare cuts of carpet you likely keep in your garage or attic before using it on your existing floor.
Hydrogen peroxide can remove blood, sweat, and urine!
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to remove a variety of stains, such as blood, sweat, and urine to name a few, from carpets. With a simple mix, use a teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide with a small dab of cream of tartar or a dab of non-gel-based toothpaste. Apply the paste on the stain with a soft cloth, and then rinse it thoroughly. The stain should begin to lift after applying the solution and working it into the carpet fibers after one or two times.
Flat beer can work miracles on carpets.
Beer is not only a party drink that you dread being spilled on your precious floors and furniture, but flat beer can be of great use for removing fresh coffee and tea stains from your carpets. Pouring flat beer over stains and rubbing it in with a cloth towel can help break down the stain. This process may need to be repeated multiple times before results begin to show and the discoloration of the carpet disappears. Be sure to dry the area once done.
Using vinegar for crayon, marinara, and mud stains
When it comes to cleaning, vinegar is a champion, and vinegar can also be used to remove an assortment of stains from carpets, such as crayon, marinara, and mud. With the proper mixtures, depending on your specific stain type and carpet material, vinegar will work its magic to remove the discoloration from your carpet.
Good ole’ manual scrubbing with fine bristled brush
Carpet stains can be tough to remove, and sometimes they require a much finer or firmer tool to break up material that is stuck to your carpet’s fibers. A fine bristled toothbrush or a grout cleaning brush can be of great use in certain situations, especially when having to remove hardened puke stains. In many cases, using a brush in conjunction with common carpet stain removing agents will do the trick.
Ammonia solutions are powerful carpet stain removers
Ammonia solutions can be potent and useful in removing non-oily stains from a carpet. The typical process to lift stains out from carpeting and upholstery utilizes a basic solution of ammonia, water, and dishwashing liquid.
Using a bucket, you’ll mix 1 cup of clear ammonia with a 1/2 gallon of water in a household bucket of warm water. Using a sponge to dab the solution onto the stain, allowing it to dry and repeating the process as needed. This also has the added benefit of deodorizing powerful stains.
Baby wipes or wet wipes aren’t just good for baby butts!
Baby wipes can be of great help in removing stains, especially fresh ones! By simply apply baby wipes or wet wipes to a fresh carpet stain they can extract many different types of stains, while also removing excess liquid. Baby wipes in particular can be a magical tool for removing stains on a carpet.
This is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to remove stains from a carpet. Additionally, you can twist a baby or wet wipe on hard-to-remove stains and the moisture and friction combined can help break up the material attached to your carpet’s fibers.
Removing chewing gum from a carpet with ice cubes
Ice cubes can be of great help when it comes to removing sticky chewing gum from a carpet. With ice cubes, you can harden the chewing gum by freezing it. It takes just a minute or so to freeze the gum to the point where you will be able to gently peel the gum directly from the carpet fibers with your own hands. The ice cubes can be put into a small ziplock bag so that they don’t melt into the carpet.
Once you’ve got the bulk of the gum up, you can use a stiff brush to remove the remaining bits from the carpet fibers. Voila, you thought you’d never get that sticky chewing gum out of the carpet! Now… if we only had a tip for keeping it in your child’s mouth!
Baking soda is an inexpensive solution to carpet stain removal
This can be a life-changer when it comes to removing stains from a carpet. Baking soda is almost universal when it comes to removing non-greasy stains from carpet fibers. It is one of the best choices for quickly removing stains, especially for vomit or urine. It also helps deodorize these foul-smelling, yet common stain types.
The process for removing stains with baking soda is quite simple. You’ll always want to use a paper towel to remove surface-level stains, wiping away what you can, while being careful not to “grind” it in for put too much force on the stain. Next, simply pour your baking soda over the affected area and pat it with a paper towel.
Let the homemade mixture dry up completely, then you can vacuum up the remaining material. Baking soda will clean, sanitize and remove the smell from the stained spot. If you still see the stain, repeat the process as necessary.
Removing carpet stains with shaving cream
Believe it or not, shaving cream is used to clean more than hair off of faces! It can serve the function of removing stains, such as juice, soda, and wine, from the surface of a carpet. There is a very simple way of doing it.
First, you will blot the stain with paper towels or napkins, being sure not to put too much force down on them. Then apply the shaving cream over the stain and using your hands to work the shaving cream into the carpet. The stain will begin to disappear as you work the cream into the carpet fibers. Allow it to settle for a minute, then use a clean dry cloth to wipe away the residue.
WD-40 carpet stain remover
This is a very interesting way to remove the stains from the surface of a carpet. WD-40, a well-known brand offers a carpet cleaning solution specifically tailored for cleaning stains, like ink, lipstick, Kool-aid, makeup, glue, ketchup and more from carpets.
You have to simply spray on the stain and then wait for a period of time to clean the residue off with a sponge or cloth. The process must be repeated several times until the spots are completely removed.
Take that carpet stains!
And there you have it, 10 different ways to tackle those tough carpet stains. We surely love our carpets remaining pristine, neat, and most importantly clean! By using these 10 tricks to remove stains from your carpets we hope you’re able to maintain the beauty, comfort, and classy-style that carpets bring to our homes and lives.