How to

Remove Carpet Stains

  1. How-To

There's a spot on the carpet

Why does a spot on your carpet always happen in the middle of the room? 

To help you be prepared, here are general tips to help remove smaller spots and stains from household carpeting. Stains that cover large areas should be removed by professional carpet cleaners. 

Always check, if possible, for information that came with your carpeting for material content and cleaning information.  

Wool, silk, jute or leather carpets and area rugs need specific products and professional cleaning. They should not be cleaned or rinsed with water. 

 

General Tips for Most Carpets 

  • Get at stains as soon as possible. Wet stains can be removed to a greater degree than stains that have dried.  
  • If there is mud on the carpet, allow it to dry and vacuum off as much as you can before adding water or any other product. 
  • Use only white or light coloured cloths or paper towels. Coloured cloths may transfer colour to your carpet.  
  • Do not rub or scrub at stains; blot or use a pinch-and-pull method. Always rinse with water and dry as quickly as possible.  
  • To dry faster after rinsing, blot the area with cloths or paper towels and use fans to help dry. Then place a pad of paper towels on the stained area, place a weight on top that will not be damaged by moisture and allow carpet to dry completely. If the stain reappears, you have pulled it up from the bottoms of the fibres. Clean it again. 
  • Any stain particles remaining in the carpet will act as a dirt magnet. Repeat cleaning until it is all gone. 
  • Environmentally green or simple household items used to clean carpet stains may not have the same power as carpet cleaning products. 
  • Always test products in as hidden an area as possible to make sure they will not damage the carpet or colour. A closet with the same carpet is a good place to test. 
  • Do not use a steam cleaner until you have manually removed as much of the stain as you can. A steam cleaner will push the remaining stain into a wider area and may set coloured stains. Use a steam cleaner to clean a larger area or the whole room after the stain is gone. 
  • Starting with wet stains
    • Carefully remove solids, if there are any.  
    • Blot out as much as you can.  
    • Dilute stain with water or club soda and blot out. Continue until no more stain comes out. 
    • Use a carpet cleaning product (see Products to Use). 
  • Starting with dry stains
    • Scrape and vacuum solids as much as you can.  
    • Wet the stains lightly and blot out all that you can.  
    • Use a carpet cleaning product (see Products to Use). 
  • Products to use

    Keep these two spot and stain removing products on hand, just in case.

    1. An all-purpose cleaner such as Folex Carpet Spot Remover, Hoover, Bissell or Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover, available at many grocery stores or cleaning sections of hardware stores. Use as directed.

    2. An enzyme-containing carpet cleaning powder or spray. These work best on biological stains like blood, egg, milk or pet stains. They usually need to be left wet or damp on the stain for a few minutes, then vacuumed and rinsed. Use as directed and always rinse with water afterwards. These are sold in grocery or hardware stores and in pet stores or veterinary offices.

  • Words of warning

    Pollen  

    Do not add any liquid to stains from spices or flowers, especially from pollen. These can become liquid dyes. Vacuum many times to remove. 

     

    Bleach  

    Bleached marks are not stains. The colour there has been stripped out and cannot be cleaned away. Rinse with water and blot to prevent further damage. Some carpet cleaning companies can re-dye a bleached carpet spot. 

     

    Red Wine Stains  

    Follow directions in Starting with Wet Stains or Starting with Dry Stains. Use an all-purpose carpet stain remover. Rinse and dry. 

     

    Sap or Tar Stains  

    Use an adhesive remover such as Goo Gone and cotton balls. Apply adhesive remover to cotton balls and use to pinch-and-pull the sap from the tops of carpet fibres. Adhesive remover can dissolve the glues holding the carpet together or the carpet underlay, so test first, work carefully, and rinse very well. 

Banish Stubborn Stains and Revive Your Carpets

Accidents happen, but don't let carpet stains ruin the beauty of your home. For those stubborn stains that require professional attention, our friends at Rümi offer top-notch carpet cleaning services. With their advanced cleaning techniques and non-toxic products, they'll ensure that your carpets look and feel brand new. Your indoor air quality will improve and your space will look fresh and vibrant again.