Carpets are lovely. They’re cozy, welcoming, and add texture to your home or workplace. However, the pleasant quality of carpets comes with a downside: they are super easy to stain. Life happens in our homes and that means the occasional knocked-over cup of coffee or muddy dog. You can’t prevent stains entirely, but you can get rid of them after they’ve happened. Remember, there’s no point in crying over spilled milk (or wine)—instead, try these effective DIY carpet stain-removal methods.
A good rule of thumb when you spill something is to act fast. Get to a stain as quickly as possible, preferably before it dries. This will make it a lot easier to get rid of the mark. Additionally, we know it’s tempting but don’t scrub or rub carpet stains—it just makes it worse! Always blot gently instead.
Here are a few specific procedures to follow when dealing with common carpet stains:
How to Get Red Wine out of Carpet
Make a mixture of water, white vinegar, and a little bit of dish soap and put it in a spray bottle. Spray your mixture on the stain and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then blot the area to remove the stain.
How to Get Coffee Stains out of Carpet
Blot up as much of the coffee as you can as soon as it spills, then spray the affected area with a mix of water and white vinegar. Let the vinegar solution soak for 5 minutes or so, then blot it with a clean, dry cloth. Next, sprinkle baking soda over the spot and leave it overnight, then vacuum up the baking soda the next morning.
How to Get Mud out of Carpet
In the fall and winter, it’s almost impossible not to track in a little mud (especially here in Vancouver). Unlike other stains, it’s best to let mud dry before trying to remove it (but don’t let it sit long after it’s dried). Vacuum the area first to pick up all of the loose dry bits of mud. Dissolve a teaspoon of dish soap into a cup of warm water and apply it to the stain with a cloth, then blot with a clean, dry cloth to dry the spot and lift any remaining mud from the carpet.
How to Get Pet Stains out of Carpet
Part of pet ownership is dealing with the occasional accident. Whether you have pets at home or a member of your team brings Fido into the office regularly, anywhere that pets and carpets mix is probably going to need some stain removal. As soon as you can, spray the stain with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Leave it for a few minutes to soak into the carpet, then blot it with a clean cloth to lift the stain. In addition to unsightly marks, pet stains can cause lingering unpleasant smells. If the odour persists after you get rid of the stain, sprinkle some baking soda on the area, let it sit, then vacuum it up.
How to Get Ink out of Carpet
Ink is tough to remove and DIY methods don’t always work—but sometimes they do! It’s worth giving this method a try first and if it doesn’t get the stain off, call in the professionals. Put some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle, spray it on the stained area and let it sit for an hour to soak deeply into the carpet. Blot with a cloth. Try this process a few times and see if you are able to remove the whole stain.
Some stains just won’t come out with DIY solutions. Hire professional cleaners for a deep clean that gets rid of the toughest stains. At Anago, our franchisees specialize in carpet cleaning for commercial facilities.