James Cummings is the general manager of Servpro of Ahwatukee & South Tempe in Arizona, a branch of Servpro, the national fire and water cleanup and restoration company. Since his company has a lot of experience restoring different types of materials, they can also help you choose the strongest, most durable options for carpets and home furnishings. Here are their guidelines to removing stains from your carpet.
Immediately blot as much of a liquid stain as possible. Blot thoroughly, using a clean white terry cloth towel or other absorbent blotting material. Continue shifting to clean, dry areas of the towel while applying downward pressure. Though most of the carpets produced today are treated with stain-resistant treatments when manufactured, no carpet can be said to be completely stain-proof. And the longer a stain remains in the carpet, the more permanently it sets into it.
Scrape away a solid or semi-solid stain using a blunt spatula, bone scraper, or spoon. Never use a knife to scrape off a stain because it might harm the fibers. Vacuum away as much of the solid stain as possible. Never scrub or brush a stain as scrubbing can harm the fibers and make the stain set into the carpet or rug. Vacuum the carpet surface using a canister vacuum with a hose (do not use an upright type of vacuum with a rotating brush as this will only spread the stain). Using the hose, gently work from the outer perimeter of the stain toward the center. This should reduce the stain and eliminating the likelihood of spreading it. Never use water to clean toner or soot from a carpet because it only spreads and sets the stain.
Pretest the stain removal agent on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. Follow the instructions on the stain remover carefully. Apply a few drops to each color in the carpet. Press a clean, white towel or napkin lightly over it for approximately 30 seconds. Check both the towel or napkin and the carpet for color transfer, color change, or any other damage. Try another stain removal agent if you notice any changes.
To remove the stain, apply a small amount of stain remover to the soft, white, absorbent cloth and gently apply to the stain, working from the edges in toward the center of the spot to prevent it from spreading. Continue for as long as the stain is getting transferred onto the towel. Apply more solution to a fresh area on the towel and repeat the process as long as it takes to remove the stain.
In cases where you need to apply more than one stain remover, continue applying the first stain removal agent as long as there is any improvement; then move on to the next one.
After the spill has been completely removed, rinse out the affected area with water and blot dry to remove the cleaning solution completely, as any residue may attract soil and cause damage to the carpet. To effectively blot the water, you can use clean, dry towels weighed down by flat, heavy objects like books. Keep changing the towels as they become saturated.
Do not over-wet the area. Over-wetting of a carpet while cleaning may cause damage to the carpet.
