Welcome to Cleaning Tips

Use Club Soda to Remove Carpet Stains

The key to cleaning carpet stains is to act immediately. The longer you wait to remove carpet stains, the more time the stain has to set. Take a clean, dry cloth and blot until no more of the stain can be lifted. Next, pour club soda on the cloth and blot until the stain is completely removed. Always blot the stain. Vigorous rubbing can cause the stain to spread and that part of the carpet to become worn.

Oil Stain Removal from Carpet

To remove carpet stains that contain oil, you'll first need to absorb the oil. Baking soda and corn starch work best, but talcum powders also can do the trick. First sprinkle the powder liberally onto the stain and leave overnight. The next day, vacuum the powder. If there's still some discoloration left behind, try blotting the stain with a mild dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent formulated to cut oil and grease. Once the stain is lifted, blot again with a clean damp sponge or cloth.

Homemade Vacuum Extension

Here's a cleaning carpet tip: If you need a little more reach on your vacuum cleaner hose attachment, try affixing a cardboard tube such as one that holds wrapping paper. The tube can even be smooshed down flat to get into tight spots.

Urine Stain and Odor Removal from Carpet

Anyone who has ever owned a dog or a cat knows all about cleaning carpet pet stains. Unfortunately, urine can saturate absorbent materials such as carpet, well beyond the surface area that can effectively be cleaned. It is extremely difficult to remove all of the urine from the carpet fibers, carpet backing and padding underneath, thereby creating ideal conditions for bacteria and mold growth (and thus malodors). However, you might not be ready to replace your items just yet. When cleaning carpets stains such as urine, blot up as much as possible with an absorbent white cloth. The newest technology uses peroxide and detergents to penetrate the soiled area to remove the stain and deactivate the odor. Simply spray a product such as PAWS - Pet Accident Washup Solution or Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate on the soiled area, and then allow it to penetrate for approximately five minutes. Using a clean white absorbent cloth, blot the area, pressing down firmly (do not rub) for 30 seconds. Repeat this blotting process until the area is dry. If the odor persists, repeat the process. PAWS will do an excellent job on old pet stains and odors too. You can also try saturating the area with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then, using a clean white absorbent cloth, blot the area, pressing down firmly (do not rub) for 30 seconds. Repeat this blotting process until the area is dry. If the odor or stain persists, repeat the process. Another option to remove carpet stains made by urine is baking soda, which can be used to eliminate surface (but not deeply penetrated) odors. Dampen the area with clean water and then sprinkle baking soda over it. Rub the baking soda into the soiled area and let dry; brush or vacuum to remove the dry material.

Wine Stain Removal from Carpet

Because wine contains tannins, it's sometimes difficult to remove. There are simple solutions to cleaning carpet stains made by both red and wine stains. For instance, if you spill red wine on the carpet, immediately pour a glass of white wine over the stain. The white wine will neutralize the red wine and the stain will disappear. To remove carpet stains caused by white wine, just dab with some vinegar. Both stain removal remedies take less than five minutes!

Syrup Removal from Carpet

If dropped on the floor, pancake syrup can make a sticky mess. It can be even messier if it gets embedded into your carpet fibers. When cleaning capert stains consisting of pancake syrup, make up a solution of one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to one teaspoon of warm water. Pour this into a spray bottle and blot to remove carpet stains. Blot again with clean water to remove any sticky, soapy residue from the carpet.

Coffee Stain Removal from Carpet

Coffee stains on carpet aren't difficult to remove if you act quickly. Here's a good rule of thumb: to remove carpet stains effectively, it's important you get to the task immeidately upon spilling, if you don't you're more likely to incur permanant damage. Dab at the stain with vinegar or club soda until it's removed. If you waited too long and the stain has set in, you should still be able to remove the stain by using dry-cleaning solvent. Blot until the stain is lifted.

Carpet Spot Removal

Cleaning a carpet is simple if you act quickly to remove stains. If you wait, you're giving the stain a chance to further embed itself into the fibers. When cleaning carpet stains, never rub at the spot. Not only will this cause the carpet fibers to weaken, and perhaps create a worn area, but it will also cause the stain to spread and penetrate deeper. If your stain disappears and comes back again, your carpet is a victim of "wicking." (Wicking is when liquid that has pooled around the bottom of a carpet works it's way back up the fibers to the top.) To prevent this, cover the stain with a thick towel and weigh down with a heavy object such as a book or a brick.

Wax Removal from Carpet

The last thing any of us need is wax dripped on the carpet. Once it hardens, it seems impossible to remove. All is not lost though. For cleaning carpet stains made by wax, first chip off as much of the surface wax as possible, using a dull knife or paint scraper. Once that is done, place a cloth or several layers of paper towels over the wax and apply a warm iron. Iron the towel for a few minutes and then lift. The wax should now be on the cloth instead of the carpet. Remove carpet stains left behind by blotting with a vinegar, or if it doesn't come up easily, nail polish remover.

Tomato or Spaghetti Sauce Stain Removal from Carpet

When cleaning carpet stains that are tomato based, such as spaghetti sauce or tomato soup, you can try using a liquid enzyme detergent, a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide, or an oxygenated cleaner such as Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate. When working to remove carpet stains, remember to always test a cleaning product on an inconspicuous spot first. After applying the cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with clean water. Always blot carpet stains; don't rub them, so as not to damage the carpet fibers. Work the stain from the outside in, so as not to spread the stain any further.

Grease Stain Removal from Carpet

Try this tip when cleaning carpet stains: Apply a generous layer of baking soda or cornstarch to greasy spots and leave overnight. After vacuuming, the grease should be absorbed. If there is any residue or discoloration left behind, blot with vinegar until the stain is lifted. A dishwashing liquid or detergent specializing in removing grease will also remove carpet stains that are greasy. Make a solution of half detergent and half water and spray directly onto the stain. Blot until the stain is removed. Blot again with a damp sponge to rinse.

Chocolate Stain Removal from Carpet

Anyone who has ever had to remove carpet stains will appreciate this tip. If you have chocolate or coffee stains on carpet, dab with straight vinegar. That's all it takes. Blot until the stain is removed and blot again with a damp sponge or cloth to rinse. If the smell of vinegar isn't for you, try a mild else that dishwashing liquid for cleaning carpet stains. Pour some onto a clean cloth and blot until the stain is lifted.

Gum Removal from Carpet

Gum on the carpet can leave behind a sticky, gooey mess! Don't panic if you have to remove carpet stains made by gum, however. It's quite easy. Spray the area with WD-40, or smear with peanut butter and the gum will come right out. There may be a spot left behind from the dye in the gum. Cleaning carpet stains such as this is easy too. All you have to do is blot with a little club soda. No one will ever have to know!

Adhesive Residue Removal from Carpet

If adhesive removal is hindering your carpet cleaning efforts, try this quick tip: WD-40 will effortlessly remove adhesive residue from almost any surface. Rubbing alcohol will also remove this sticky residue, but more elbow grease might be needed. Before removing carpet stains,you'll probably want to test both of these products on a hidden area of your carpet first, but either of these should do the trick. If the adhesive residue isn't cooperating, you might want to try an over the counter product such as Goo Be Gone or Goof Off.

Permanent Marker Stain Removal from Carpet

Cleaning carpet stains left by permanent marker isn't difficult if you act swiftly before the stain has a chance to set in. First try hairspray or rubbing alcohol. Spray directly onto the stain to saturate and let sit for thirty to sixty minutes. Blot with a damp sponge or cloth until the stain is removed. If this didn't work, you can try a non-acetate nail polish remover. You may want to test this in a hidden area first however, to be sure you won't damage the carpet further.

Soft Drink Stain Removal from Carpet

Anyone who has ever hosted a party has had to contend with careless guests. They don't spill because they're inconsiderate of course, they 're just having such a good time, they're not paying attention. That can mean only one thing. Spills on the carpet. If you're finding yourself having to remove carpet stains caused by soft drinks, you might be happy to find out this is an easy spot to remove. The last thing you want after a party is to spend a lot of time cleaning carpet stains caused by an overzealous party goer. Pour some vinegar onto a cloth and blot the stain until it's lifted. If you can't live with the smell of vinegar, blot again with a damp sponge.

Glue Removal from Carpet

Crafty people are usually meticulous with their work. Every now and then however, accidents happen. What do you do, for instance, if glue spills onto the carpet? Don't panic that's for sure. Cleaning carpet stains made from glue is simple and doesn't take long at all. Act quickly while the glue is still wet and blot with a warm sponge. When no more of the glue can be lifted in this manner, soak a rag in warm vinegar and lay it over the stain for thirty minutes. The glue should wipe clean after this time. If the glue has already dried, gently scrape away anything that's hardened using a butter or putty knife. When no more hardened glue can be removed, apply the vinegar soaked towel. If worse comes to worse and none of these methods for cleaning carpet stains work, use a dry cleaning solvent. Read the packaging to make sure it will work on your particular carpet and blot until the stain is lifted.

Grape Juice Stain Removal from Carpet

The tannins in grape juice can make it difficult to remove carpet stains made up of this dark purple liquid. Club soda can help with this. Pour some directly on the carpet and blot. You can also try cleaning carpet with a solution of vinegar and a mild dishwashing liquid. Again, dab until the stain is removed. Blot again with a damp cloth to remove any residue.