Let’s talk about stains! I know, they are bound to happen whether you have kids, dogs, roommates, or a hubby. Don’t get me wrong, I make my fair share of messes. I’m not placing the blame on everyone else. But I absolutely hate stains! They make my great mood turn a little sour when I spot one. For me, carpet stains are the worst. In this article, I’m going to talk about removing stains from carpet and removing stains from upholstery. We will go over different types of stains along with tips and tricks to get rid of them.
The Joyful Art of Removing Stains from Carpet
I love the look and feel of plush carpet with perfect vacuum lines! If you are anything like me, it’s the simple things like this that bring me joy in my home. I know it sounds crazy, but it just feels good. Now I know what you are thinking, it’s hard to keep your carpet looking pristine all of the time, and there will inevitably be occasional accidents.
There are lots of different commercial cleaning products for removing stains from carpets but unfortunately, many of them are full of chemicals. Did you know that to remove old stains from carpet, you can use natural products you probably already have in your cupboard? Below are a few tips on removing carpet stains to make your carpet look renewed.
Removing Juice, Soda, Coffee, and Kool-Aid Stains From Carpet
Whether you are a big kid or have kids, most of us drink juice, soda, or Kool-Aid. That last drink is a blast from my past and was a favorite in my house when I was a kid. These types of drinks can create horrible stains on the carpet. Follow the below steps and learn about the best carpet stain remover DIY to remove these stains, even on light-colored carpet:
- Use a dry white towel to gently soak up as much of the spilled beverage as possible by blotting the area gently. Do not press or scrub the carpet when you are soaking up the excess liquid as that could push moisture into the carpet pad making a bad situation worse.
- In a medium-sized spray bottle mix ¼ cup of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of Dawn dish soap. Fill the remainder of the spray bottle with warm water.
- Liberally spray the carpet stain with the solution and let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Continue blotting the stain with a clean dry towel until the stain is gone. It is important to use a white towel to make sure that no pigmentation bleeds onto your carpet.
Removing Coffee Stains from Carpet
A cup of coffee is how I start my mornings, but with coffee comes inevitable spills now and then. Coffee can leave a filthy dark stain on the carpet if it is not treated immediately. As with any stain, the sooner you get it cleaned up the better. There is nothing worse than spots on your carpet and this particular type of stain can be mistaken for pet stains if it is not taken care of. Keep reading for another favorite carpet stain remover DIY.
- Blot the area where coffee has been spilled to remove as much of the excess liquid as possible. Do not scrub the area as this will only spread the stain further out on the carpet creating a larger stain. Switch out towels as needed.
- In a medium-sized spray bottle combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Dawn dish soap, and two cups of warm water.
- Liberally spray the carpet stain with the solution until the area is soaked.
- Blot the area with a clean dry towel until the area is dry.
- Use a sponge and cold water to remove any soap residue.
- Repeat the process as necessary and blot the area dry.
Removing Blood Stains from Carpet
Some stains are a bit trickier to remove than others and this includes blood. All stains should be attended to as quickly as possible, however with blood, the quicker the better. Below is the process I use to remove blood stains from carpet:
- In a medium-sized spray bottle add 2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap and fill the remainder of the spray bottle with cold water. I want to emphasize that the water needs to be as cold as possible especially when it comes to bloodstains. Blood will coagulate with heat, warm or hot water, and soak further into the fibers of the carpet.
- Spray the stained area of the carpet liberally until it is soaked.
- Using a white paper towel or a dry white towel, blot the area where the blood is to transfer blood from the carpet to the cloth.
- Rinse the towel with cold water, or use a different one if necessary, and repeat the process until the blood is no longer visible.
As much as I do not like using chemicals in my home, an alternative to the above process is to use OxiClean. OxiClean does not contain bleach. However, it does have the ability to oxygenate almost any carpet stain, including blood. If you decide to use OxiClean for a bloodstain, it is still necessary to use cold water. In this scenario spray the liquid on the stain, then blot the area until it is dry. If necessary, repeat the process until the stain is gone.
Blood is probably one the toughest stains to remove so it is important to have patience and persistence.
Removing Pet Stains from Carpet
Pet stains can be a huge challenge, especially if the mess goes unnoticed for any length of time. However, there are ways to remove pet stains and eliminate any odor that may linger. Below are some tips to get rid of pet stains from your carpet along with a recipe for a homemade carpet cleaner for pet stains:
- First things first, clean up the gift your furry friend left behind and dispose of the mess. If the area is a wet, blot, press the area to soak up all the moisture you can. Do not scrub the area or rub the area as you do not want the mess to spread.
- Next, in a medium-sized spray bottle combine 2 cups of warm water, 4 tablespoons of baking soda, and 2 cups of vinegar.
- Spray the soiled carpet and let the mixture sit for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes.
- For areas that are more heavily stained, you can sprinkle the baking soda directly on the stained area and use a mixture of water and vinegar (50/50) on the stain letting it sit for approximately 5 minutes.
- Use a clean white towel or paper towels to blot the area, pressing until the carpet is as dry as possible.
If you find that the carpet still smells like pet urine, try a mixture of ¼ cup of white vinegar and 1 quart of warm water. You will want to spray the area and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes and then use the blotting technique described above.
NOTE: If the area is already dry, you will want to spray the carpet with water to wet the area. In this particular scenario, you most likely need to use a carpet cleaner created specifically for pet stains.
Carpet Maintenance
Maintaining your carpet is essential for a clean home. For day-to-day cleaning, be sure to vacuum your carpet at least twice a week and spot clean high traffic areas that appear to be dingy. Also, consider a no-shoe policy in your home. This will help keep dirt outside instead of on your carpet. Furthermore, it is recommended by the experts at Clean Heart Maids to have your carpets shampooed at least once per year.
We hope our tips on removing stains from carpet were helpful. Keep in mind the harmful chemicals many cleaning products contain. Whether it is coffee, juice, blood, or pet residue, there are natural products that can do the trick of removing stains from your carpet! Keep your home clean and chemical-free with the help of DIY cleaning products or a professional cleaning crew. Don’t forget to call Clean Heart Maids for all your home or commercial cleaning needs.