Did you know that in 2021, the average selling price of residential carpets in the United States rose by 7%? Yet, despite those price hikes, the average number of sales increased by an impressive 17.2%.
All those figures show that Americans still love and crave soft floor coverings.
Carpets, after all, don’t just make indoor spaces more esthetic and comfortable. Previous research found that they induce less stress than hardwood flooring.
Unfortunately, carpet stains can also become a source of stress.
The good news is that some DIY methods are effective against massive and tough carpet stains. Below, we’ll discuss them all and what to do if they still don’t work, so be sure to read on.
Clean Fresh Carpet Stains Without Delay
The sooner you clean up spills, the lower your odds of having to clean tough carpet stains. That’s especially true if it involves colored liquids. Examples include red wine, coffee, and tomato juices or sauces.
Those liquids contain natural pigments that give them color. It’s also the component behind their dyeing ability. So, once they come into contact with fabrics like carpets, they can cause stubborn stains.
Thus, it’s best to blot spills immediately to keep them from causing tough or permanent stains.
Use plain white rags or non-dyed paper towels. Avoid using anything dyed as a wipe, as the colorant may transfer to your carpets.
After removing as much of the spill as possible, spray the affected area with clean water. Then, blot it with a fresh paper towel or cloth. Keep doing this until little to no trace of stain remains.
Spot-Treat Tough Carpet Stains
Are you part of the 70% of U.S. households with pets? If so, you may not be at home when they run into a pet “accident” (pee or poop on your carpets). In this case, the stain may already be dry by the time you return and notice it.
One of your options is to make a DIY carpet cleaner by mixing a teaspoon of liquid dish soap and half a pint of water. Transfer this to a spray bottle to help control its application. Grab some clean white rags or undyed kitchen paper towels, too.
Spray a bit of your homemade cleaning solution onto the edge of the stain. Next, dab that area to work the diluted soap in. Then, swap to a fresh cloth or towel to absorb the excess liquids.
Repeat the steps, making your way inward to prevent the stain from spreading.
If some traces of the stain remain, consider adding white vinegar to your DIY cleaner. The acetic acid in the vinegar may help boost the solution’s efficacy and even kill some mold species.
Use Baking Soda to Clean and Deodorize
Baking soda, the white powder that makes baked goodies rise, is an effective stain remover. That’s thanks to its alkalinity, which allows it to disintegrate organic materials. As a result, it can break down grease, oil, and dirt, absorbing them afterward.
Baking soda is also a gentle abrasive, knocking loose filth embedded in carpet fibers. It scrubs away debris without damaging the textile itself.
Plus, baking soda has odor-neutralizing properties. Thus, it can help remove unwanted funky smells from your carpets.
The exact steps when using baking soda to clean carpets depend on the type of stain you’re dealing with.
Non-Greasy Stains
Test your carpet for color-fastness before applying baking soda to a larger area. To do this, mix 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda and water and apply a few drops to a hidden spot on your carpet. Allow to dry, and then vacuum and check for any discoloration.
If no discoloration occurs, you can cover the entire stain with a generous amount of baking soda. Next, spray the powder with hot water to moisten but not oversaturate it. Alternatively, you can cover the area with a white cloth or paper towel moistened with hot water.
Let the baking soda sit damp for at least three hours, but the longer, the better. You can do this at night, before you sleep, or in the morning before you go to work.
Thoroughly vacuum the area covered with baking soda. At this point, the stain should be gone.
Greasy Stains
If you’re dealing with greasy or oily stains, blot them with a non-dyed paper towel or white cloth first. Keep doing this until no more grease or oil transfers to the towel or cloth.
Next, coat the entire stained area with a thick layer of baking soda. Allow it to sit at least overnight. The longer you leave it on the carpet, the more grease it can absorb.
Finally, vacuum the area. The stain should be gone or, at the very least, considerably reduced.
For Carpet Stains That Don’t Budge
If the steps above aren’t enough to remove stains, it’s time to hire the best carpet cleaning company near you. Do the same if your carpets have multiple problem areas or it’s been a long time since you last had it cleaned by a pro.
Many carpet cleaning companies employ a deep steam cleaning process. While effective in removing stains, it uses a lot of water, resulting in longer drying times. It also often involves using soap that might be gentle on your carpets but not on your health.
The alternative is to hire a professional carpet cleaner specializing in low-moisture cleaning. This no-soap method involves a significantly lower amount of water. That helps keep drying times short, reducing the risk of mold and mildew growth on carpets.
Eliminate Ugly Carpet Stains ASAP
Remember: Carpet stains can be more than just ugly marks on your floor coverings. They can also harbor and promote the growth and spread of disease-causing germs. That’s why you should never ignore or delay their clean-up.
So, get to work as soon as you find your carpets blemished by one or more massive stains. However, if none of the DIY hacks work, it may already be time to hire a pro carpet cleaner.
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