No matter how clean you try to keep your home, it’s inevitable that your carpets will retain a degree of dirt from spillages and general detritus, and a stained carpet can really make a room look grubby. However, there are several techniques and products that when used in the correct way, can help to eliminate dirt and grime and get your carpets back to brand new condition, quickly:
- Blot, don’t rub
Dabbing at a stain with whatever cleaning solution you’re using is the best way to avoid damaging the carpet fibres and spreading the stain. Blot the offending stain with minimal pressure and watch it soak up in no time.
- Soda on a cloth
Club soda can work wonders on a vast array of stains, and again, blotting is key. Soak a cloth with soda (or if that doesn’t work, with a one part white vinegar to one part water solution), and blot the stain thoroughly. Leave it wet for a few minutes, then firmly press a clean sponge onto the affected area. If this doesn’t work the first time, the process can be repeated until the desired effect is achieved.
- After removing a stain…
It’s important to rinse any stained area of your carpet that you’ve recently treated, with warm water and a sponge or cloth. You can also encourage the carpet fibres to sit correctly by using your hand to brush them in the right direction, before placing paper towels over the area weighted down with something heavy. You may find that some carpet stains that you’ve treated will take a long to dry, depending on the weather or the heat in that room.
- Chewing gum
Chewing gum on your best shag pile is a nightmare, but there is a really simple way of getting it off without ruining your carpet. Put some ice cubes or a freezer pack directly onto the gum and leave it there for around a minute. This will freeze the gum and should enable you to simply scrape it off with a spoon. You may need to cut a few fibres where the gum has stuck firmly to the carpet, but if you take care when doing this, it shouldn’t notice afterwards.
- Dishwash detergent
If you’ve somehow gotten grease onto your best carpet, then a drop or two of a good quality dishwashing detergent mixed with a cup of water, should eliminate the stain. Put the solution into a spray dispenser and use it liberally on the affected area, before blotting it up and repeating the process if necessary.
Carpets are an important feature of any home, and it’s recommended that you steam clean them thoroughly every few months to help keep them looking vibrant and healthy. Many professional cleaning companies will include this in their service if requested, and of course they would clean much more than just your carpets.