Published: 11/08/2016
Of all the fixtures in your home, perhaps nothing goes through more use and abuse than the carpet. People track dirt all over its surface that comes from parts unknown. Even if you institute ground rules to leave shoes outside the house, what can you do about those who track in dirt and, possibly, bacteria from the kitchen floor?
On a single evening gathering with friends and family, the carpet can easily fall victim to spills from alcoholic beverages, sauces or worse, the dreaded cigarette burn. And we haven’t singled out the seemingly innocent propagator of many stains and odours: the family pet! Yes, “Rover,” the dog or “Frisky,” the cat, is responsible for those musky, mouldy odours of urine. Let’s not forget the pesky hair shedding and their special guests, Mr. Flea and Mr. Dust Mite.
Carpet stains largely go unnoticed because people generally take their carpets for granted. That is until the discolouration and stubborn stain become more prominent. When your carpet begins to show wear and tear, the best option is to call our professional carpet cleaning company. We have the experience to assess the condition of the carpet and draw up a plan to resolve the problem. And, of course, we have the tools of the trade to get the job done right.
If the evaluation shows restoration or repairs need to be done, leave it to the professional carpet cleaner. Do not take chances by resorting to Do-it-Yourself techniques and risk further damage to your carpet. Carpet restoration and repair require great skill and experience to carry out properly.
As the homeowner, the best you can do is to address the stain when it happens. Do not leave the stain unattended because it will continue to damage the fibres of your carpet. Depending on the liquid’s composition and the carpet’s material, the stain can spread and turn nasty immediately.
Here are some common carpet stains and remedies you can implement when your carpet develops a stain:
1. Pet Urine stains
Let’s start out with one of the nastiest and potentially hazardous stains from carpet: pet urine.
The first thing you do is to collect as many pet stains as you can by blotting the area with thick paper towels. Discard the paper towels properly, then wash the area with plain water. Dry again with a paper towel. Once you have the area as dry as possible, apply an enzymatic solution, which can be bought at any pet store.
If you do not have an enzymatic solution, you can use white vinegar, but it may cause some discolouration of material depending on the fibre composition. As a responsible pet owner, you must always have an enzymatic solution in your home! Pet urine contains deadly bacteria that can harm children and the elderly.
2. Coffee or Tea stains
Who doesn’t love a cup of coffee or healthy tea? If your carpet could talk, it would say, “Aye!” Coffee can cause discolouration of your teeth. And so can tea. What do you think it will do to your carpet?
Once coffee or tea drips onto your carpet, dab club soda on the carpet stain right away. Then blot right away with paper towels or a dry, clean and highly absorbent cloth.
3. Ketchup stains
Everybody’s favourite condiment is made of different ingredients, and its high acidity content can wreak havoc on your expensive carpet. A quick cleaning solution would be using handy wipes or baby wipes to clean the ketchup stain. Then, blot dry the area with water and dry immediately with paper towels.
4. Alcoholic beverages stains
Most people are not aware of how hazardous alcohol can be to the health and well-being of their carpets. When an alcoholic beverage spills on your carpet, blot the area dry right away with paper towels or an absorbent clean cloth.
Then spray the area with a solution made of ¼ teaspoon of non-bleach detergent and 32 ounces of water. If non-bleach is not available, you can substitute vinegar.
5. Vomit stains
So, the guys who spilled the alcoholic beverage appeared to have been drinking more than they could handle. Someone has the smart idea to have a contest on who can eat the most mashed potatoes and ham. The end result will not be pretty.
If someone vomits on your carpet, it will take more than just vinegar to manage the stain. Unless your carpet is wool or a wool blend, you can try a solution made of one tablespoon of ammonia or one part bleach to five parts water.
If you have carpets in your house, always make sure your pantry is stocked with the following items:
- Club soda
- Handy wipes
- Vinegar
- Non-Bleach detergent
- Bleach detergent
- Ammonia
- Baking soda
- Enzymatic solution (if you own a pet)
You can use These standard items to manage stains on your dirty carpets. Once you’ve cleaned the stain, do not forget to vacuum the area once it is dry. Keep a record of the incident, and then call our carpet cleaning company from Gold Coast to schedule a professional general cleaning.