You can make every effort to keep your carpet clean: have scheduled professional cleanings, vacuum frequently, install a carpet protector and so on, but at one point or other you'll find yourself dealing with a carpet stain following a spill, drop or other accident. With timely and correct intervention, a stain doesn't have to spell doom for your costly rug; simply try some of these tricks to restore your carpet to near-newness.

1. Avoid rubbing wet stains

If you've made a stain from spilling something liquid, fast action is imperative to prevent setting. However, do not try to rub out the stain; this will only spread out the stain further and deeper into the carpet. Instead, use an absorbent piece of cloth or paper towels to blot out the stain by applying firm, steady pressure on the area. Once you get as much liquid out as you can, apply a cleaning solution and allow it to act. Use another clean cloth to gently blot inwards – towards the centre of the stain – to avoid spreading the stain outwards or destroying delicate carpet fibres.

2. Wine and beer stains

If you spill wine or beer onto your carpet, blot as much out as you can as described above. Then pour some club soda to dilute the stain and keep it wet – stains are harder to remove once dried. Blot out the diluted stain with more paper towels or a clean sponge. Pour a little cold water to rinse out the area. You can then pour a generous amount of salt and/or baking soda – the salt collects the moisture while the baking soda also sucks up bad odours. Allow to sit for a while (the salt will gradually turn colours as it sucks up stained liquid) and then use a vacuum to remove it.

Blot out beer stains as described above, then use a mixture of white vinegar in warm water to spray the area and blot again as you would for the wine stain. Dry with salt or baking soda as above and repeat until the stain is removed completely.

3. Shaving cream is a little-known cure-all

Ordinary shaving cream is one of the handiest remedies that works on virtually any carpet stain. In fact, some people use it for regular carpet cleaning. Shaving cream is made up of lathered and moisture-based soap and can penetrate carpet fibres to remove stains. However, avoid using coloured or gel-based creams or creams with menthol as these can discolour your carpet. Simple, white creams are preferable. Apply a generous amount on the stained area and allow to sit for half an hour before blotting with a clean cloth. Spray with white vinegar in warm water to rinse out the shaving cream and blot dry.

Share