Want To Know How to Clean Carpet Spots and Spills?

BLOT, don’t SCRUB! Many carpet fibers will fray and shred if you aggressively go after a spot with a stiff-bristled brush.  Even with a soft brush, you can damage fibers with the wrong motions.  What should you do?  I suggest calling your IICRC-certified carpet cleaner.  They have the knowledge to help … and guess what– the busiest cleaners may offer you their expert advice for free.  In the meantime, here’s a list for emergencies:

• If there are solids, as in the case of a pet accident, use a plastic scraper or similar utensil to lift off as many solids as possible. Do NOT scrub the area.
• If you have a wet-dry vacuum remove the liquid (urine, cola drink, etc.) as best you can.
• If a wet-dry vacuum is not available, use plain white cloths (preferable to paper towel, but if that’s all you have, use them) to BLOT (never rub) up the excess liquid.
• If there is a substantial amount of liquid, you can fold the towel and stand on it to maximize absorption. As one towel gets saturated, switch to another fresh and dry one.  Repeat until no more liquid seems to absorb into your blotting towel(s).
• Use a spotter – preferably one suggested by your certified carpet professional cleaner. Avoid any spotters that have built-in ‘protection’ or you may seal in any stains, making them harder or impossible to remove later.  Use caution around spotting products which carry a high or very low pH, bleaches or brighteners.  NEVER pour an organic solvent directly onto carpets or carpet fibers – if necessary, apply first to a cloth then gently apply.
• Call a professional for these items. Do NOT delay – time may compound the issue:
  • Inks, toners, pen leaks, other intensely colored products
  • Paints, nail polish, other products that will harden
  • Milk or related products
  • Coffee – especially hot and/or decaffeinated spills
  • Bleaches (blot up as much as possible, then call); note: urine can cause bleach-like color loss
  • ALWAYS call an IICRC-certified rug cleaner for cleaning wool, valuable oriental, indigenous-peoples’ handiwork or antique rugs. Attempts to treat those items yourself may result in irreversible damage.

Consider adding protection (such as ScotchGuard™ or Teflon™) to your regular carpet cleaning every year or two.  Like the finish on a new car, your carpet finish (with its stain-resistant protection) doesn’t last forever.  It’s a wise owner who maintains their car’s finish with frequent washing and adds a protective coating.  Like the car, nothing can make your carpet look like it did when it was brand new.  You can keep that sheen much longer with regular professional carpet cleaning and asking your professional to refresh its protection – at least every other clean.

To recap the basic point of how to clean carpet spots, the answer is blot the spot!

Want to know more about Carpet Cleaning 101?  Read our recent post on carpet and allergies!