In this month’s article, we’re going to run through some of the worst stains that can be found on carpets. We’ll offer some of our top tips for how to remove these stubborn stains, as well as how to avoid them from happening in the first place.
Gum
If chewing gum gets stuck on carpet, it can be a nightmare! Even on a hard surface like concrete it can be extremely difficult to remove, but on carpet it attaches itself to the fibres making it stubborn to remove at all.
How to remove gum:
Freeze the chewing gum with ice cubes, then you should be able to peel it from the carpet quite easily.
How to avoid gum stains:
Try and keep an eye on people dropping rubbish on the floor, rather than in the bin as they should do.
Red Wine
The classic and dreaded stain: red wine. Being a dark liquid, the surface area of the stain can be rather large and difficult to remove on a light coloured carpet.
How to remove red wine stains:
As soon as the stain occurs, use a sponge to dab the area with cool water to extract out as much of the wine as possible. Please note: do not use white wine to try and remove the stain as it won’t actually do anything (better to save it to drink instead!)
How to avoid red wine stains:
Don’t carry red wine into rooms where there is carpet. Stick to rooms with hardflooring where spillages can easily be wiped up.
Coffee
Coffee is a popular drink for many, especially those workers desperate to wake up in the mornings, but if spilt on carpet it can smell and stain quite badly.
How to remove coffee stains:
Use baby wipes to blot the area, then mix a solution of washing up liquid, white vinegar and warm water, and dab it into the stain using a sponge.
How to avoid coffee stains:
Do not fill your mug right the way to the top and be careful. Alternatively, only allow drinks with no lids in rooms where there is hardflooring.
Ink
Whether from a ballpoint pen or an actual ink cartridge, ink spillages – although not the most common – can still happen. If they are trodden into the carpet and walked around the house or workplace, it can be even harder to remove.
How to remove ink stains:
Using a cotton wool pad, blot alcohol on the ink stain. If this doesn’t lift the stain, try using nail varnish remover instead.
How to avoid ink stains:
Make sure pens are not left lying around and are placed upright in a pen pot instead.
Blood
Unexpected injury or simple nosebleeds can happen when least expected. If blood gets onto carpet, it can be stubborn to remove. If not cleaned straight away, the blood will dry up and be even harder to shift.
How to remove blood stains:
If the blood has dried, brush over it with a steel brush and then use cold water and a mild detergent to remove the stain. If the blood is still wet, simply skip the steel brush stage and clean with cold water and a detergent.
How to avoid blood stains:
There is no real way you can avoid this from happening, unfortunately. The best thing to do is to be prepared for it happening and be ready to act fast when it does.
Mud
Having mud trampled through your home is not a pretty sight, nor is it easy to clean off your carpets.
How to remove mud stains:
Let the blood dry then vacuum up the loose dirt. Use a cloth, warm water and detergent to clear any remaining mud stains.
How to avoid mud stains:
Encourage all visitors to wipe their feet on the doormat, or better yet, take their shoes off before coming into the house.
To find out about Scott & Sons professional cleaning contracts, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
