Carpet Stain Removal Guide
Stain in the carpet? Don't panic. Here are some tips.
So say you’re renting a home and then it happens. The sippy cup of grape juice explodes. Your husband tracks in mud. Your wife’s hosting a dinner party and drops the plate of bruschetta. Or even just plain and simple, you accidentally stain the carpet. Especially when you’re in a rental home, this can be frightening since a safety deposit is at stake. But, I try to tell all of my tenants in my Blue Springs homes for rent to not panic, and we’ll find a solution.
Removing Stains from Carpet
If you’re looking for a few things to try on removing a stain, here are a few suggestions. I’m sure there are plenty other ideas out there, and what I’d say as a landlord is to be careful with what you try. (See Real Simple’s Carpet Stain Solutions, or the Stain Removal Guide from This Old House.) But, when you go for it, always try a tiny spot first to make sure the solution is working (and not making the stain worse.) And always blot – don’t rub. Be careful with what you try – sure you can bleach out a blood stain on the carpet, but the you leave a nice bleached area, which isn’t good either.
Here is some trusted advice, much of it from the Better Homes and Gardens ‘Making A Home.‘ Check out the book for a full guide on how to clean, fix, decorate and more.
Removing Rust Stains
If your rust stain is fresh (and not old and dry), you can try to remove the stain by creating a solution of 1 cup white vinegar to 2 cups water. If the stain is dry, it will need to be professionally cleaned and treated. We know Midwest Vacuums professional carpet cleaning does a good job.
Wine and Juice Stains
It happens to everyone at some point, so don’t panic. But act fast. Put some club soda in a spray bottle and spray over the spilled liquid. Blot. Repeat, and then blot again. Do this until all of the juice is soaked up.
Blood Stains
If you have a blood stain on the carpet, you must treat it immediately. Use club soda or cold water, spray over the stain, and blot (don’t rub) with a cloth. Repeat.
Tomato Stains on the Carpet
Create a detergent stain-removal formula yourself by mixing 1 teaspoon of a liquid dish detergent into a quart of warm water, and add 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar. Spray this over the tomato stain, and let it sit at least 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
Soft Drink Stains
Use the detergent solution recommended above (with tomato stains). If the stain is still there, make a vinegar solution (1 cup white vinegar to 2 cups water), sponge and blot.
Dirt Stain Removal
If you’re removing dirt from the carpet, make sure it’s dry first. It’s tempting to wipe it up right away, but this will only make it worse. One dry, try to scrape the dirt out of the carpet fibers. Then, vacuum. If the stain still remains, use te detergent solution (1 t. dish soap with a quart of warm water, and 1/4 t. white vinegar.)
Those are just a few helpful hips. You can also always try some of the carpet cleaning sprays, such as Resolve, but always make sure to test the spot first.
See the ‘Making A Home’ book for more info on removing grease and oil, coffee, butter, gum, paint and tar. Because of our no-pet policy, our tenants avoid dealing with pet stains.And if you ever have any questions about carpet stains or renting a house in the Kansas City area, give us a call!