Helpful cleaning tips from A+ Carpet Cleaning & Janitorial Services

While there are many myths on how to best remove day-to-day stains from your carpets, how quickly and effectively you act will determine your success! You will need some white absorbent cloth and the four basic solutions listed below. You should always make sure that your carpet is colorfast and safe to clean by testing all solutions in an inconspicuous area of you carpet before application.

Solutions

  • Dry Cleaning Solution: Rubbing Alcohol
  • Detergent Solution: 1 teaspoon of gentle detergent and a half pint of warm water
  • Detergent & Vinegar Solution: Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to the detergent solution
  • Ammonia Solution: 1 teaspoon of branded household ammonia to 1 cup of warm water

Tackle the spots as follows:

  • Alcohol, coffee, tea, liquid foods, and urine: Blot up surplus spillage using detergent and vinegar solution. Work from the outer edge of the spot inwards, using a little at a time, blotting up with dry cloths. See below for final rinse procedure.
  • Chocolate, sweets, blood, glue, ice cream, milk, soft drinks, and vomit: Scrape up excess with blunt knife. Use the detergent solution starting at the outer edge, blot dry. Follow up with ammonia solution, blot dry. See below for final rinse procedure.
  • Solids, fats, tars, chewing gum, oils, ointments, and shoe polish: Scrape up excess with a blunt knife, use dry cleaning solution followed by detergent & vinegar solution, blot dry. See below for final rinse procedure.
  • Unknown stains: Scrape up and blot surplus spillage. Use dry cleaning solution followed by clean, warm water, blot dry. If further treatment is needed, use detergent or detergent vinegar solution, blot dry. See below for final rinse procedure.

Final rinse procedure (This procedure is applicable to all of the above methods): Simply mix 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water, pour into spray bottle, and spray over stained area.  Blot area (do not rub), spread kitchen towel over area stacked 6-8 sheets deep and place a weight on top (i.e. a book). This will help the moisture soak into the towels. Leave overnight and repeat as necessary.

General tips

Remember to dab rather than rub, never over-wet, and although you might not completely remove the stain, the correct routine will give us the best chance of success when we are called!