Quick And Easy Ways To Remove Carpet Stains

If you’ve lived in your home a while, you’ve probably stained your carpet once or twice. Sometimes you have to call in the professionals or maybe even replace the whole thing. That’s not very practical to do for every small, new stain and that’s where these easy cleaning solutions will save the day.

Tea/Coffee

Get coffee or tea stains out of carpet by making a mixture of 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Cover the stain with the mixture and let it sit a few seconds before carefully working the solution with your fingers. Rinse the stain with cold water, blot, and repeat until it is gone.

Juice/Wine

Club soda works well for removing red wine stains, just spritz it over the blemish, wipe with a microfiber cloth, and repeat the process until the stain disappears.

Dirt

You should let mud or dirt stains dry completely before treating them. Scrape off the residue as much as you can, vacuum, then apply a detergent solution. Blot the stain with a clean white cloth or paper towel after letting the solution sit for 10 minutes.

Gum

Remove as much gum as you can. Harden the remaining gum by placing a resealable sandwich bag filled with ice on it for a few minutes. Use a dull knife or spoon to chip away any remaining gum. Vacuum and clean the stain with a dry-solvent carpet cleaner, following the label instructions.

Blood

When cleaning blood stains on carpet, avoid using warm water, as this will encourage the stain to adhere. Instead, use a mixture of cold water or club soda and some liquid dish soap, soak the area then blot with a clean cloth.

Chocolate

If the chocolate is soft or melted, place ice cubes in a resealable plastic bag on top to harden the stain. Chocolate that is solid needs to be scraped away using a butter knife or fork. Vacuum up any loose pieces and flakes. Then, working from the outside of the stain toward the center, use the dish soap mixture we recommend for cleaning tea/coffee stains. Apply it to the area and soak for five minutes, then blot until the stain disappears.

Stains With Fat

Coat fatty stains with a layer of baking soda and let it sit for six hours. Blot with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol, then vacuum the blotted area. If you wish, you may also use a dry-solvent spot carpet cleaner.

Candle Wax

You can remove candle wax from carpets by rubbing an ice pack onto the wax until it hardens. After breaking up the wax, vacuum up the pieces. You can also apply a white cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol to the spot or treat it with a carpet cleaner based on the manufacturer’s instructions. Blot the area until it is dry.