Introduction
Disaster has struck and your beautiful carpet has been soiled by spilt food and drink or maybe by a pet relieving itself. But before you go out and buy some harsh chemicals to clean your carpet, you may be surprised to find that with some common household products that you may have lying around in your cupboards, you could remove those stubborn stains in an environmentally-friendly way. This guide aims to show you the common household products that are effective carpet stain removers and the common household carpet stains that occur and pair the stain with the remover for effective treatment.
Common Household Stain Removers
• White Vinegar: White vinegar is a triple threat as it is not just a stain remover, but also a natural disinfectant and deodoriser too.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda can absorb liquid stains, such as oil and grease. It can also be sprinkled on your carpet at regular intervals and left for 15 minutes before vacuuming up for a deeper clean that removes odours.
• Washing Up Liquid: Harsh enough to lift stains, but gentle enough to not discolour fibres or harm pets, washing up liquid is a great go to stain remover that everyone has at home.
• Club Soda: An unusual choice, but the carbonation of club soda can help lift stains out of the carpet fibres.
• Cornstarch: Similar to baking soda, this powder can absorb liquid stains and then be removed by blotting or vacuuming.
• Ice Cubes: Ice cubes can help cool and harden gum or wax that may be caught in your carpet’s fibres.
• Shaving Cream: Believe it or not, shaving cream is great for lifting oil and grease stains out of carpets.
• WD-40: WD-40 is a good backup for removing gum and wax if ice cubes are not working for you.
Common Household Carpet Stains and Matching Remover
• Tea and Coffee: Everyone loves tea and coffee, but nobody likes a tea or coffee stain. If you do spill one or both of these liquids on your carpet, then reach for your white vinegar. Mix the white vinegar with equal parts water and apply to the affected area. Leave it for a few minutes then blot the stain. Rinse clean with water, then blot the carpet dry. Job done!
• Pet Pee: Your beloved cat or dog has had a bladder accident, what do you do? Start by blotting the excess urine. Then mix a solution of two parts white vinegar and one part water and use it to blot the affected area. Remember to leave it a few minutes to allow the solution to work. Next mix a solution of half a cup of water and quarter of a cup of baking soda and blot the affected the area. Again, remember to leave the solution for a few minutes for maximum effect. The white vinegar should lift the stain and the baking soda should neutralise the odour. Rinse and blot dry.
• Wine and Beer: Once again, most people love drinking wine and beer, but hate wine and beer stains. If your drink does take a tumble, then act quickly and reach for the club soda. Pour the club soda on the affected area and let it fizz for a few minutes. Then blot the affected area. Once the stain is removed, rinse with water and blot dry.
• Grease and Oil: If your grease and/or oil stain has a lot of liquid, then reach for either baking soda or cornstarch. Both of these powders can help absorb the excess oil and grease. Out of the two, baking soda is better as it also has a deodorising effect. You can then vacuum the stain or blot it out of your carpet fibres. If the grease and/or oil stain is stubborn, then reach for some shaving cream. Apply a small amount of shaving cream onto the stain, then leave it for a few minutes. Blot the affected area, then use a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar to clean the affected area. Rinse and blot dry and your carpet should be good as new again.
• Gum and Wax: Gum and wax can be tricky to remove from carpet fibres. Your first port of call should be to reach for some ice cubes and place them in a plastic bag. Place the plastic bag onto the wax and gum, this should cool it and hopefully harden it. Once hardened, you can scrape of the wax and/or gum with a blunt knife. If this does not work effectively, then reach for some WD-40. Spray a little bit on the wax and/or gum and let it sit for a few minutes. Again, use your blunt knife to scrape off the wax and/or gum. You can then rinse and blot dry the affected area.
• Chocolate: Everyone’s favourite treat, but if you spill some on your carpet then reach for your washing up liquid. Mix one teaspoon of washing up liquid with one cup of water. Blot the stain, then rinse with water and blot dry. If there is any remaining stain, then mix a paste of equal parts water and baking soda. Apply the paste to the stain, let it dry fully, then vacuum it off. This will also help remove any lingering odours too.
Conclusion
So there you have it, if disaster strikes and you stain your lovely carpet with the help of this guide you can try tackling the stain with some common products that you might have at home. If these home remedies do not work for you, then consider buying proper carpet cleaning products to help you remove the stain. If in doubt, you could always consult a professional carpet cleaner and get them to remove the stain for you. If you are tackling the stain yourself, then remember the golden rule of carpet stain removal: blot. Never rub the stain, instead blot (dab) it starting from the outside edge of the stain and working towards the middle of the stain to stop it from spreading. It is always a good idea to test any homemade solutions on an inconspicuous part of your carpet to check for discolouration before using it on a more obvious part of your carpet. Armed with this guide, you should be able to tackle a variety of common carpet stains with effective and environmentally-friendly homemade carpet cleaning solutions.
