Tips for Cleaning Spots and Spills on a Carpet
Published on Saturday, 18 August 2012
Two of the most common problems with carpets people encounter are spots and spills. It happens even to those who are extremely careful. Moreover, it's hard to control everyone who steps or walks around the carpet - children, pets, guests, etc. Accidents happen often and some spills can totally ruin a carpet. Every carpet owner wants a clean and spotless carpet which requires little care. This is not usually the case, though. It is necessary to know how to deal with some common spots and spills. Learning how to deal with those issues can be quite handy and will help you maintain the cleanliness of the carpet which ensures its longer life. Here are a few easy tips which will help you deal with a few of the worst spots and spills.
The first rule in cleaning carpets is never to postpone dealing with the spill - the fresher it is, the easier it will be to remove it. If you wait for a while before you try cleaning it up, chances are it will be highly unlikely to manage - you might even end up creating a bigger spot by smudging the place. The ultimate rule is if you spill something to clean it straight away and you will spare yourself a further headache.
The most common method of cleaning up a carpet is by rubbing the spill, thus smudging the whole area around it. This is the wrong way and usually only makes the liquid go deep under the threads of the carpet. The spot will still be there after the place is dry though. The smartest method when it comes to spills is blotting. You should apply a cleaning solution over the spot and leave it for a moment. Use a white clean cloth and simply blot the stain to remove it. Moreover, when you spill too much liquid on the carpet, use a sponge first or a clean cloth - absorb the liquid and clean the whole area, before you apply any product. If you simply try to clear up the area as much as you can, you are on the right away. When you are blotting a spot, try doing it from the outside moving towards the middle. This prevents you from spreading the spill even further and creating a bigger smudge. When you finish removing the spill or the spot, rinse the area to avoid the cleaning product from staying on the carpet and damaging it over time. Keep in mind that different types of spills and spots require different treatment. For instance, mud is better left for a bit, until it gets tough, before removing it. Liquids such as red wine are quite tricky. One of the tried and tested methods is using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. When the red wine goes on a light-colored carpet, blot as much as you can, then spray the peroxide and sprinkle some baking soda on top. The area should be fully covered and left like that for a couple of minutes. After that, simply rinse the spot with water. If you are not sure how to clean a carpet properly - look for a solution online and use the right cleaning detergent. If everything else fails, hire a professional carpet cleaning service or give the carpet for vacuum cleaning. Either way, if the spill or spot is not that serious you can manage cleaning it up by following these simple tips. As long as you don't wait until you do it, it won't be that hard to manage.
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