Every household will handle food at some point, be it home cooked or takeout. It therefore goes without saying that the most common stain in every household is food. Spills occur nearly as frequently as people eat and if the household is a busy one it may be a little while before they get handled. A ‘set’ stain is hard (and infuriating) to remove!

Cleaning stubborn food stains from your carpet is however achievable. How you go about it will majorly depend on the type of food that caused the stain. If the food was oily then you might need some warm water, a piece of cloth and a little dishwashing liquid (it is formulated to break down grease and oil). Try and get as much food as you can off the carpet first before dabbing the spot with a piece of cloth soaked in warm or hot water and then apply dishwashing liquid.  Be careful here, some detergents will damage carpet.

With wine stains get a piece of white and wet absorbent cloth and place it over the stain. This will take in most of the wine but be sure not to rub it over the stain. Sprinkle some salt over it and it will absorb more of the wine. You can clean it with plain club soda if the stain is not completely gone.

Another liquid is urine from your dog or cat. The pet potty stains can turn your carpet yellow and leave an unpleasant smell in your house. Try white vinegar and baking soda. Pour on the vinegar first and then sprinkle some baking soda and let it sit for a few hours. You can cover the spot with a bowl or something so that you don’t spread the baking soda all over the place. Brush it off the next day and the spot should be clean. You can vacuum any remaining particles.

High traffic stains can be difficult to clean since they may have set really well. A cleaning solution may come in handy but be careful what you settle for. Some home remedies include vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia but that will depend on the quality of your carpet since some fibers can get ruined by these products.

Grease stains are rather icky but they have to be removed if only to lessen the visual trauma and return your carpet to its former glory. Make a mixture of warm water with a little dishwashing liquid and apply it on the stain. Let it stay a while then blot with a clean cloth. Absorb the excess water with some paper towels and that should do it.

If all the above fails and the stain is not gone, call Pure Dry to assist with our heavy duty equipment and specialized chemicals.  Some stains need professional care that homeowners just don’t have access to.