Common Carpet Stains & Tips On How To Remove Them

No matter how careful you are, sooner or later you’re going to stain your carpet. Whether you spill a nice glass of chardonnay, or your dog has an accident, spills are inevitable. But they don’t have to become permanent stains.

Some stains are tougher than others, but you can clean anything with the right techniques from your friends at Classic Flooring Center.

Red Wine Stains

A red wine stain doesn’t need to be the end of your carpet’s life. To clean a red wide stain, you only need two ingredients: tonic water and vinegar. Wetting the spill with tonic water will break it up before it has time to set, thanks to the bubbles. But be careful not to drench the carpet too much.

Dab the tonic water and wine with a towel until the carpet it dry, then spray the spot with mixture of vinegar and water. Then blot the area with a clean towel. If this doesn’t completely remove the wine stain, sprinkle baking soda on the spot and let it sit for an hour.

Pet Accidents

Whatever you do, don’t scrub your carpets after a pet accident. This will only spread the mess around, pushing it deeper into the fibers and causing long-term damage to your carpet. If the accident is solid, scoop up as much as you can with a paper towel. Next, spray the area with a mixture of soap and water.

Once you’ve let the soapy water sit for a moment, blot it dry with a clean towel. Then spray the spot with a mixture of vinegar and water. Allow it to sit, then blot it dry again. This should fully remove the stain.

If a smell persists after cleanup is done, sprinkle some baking soda on the spot and leave it until the smell dissipates.

Blood Stains

Accidents happen, but they don’t have to damage your carpet. If you end up with blood on your carpet, be sure to use cold water, not hot. Hot water will make the stain set in further.

Once you’ve wet the area, coat the stain in a mixture of cold water and dish detergent. Completely cover the stain with this solution, then dab it dry. You may need to repeat this process several times to fully remove the stain.

Coffee Stains

Coffee spills leave particularly bad stains, and if you aren’t quick your carpet will have a permanent yellow mark. Soak up as much of the spill as possible using paper towels or napkins, but don’t scrub or you’ll just spread the stain.

A simple water-vinegar mixture can do wonders. Just spray it on the stain and let it sit for a moment before dabbing it up. If that doesn’t give immediate results, try a non-bleach detergent.

If there’s still any discoloration or smell after repeating this process, sprinkle baking soda on the spot and leave it overnight.

Consult Your Manufacturer’s Guide

If you have any trouble stains that you can’t get out, check your manufacturer’s guide for approved heavy-duty cleaners.