Spills, splatters and grubby feet can leave your carpets looking stained and dirty, especially when there are children and pets running around.
You need to know what causes the most stubborn carpet stains and how to remove them.
When a spill occurs, you have three options. Try a DIY stain removal technique (which may or may not work depending on the time that’s elapsed since the spill), contract the services of professional cleaners, or remove the soiled carpet and install another.
Here are six of the hardest stains to remove from carpet and how to remove them.
1. Coffee or tea
Our favourite hot drinks contain compounds called tannins. They give coffee and tea their dark colour and distinctive flavours. Tannins are water-soluble and can’t be removed by rinsing, even when the spill is fresh.
How do you remove coffee or tea from carpet? As quickly as possible, and by applying one of the following treatments:
- baking soda and water combined into a paste
- equal parts dishwashing liquid and water
- diluted white wine vinegar
- beer.
Why beer? The alcohol in beer acts as a solvent. It dissolves the beverage and lifts the stain. You’ll need to follow up by thoroughly rinsing the carpet. Leave it to air dry, or the room will smell like a brewery.
2. Nail polish
If you’ve got teenage girls, the odds are they are heavily invested in their nails. This can mean brightly coloured splotches and stripes on upholstery and carpet.
When tackling a stain, the best solution is to blot up as much polish as possible. Dab affected areas with acetone-free nail polish remover. Alternatively, surgical spirits, a solution of white vinegar and water, or a dash of hairspray can be effective.
As with all stubborn carpet stains, speed is essential.
When nail polish has set, only an experienced carpet cleaning team with specialised equipment and detergents can tackle the problem. Even then, there’s no guarantee of success.
3. Motor oil
Car oil can easily be carried onto carpets underfoot. It’s naturally viscous, and easily seeps deep into carpet fibres. Dry oil solidifies and attracts more dirt, dust and grime.
As oil is water-repellent, store-bought stain removers don’t work because they’re predominantly water-based.
What is required is a surfactant like dishwashing liquid. It can change the structure of oil and make is easier to mop up with a cloth or sponge.
If a stain persists, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda or corn flour directly onto the oily mess. Leave it to sit for about 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Blood
Blood contains proteins called haemoglobin. When exposed to air, haemoglobin solidifies and hardens into clots that get trapped in carpet fibres.
When a blood spill is fresh, a quick blot and rinse with cold water typically lifts the stain. It’s important to apply cold, not hot or warm, water. Why? Heat can cause the haemoglobin to coagulate and form clots.
The longer spilled blood is left unattended, the more firmly it binds to carpet fibres. Cold water alone won’t clean it. Follow with a thin layer of corn flour, and leave for 24 hours.
5. Mustard or tomato sauce
Sauces like mustard and tomato sauce can leave tough and unsightly stains on carpet. The reason? Both contain coloured pigments that are easily absorbed by porous materials.
The yellow mustard colour comes from a natural dye made from turmeric. Tomato sauce contains lycopene, a bright red pigment that looks appetising on a hot dog, but not so much on your wool carpet.
What’s the best way to remove saucy stains?
Once the excess sauce has been lifted with a knife or spatula, apply a paste made from dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide.
If that doesn’t work, try a combination of ammonia and water, or white vinegar and water, followed by a generous layer of baking soda.
6. Ink
Ink spills are not too common, but pens and printer cartridges do sometimes leak.
When you catch a spill in time, you may get away with a few blots of surgical spirits followed by a quick rinse. If the ink has dried, a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide could work.
That said, too much hydrogen peroxide can bleach the fibres and ruin a carpet for good. The better option is to call in professionals – and hope for the best.
