Ways To Make Your Carpet Behave
1) Spot-Cleaning - never use high pH cleaning chemicals. Almost all cleaning products do more harm than good. High alkaline products cause browning problems and bad results. On tougher stains try 50% alcohol with 50% of your cleaning product, mix them together, than use them sparingly. This lowers high pH levels –dries out moisture quicker and prevents residue, build-up or browning problems.
2) Always spray on products - never pour chemicals directly on carpet. These chemicals will end up in your carpets backing. Build-up there causes wicking, meaning they will come back at a later date as a return stain.
3) Never cover wet areas with towels or area rugs. This blocks the natural evaporation process, causing chemicals or residue to build-up, slowing down the drying process and may cause browning from excess moisture.
4) Remove old stains - with a mixture of 50% water and 50% alcohol, spray on old stain scrub area with a damp terry cloth. Speed up drying with a hair blow dryer, set temperature to medium heat, and dry area thoroughly.
5) Use white wine to remove red wine stains.
6) Tough stains:
A) Use a steam iron
B) Lay a wet hand towel over stain
C) Set iron on medium to high setting
D) Place iron on damp towel, push down on damp towel and push down on iron
Repeat this many times until steam is coming from towel and area of stained carpet is hot. Now clean area with spot cleaner and scrub with damp towel. Results are better because the heat helps loosen the stain for easy cleaning.
7) Wine, Coffee, Soda, Fruit Punch Spills - immediately absorb as much as possible with paper towels, then drench area with water, then extract water and stain with a shop vac. Flood the area with alcohol, extract stain – no more spill, let it dry.
