If you have a carpet at home that’s almost always in use, chances are, you may have already dropped or spilled stuff that stains and create a few messes. The instructions on removing these stains and clutter don’t really come with the carpet you bought, so it’s no surprise if you don’t know much about them.
Worry not, for we have the perfect guide for you. Below are the tips on removing just about anything from your carpet—from slime to oil stains—this guide will surely help you.
Removing Slime
If you or any family member loves slime, you’re bound to create a few messes with it. Slime makes a wreck out of your carpet fibers. But don’t fret, as slime is mainly made up of glue, and glue is mostly washable. Using plain old white vinegar can get the slimy substance out of your carpet, though it might take some patience and elbow grease.
Scrubbing the Paint Away
If you accidentally dropped a paintbrush on your carpet and stained it, don’t immediately replace it. Try pouring some denatured alcohol on a rag and scrub the paint away. However, it would be best to use a rag that’s almost the same color as your carpet since the alcohol can transfer some shade of the rag to the carpet.
Cleaning Up Pet Messes
Purchase a handheld extractor to suck the liquids from your carpet. It works better than attempting to absorb the mess using rags or paper towels. An extractor is made to clean up messes such as this, and unlike a shop vacuum, it’s pretty easy to clean.
Scraping Solids
Sink the edge of your putty knife at the edge of the mess on your carpet, then propel it forward to scrape up the solid waste and place it into the dustpan.
Removing Chewing Gum
One of the most horrible things to be stuck on a carpet is chewing gum. To remove it, you can simply place ice onto the gum for about 5-10 minutes. It will then harden and loosen the chewing gum’s grip on the carpet’s fibers, enabling you to scrape it off.
Getting Wine and Pasta Stains Out
The single, most essential part of removing carpet stains is getting as much of the solids and liquid out of the carpet as fast as possible. But scooping and blotting can push the stain deeper into the carpet pad and backing. So instead, when studying how to remove tomato sauce and wine stains, you can reach for the wet/dry vacuum and proceed to vacuum up the spills.
Getting the Wax Off
The candle wax that accidentally dripped on a carpet might seem like a hopeless mess, but with a hot iron and some tricks of the trade, you can get it out of your carpet.
Removing Pine Needles
You can sweep pine needles away, but there are still some that get left behind. So, to remove the remaining needles, you can rollover them with a large lint roller. You can also try wrapping duct tape around your hand with its sticky part facing out. It may take a lot of time and duct tape, but it’s easier than picking the needles up one by one.
If there are any remaining needles stuck onto the carpet with sap, the perfect solution to get it up is by using baking soda. Sprinkle it on and wait for 10 minutes before you pick up the sticky needles.
Getting Rid of Coffee Stains
To remove coffee stains, you have to blot it with a clean white cloth (as the dyed fabric can transfer its color to your carpet) and work it from the outside in. You aim to move your carpet’s fibers, spread the cleaner a little bit, and soak the stain up. Avoid aggressive scrubbing, stomping, and blotting on the blotter. That only pushes the stain deeper into the carpet. After blotting, utilize your wet/dry vacuum to extract as much cleaning solution as you can.
Re-stretching Carpet Wrinkles
You can try renting special carpet stretching tools to re-stretch your wrinkled or loose carpet easily and quickly.
Extracting Oil Stains
Out stains can be arduous to take out of the carpet as they spread and stick to the fibers. The best way to remove oil is to apply a thick coat of baking soda around the area where you can see the stain and leave it there until a dry crust forms at the sides. Then, use a vacuum to absorb the residue. The stain will hopefully become lighter or just gone altogether. However, you may have to do this process a couple more times to get the stain completely out of your carpet.
Taking Out Hard to Remove Carpet Stains
Try spraying carpet cleaner onto the stain and use a spoon to scrub it into your carpet. Pat it dry using a clean white towel and let your carpet air-dry (it will look slightly darker until it’s completely dry). Dark stains and light-colored carpets may need several scrubbings.