If you have a carpet mess that isn’t quite bad enough to warrant calling in carpet cleaning services, there are a few carpet cleaning trade secrets to help you get by until your next professional job.
Knowing how to remove a carpet stain is a great way to save yourself time and money between professional cleanings. If you spill a liquid on your carpet, don’t try to pull it up with a normal vacuum; it will only burn out your vacuum motor, leaving you with even more problems. Use a wet vacuum or wet the area with water and leech the spill up with a paper towel.
Once most of the material of the spill is gone, you can put a spotting solution down and gently press it into the spill using a spoon. After the spotting solution has done its work, you can pull up the liquid with your whet vacuum or paper towel.
When it comes to stains caused by pets, carpet cleaning solutions are a little different. Instead of just pouring your cleaning solution on the stain, pour it a few inches around it as well. This will allow the solution to get to the carpet padding as well and eliminate any odors that would otherwise be trapped there.
Use a brush instead of a spoon to blend in the solution, but don’t scrub. Digging too hard in your carpet fibers can damage them. Try to be thorough but gentle. Use a clean white rag to absorb the remaining liquids. You can stand on the rag to increase the amount you soak up.
Don’t chase carpet cleaning trade secrets that seem too good to be true, or that haven’t been substantiated by an actual carpet cleaner. Don’t use household materials like nail polish or paint thinner to remove stains, use cleaning products that were designed for your carpet.
Of course, one of the most basic carpet cleaning trade secrets for removing a stain successfully is to treat it as quickly as possible. Don’t let it sit! It will only get harder to clean. If you still can’t solve the problem, call a professional.
