6 easy ways to get stains out of carpet
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It’s inevitable that at some point, you’re going to end up with a stain on your carpet. Whether as a result of a food or drink spill, or perhaps from a pet or child, carpet stains are inevitable. Knowing how to get stains out of carpet is an essential skill that will serve you well. We share 6 easy ways to get stains out of your carpet.
Cold Water
It seems natural to immediately run hot water over a stain that was just created, or get out the vacuum cleaner to clean it up. However, this is not a good idea, as the hot water helps the stain to set in, and will only make removing it harder.
On the other hand, cold water applied immediately to most stains will help to lessen their effects. Try soaking the stain in cold water for as long as you see it helping remove some of the color, up to several hours.
Cold water is also great to prepare the surface for other treatments, so this can be a great first step.
Club Soda
It’s a widely known idiom that club soda works great to take red wine out of fabric, but it works for more stains than just wine. Club soda is, in essence, nothing more than carbonated water. The carbonation is a natural aerator, which helps to pull the stain to the top of the material, making it easier to remove.
Don’t mistake club soda with tonic water. Tonic water has sugar in it, where club soda does not. The soda in tonic water will leave a sticky residue, which you don’t want. Stick to club soda for all different types of carpet stains.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another oxidizing agent, albeit much stronger than cold water or club soda. A blend of hydrogen and oxygen, the peroxide is great for stains ranging from grease all the way to blood.
Use hydrogen peroxide after first treating the stain with cold water or club soda. Don’t worry about the bubbling – this is just the active agents in the peroxide doing their work. Wait for the bubbling to stop before wiping it away.
Vinegar
Another household product that most people have around, vinegar works really well on a variety of stains. Vinegar is especially powerful at removing stains that might have already set in. If you find a stain under some furniture or behind a corner that has been set in for awhile, vinegar can work wonders to break it down.
Vinegar also helps to reduce any bad odors that might have developed from a stain, such as cat or dog feces.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is extremely acidic, and the enzymes in the lemon juice work wonderfully at cutting through stains. The ultimate in DIY organic cleaning, simply spray or drip lemon juice onto the stain and let it sit for a little bit before scrubbing it out.
Of all the products listed, lemon juice has the best scent of all of them. Enjoy the fresh smell that comes with using it!
Dishwasher Detergent
Specifically good at removing grease stains, dishwasher detergent is also surprisingly effective and getting stains out of fabric. Let it sit for a period of time before scrubbing it out with cold water.
Knowing how to easily get stains out of carpet will save you a lot of time and money in the long run, since we all end up with carpet stains no matter how hard we try.
