How can you remove stains from carpet and furniture?
No matter how careful you are, there will always be the odd bump or knock that makes you spill your coffee or red wine. With clothes it is easy – just toss them in the washing machine – but with carpet or a piece of furniture, the washing machine is not an option. What is the best course of action in this situation?
If an accident happens, the most important thing is to stay calm. Crying will not help, neither will yelling at whoever was responsible. Even if it was a white rug or piece of furniture and cost an outrageous amount. Maario, the cleaning expert of TP Kinnisvarahooldus, has some more effective tips for you.
Dilute the stain with water
The first impulse of all of us in this situation would be to grab a heavy-duty cleaning product. It seems like the logical thing to do, because these products are designed to remove stains, right!? In reality, the best solution is clean water. Water helps to dilute the highly pigmented substance. If you have sparkling water at hand, use it – it is more effective because the carbonation will bring the stain to the surface.
Follow these steps to remove stains:
- Pat the coffee or wine stain as dry as possible using a paper towel or absorbent towel.
- Do not rub or scrub the stain, just pat it or apply some pressure to the towel to squeeze out excess moisture.
- If the stain is as dry as possible, dilute it with clean (sparkling) water. Liberally pour water on the stain and then dry it as best as you can.
- Repeat until the stain is completely removed or the area is as clean as possible.
Even though you may be tempted to use various detergents (adding a little bit of dish soap is often recommended online), it will only make the situation worse. Why? It is virtually impossible to remove the detergent from the carpet or upholstery fabric – you will never be able to rinse the carpet or fabric enough to get it out, especially dish soap. If you leave the detergent in the fabric, it will become sticky and attract dust and dirt.
When water is not enough
The success of rinsing the stain with water depends on the colour and structure of the textile. If you are dealing with a colourful surface, cleaning can yield good results in no time. Even if you cannot remove the stain completely, it will not be visible. However, if the stain is on a white carpet or white piece of furniture, a visible stain is not acceptable.
For this next step, you can call professional cleaners who have all the necessary equipment to help you, or you can try to do it yourself first.
You will need a carpet and upholstery cleaner or a spray extraction machine that sprays water deep into the fibres and then sucks it back up into the recovery tank. If you do not have such a machine (e.g. Kärcher), you can borrow it from a friend who has one or rent it. Just Google ‘carpet and upholstery cleaner rental’ and you will find many service providers. The rental prices are also reasonable.
You can use a special detergent in the carpet and upholstery cleaner that will effectively help you remove the stain and that the machine can wash out and suck back up. Therefore, the chances that you will get your carpet or furniture clean again are high.
Prevention is key!
If dealing with all of the above seems cumbersome, it is best to be proactive. There are several nanotechnology-based surface protection products available on the market. These innovations are not only beneficial for clumsy people, but also those who have light-coloured upholstery. We will simply coat all strategic surfaces in your home or office with nanotechnology surface protection and you will no longer have to worry about stains, even when accidents happen.