Article taken from thisoldhouse.com
Special Water-Soluble Stains
blood
chocolate
coffee
mustard
tea
vomit
wine
Try 1 tablespoon of ammonia mixed with 1 cup of water (but not on wool or wool-blend carpet; instead use mild detergent and water). If that doesn’t work, you can try one part chlorine bleach to five parts water, but only on solution-dyed carpets, such as polypropylene. Bleach will harm other types of carpets; check with the manufacturer if you are unsure what type of carpet you have.
Here’s the process:
1) Remove any solid matter first.
If there is food, mud, dirt, ect. be sure to remove it before you treat the stain. If it is a dry substance you can vacuum it, otherwise use something to scrape it up and dispose of it.
2) Blot the stain, do not scrub.
With a white cloth (to prevent the possible bleeding of colors,) blot the stain by pressing the cloth onto the area to remove as much liquid as possible. Do not scrub! Scrubbing can permanently damage the carpet fibers. It can also cause the stain to soak deeper into the carpet, even down to the carpet padding, making it much harder to remove.
3) Treat with a mild detergent.
At this point, you can apply a mild carpet cleaning product, like the ones mentioned above. *You may have to repeat steps 2 and 3 a few times if you have a really stubborn stain.
4) Dry
After you treat the stain, extract as much water as possible. The best way to extract water is by using a hand-held carpet cleaning tool, or a wet-dry vac. If you don’t have one either of those, you can blot with a dry towel. (Try placing a dry towel down on the area and weighing it down with a heavy object, replacing the towel when it feels wet.
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If you have any questions, feel free to call our office. (731) 587-3346. Or email us at rob@miracle-carpet.com Have a wonderful day!
