Stain Removal Tips

Removing stains from carpet can be simple or tedious depending upon the stain and how long it has been on the carpet. Sometimes it’s necessary to repeat the stain removal process several times to complete remove the stain. Never use a circular motion to remove a spot as this destroys the carpet fibers and can actual set the stain into the carpet. To prevent wick up, the final step should always be to rinse with clear water, blot dry and put a thickness of several white paper towels over the damp area. Put a heavy object like a book on the pad of towels to keep the pad in contact with the carpet. This allows any stain wicking up from the backing to go into the towels rather than remain on the carpet surface. Allow to dry, remove the book and towels and vacuum.

Be certain to try, on an inconspicuous area of your carpet, any solutions you plan to use as it may affect color or texture. Do not use if color in the test area marks off on a white paper towel.

And remember, when all else fails, give us a call at (623) 412-0155!

Pet Spots

1. Scoop or blot up as much of the animal waste as possible.
2. Apply the spot cleaner to the stain and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. Blot the stain using a white cotton towel, don’t rub or scrub. Scrubbing can damage the carpet fibers and actually set the stain.
4. Use hot water to rinse and blot.  You can also use hot water in a portable carpet cleaner* if you have one.  Do not put any cleaning solutions directly in the carpet cleaner!
5. If there is an odor, use an enzyme product from a pet supply store.
6. Allow the carpet to dry.  If you can still see the stain, mist it lightly with hydrogen peroxide and cover it with plastic wrap.  Place a heavy object like a book over the plastic wrap and wait for it to dry.
7. Once the carpet has dried, vacuum to restore the texture.
8. If after all of this you can still see the stain, repeat the process.  It means the stain has penetrated deep into the carpet and has wicked up to the surface.

General Spills

1. Scoop or blot up as much of the spill as possible.
2. Apply the spot cleaner to the stain and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. Blot the stain using a white cotton towel, don’t rub or scrub. Scrubbing can damage the carpet fibers and actually set the stain.
4. Use hot water to rinse and blot. You can also use hot water in a portable carpet cleaner* if you have one.
5. Allow the carpet to dry. If you can still see the stain, mist it lightly with hydrogen peroxide and cover it with plastic wrap. Place a heavy object like a book over the plastic wrap and wait for it to dry.
6. Once the carpet has dried, vacuum to restore the texture.
7. If after all of this you can still see the stain, repeat the process. It means the stain has penetrated deep into the carpet and has wicked up to the surface.

*CAUTION:

If you do have a portable carpet cleaning system, do not put anything other than hottest water possible in the machine. Use a spray bottle to mix cleaning products following the product directions. Use the machine only to rinse and extract. .

Dried Wax

1. Place a brown paper bag over the wax. Apply heat to the paper bag for 10-15 seconds using an iron on medium heat.
2. The wax will warm up and transfer to the paper back. Repeat the process using a clean portion of the paper bag until all wax is removed from the carpet.
3. If color from the wax remains in the carpet, mist it lightly with hydrogen peroxide and cover it with plastic wrap. Place a heavy object like a book over the plastic wrap and wait for it to dry.
4. Once the carpet has dried, vacuum to restore the texture.
5. If after all of this you can still see the color from the wax, give us a call at (623) 412-0155.

Tile and Grout

There are several cleaning products that you should never use on your tile and grout:

• Sponge mops
• Swifter spray jets
• Soap based products such as Pine-Sol, Simple Green and Mr. Clean to name just a few.

Instead, use a flat mop or string mop and a neutral floor cleaner. Home Depot carries a neutral floor cleaner by Zep that we recommend.