No matter how vigilant you and those in your household are with cleaning your carpets, they will inevitably fall prey to accidents, spills and dirt, debris or anything else that finds its way onto the soles of your shoes.
What’s more, when these do occur, you try your best to fix them, but often it’s to no avail and sometimes you can even end up making the stains or marks much worse. Don’t worry, we are here to help.
10 Carpet Cleaning Secrets from the Pros
We’ve covered topics like finding the best handheld carpet cleaner, finding a vacuum for pet hair and provide you with DIY tricks on carpet cleaning.
For this post, though, we are going to focus on what the professionals do when faced with the issues outlined above. If you’ve ever had your carpets cleaned professionally, you’ll know they seem to be able to get rid of just about anything. What’s their secret? Let’s find out.
1. Regularly Deep Clean Those Carpets
How often do you normally have your carpets deep cleaned? Maybe we should rephrase that question and ask if you’ve ever had them deep cleaned? You’re not alone.
Most people only deep clean their carpets only when they really need to. According to experts though, you should aim to give them a deep clean, using a steam cleaner, at least every 6 months if you’re an average sized family of four.
2. We Want Candy – Off Our Carpets
Any family with kids will know what a problem candy on carpets can be. Experts have a relatively simple process for removing candy from carpets though. You start by trying to scrape it off with a butter knife or spotter brush.
Afterward, take a sponge and apply a mild soapy water mixture. The most important thing is getting the sugar out of the carpet. Dry the area gently, once it’s clean, using towels or a cloth.
3. Use Organic Cleaners for Pet Accidents
Any household with pets will suffer from the odd accident on their carpets. Many experts prefer to use more organic cleaning solutions rather than chemicals.
Spray directly at the stain and then wipe the cleaning solution with towels or a cloth. It may take quite a bit of elbow grease, but you’ll get that carpet looking as good as new!
4. Invest in Hydrogen Peroxide for those Bloodstains
There is nothing quite as obvious as bloodstains on a carpet. However, cutting yourself while shaving or on razor-sharp paper does not mean your carpet is ruined. Not if you invest in Hydrogen Peroxide.
For the best results, mix water with a mild soap or detergent to loosen the dried blood up as much as possible. Scrape at it and remove as much as you can. Then use hydrogen peroxide on the stain to remove the remainders. As soon as it meets the blood it will foam up. You just need to dab at it with towels to dry it off.
5. To Remove Wax, Warm It Up
As nicely fragranced as many of them are, burning candles can mean you have sticky, dried wax on that beautiful shag. The best way to remove it, according to the experts, is to heat it up. Put a soft cloth over the waxy area and then use an iron to warm it up. You will be able to use a butter knife to scrape it off.
Then place a paper towel over the remaining wax and iron. The wax while melting sticks to the paper and when you remove the paper, the wax will come with it. Always use white towels and paper because colored items can transfer their pigments when heated.
6. Use Dishwasher Detergent for Grease
One of the best ways to remove those hideous and stubborn grease stains is to use dishwasher detergent with grease-cutting properties. Gently use a cloth to dab the stain and you’ll see it start to work its magic.
7. Grab Some Ice Cubes To Get Rid Of Gum
Whether one of your kids drops it on your carpet or it unsuspectedly comes off your shoe onto your carpet, chewing gum is a pain to remove. Well, it used to be.
Take some ice cubes and use them to freeze dry the gum. It should take around 30 seconds and then when it is solid, take a spoon and lift it up, cutting stands of gum, as far down as possible.
8. Use Shaving Cream
Surprisingly, one of the best stain-removers for carpets is shaving cream. Just apply it directly to a stain and allow it 30-minutes to absorb and set in place.
Then use a dry white cloth to work at the stain. Then you can finish by spraying the carpet with a mixture consisting of one part water and one part vinegar and wiping away with another cloth.
9. Combat Wine and Beer with Club Soda
Club Soda is one of the best remedies for wine and beer stains when used correctly. Soak a cloth in the soda and then blot over the stained area.
If you find that doesn’t work, you should try spraying one-part water, one part white vinegar, allowing it to absorb for between 10 and 15-minutes. Then using a clean sponge to clear it up.
10. Blot, But Never Rub
You may have noticed we’ve spoken about blotting rather than rubbing. Blotting is more effective because it only puts a little bit of pressure on stains, whereas rubbing pushes the particles into the carpet fibers further.
