Carpet Cleaning Tips

Equip yourself with a spray bottle and some white cloths. Here’s some handy carpet-saving cleaning tips:

1. Technique. Blot stains, don’t rub them. Apply cleaning solution with a clean cloth, paper towels, or a sponge and apply light pressure on the stain to soak it up. Rubbing grinds particles into the carpet fibres and can prematurely break them down. Always blot from the outside of the stain inward, to contain the spread of the stain.

2. General stains. Just about every stain can be removed with ordinary shaving cream. Apply the shaving cream directly to the stain and let it set for about 30 minutes. Once the shaving cream has set, blot it away with a dry white cloth. Finish by spraying the area with one part vinegar mixed with one part water and then wipe away the solution with a cloth.

3. Wine and beer stains. Sparkling mineral water (i.e. carbonated water) is effective against both.

4. Grease stains. Add a couple of drops of grease-cutting dishwashing detergent to a cup of water and pour into a spray bottle. Spray on the stain, then blot. Larger or deeper stains may need a few applications.

5 Dried Wax. Scrape off the wax with a knife. Lay a paper towel over the surface area and iron on the paper. The wax will melt and bind to the paper and will be gone after a few more applications. Don’t use the iron for more than 30 seconds or you risk burning the carpet.

6. Blood stains. Loosen up dried blood with water mixed with a mild detergent. Then scrape off as much blood from the fibres as you can. Remove the remainder by applying hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain. The solution will foam upon contact with the blood. Finally, dab the hydrogen peroxide with towels in order to dry the carpet.

7. Ingrained Gum. Grab a couple of ice cubes from the freezer and apply to the gum for about 30 seconds. The gum will freeze solid. Prise up the resultant glob with a spoon and snip the strands of carpet as close to the gum as possible. If you cut only a small amount of carpet, the spot shouldn’t be obvious.
If you’re looking for a full, professional clean and you’re local, we do carpet cleaning in Swindon. Call us for a quote.