Using a four basic solution listed below to get spills out of your carpet, you need to take prompt action to prevent staining.
Check that your carpet is colourfast and safe to clean by testing all solutions in an inconspicuous area before application.
- Dry cleaning Solution – surgical spirit.
- Detergent Solution – one teaspoonful of gentle detergent for washing woollens to 0.75 litres (a half pint) of warm water.
- Detergent & Vinegar Solution – add one tablespoon of white (not malt) vinegar to the Detergent solution.
- Ammonia Solution – one teaspoonful of branded household ammonia (available from hardware stores) to one cup of warm water.
TACKLE THE STAINS
Alcohol, Coffee, Tea, Liquid Foods and Urine
Blot up surplus spillage.
Use detergent vinegar solution.
Work from the outer edge of the stain inwards, using a little at a time, blotting up with dry cloths frequently.
See below for final rinse procedure.
Chocolate, Sweets, Blood, Glue, Ice Cream, Milk, Soft Drinks and Vomit
Scrape up excess with a blunt knife. Use a detergent solution starting at the outer edge.
Blot dry.
Follow up with ammonia solution. Blot dry.
See below for final rinse procedure.
Solids, Fats, Tar, Chewing Gum. Oil, Ointment and Shoe Polish
Scrape up excess with a blunt knife.
Use a dry cleaning solution followed by detergent and vinegar solution.
Blot dry.
See below for final rinse procedure.
Removing Candle Wax From Your Carpet
Firstly don’t panic. Your candle wax has just dripped onto your lovely carpet after you’ve gone to all the trouble creating this lovely ambience and calm atmosphere in your home to relax. Panic not, it is actually possible to remove it but only once its cold and has hardened.
What you will need:-
A blunt instrument like a spatula, some brown paper, an iron, white kitchen towel, surgical spirit or white spirit!
- You will need to break down the cold, hardened wax by using the blunt instrument (spatula) and then vacuum away the hardened pieces.
- Then using an oversized piece of brown paper, cover the wax. Using only the top front part of the iron which is about 30 mm and definitely NOT using the iron flat (as you could potentially go over the brown paper and melt the carpet fibres), have the iron only hot enough to just melt the wax. The trick then is to keep the iron and paper on the move at all times, gradually using the heat from the iron to melt the wax and by moving the brown paper, it will absorb the candle wax (grease).
- Once all the hardened wax has been removed, gently blot the area with a piece of white kitchen towel dipped in either surgical spirit or white spirit. This will remove any remaining grease residue to ensure that re-soiling doesn’t occur.
Unfortunately coloured wax can cause a lot more problems because the pigment or dye is released when it melts and therefore will stain the carpet fibres. So my suggestion to you in this situation would be to break up the wax with a blunt instrument and vacuum away but you’d then need to seek a professional cleaning company, as it will entail a more complex process, to try and remove the wax carefully so to lessen the staining as much as possible.
If in future you decide to use candles again in your home, it’s advisable to keep the wicks as short as possible, I know this affects the brightness of the candles but it will also help to limit the soot you get!
Unknown Stains
Scrape up or blot surplus spillage by using a dry cleaning solvent followed by clean, luke warm water.
Blot dry.
If further treatment is needed, use either detergent or detergent and vinegar solution.
Blot dry.
See below for final rinse procedure.
FINAL RINSE PROCEDURE
The rinse procedure is for all the above methods of stain removal.
Mix one part white vinegar and four parts water.
Put mixture into spray bottle and spay over the stained area.
Push down to blot dampened area (do not rub) to remove excess moisture.
Cover with white kitchen towel (6-8 sheets placed on top of each other) over the stained area and a put a heavy weight on top. This will help the moisture to soak into the towels.
Leave overnight and repeat if necessary.
REMEMBER ACT QUICKLY
Scrape up the solids using something flat and not sharp. Take your time to blot up the liquids as it will be worth the effort. Mix the solution accurately and test it on a non inconspicuous place working from the outer edge the stain to the centre (do not over wet), dab only do not rub hard. Even though the stain won’t be completely removed using the correct routine will give your professional NCCA cleaner the best possible chance of successfully removing the stain.
NOTE: Even if you have a brand new carpet that has been treated with an anti-static and anti soil protector you should still follow the stain removal procedures suggested.
