If you’ve just spilled some coffee or red wine on your gorgeous rug and now you’re not sure which is the best method to get rid of the stain? Don’t worry, we’re here to help – follow our step by step guide on how to get stains out of carpet.
In this article you’ll find information about:
To get stains out of carpet, the main rule in case of a liquid stain, such as wine, coffee, milk and even blood or dog pee, is to act as quickly as possible. DON’T rub it. Instead, take a (paper) towel and press it against the stain in order to absorb as much liquid as possible.
To get red wine out of carpet, pour some cold water on the stain to dilute the wine and continue pressing a towel against it to absorb most of the liquid. After that, proceed to cleaning the stain following one of these methods:
1. Cover the red wine spill with a generous amount of salt. As it will start absorbing the moisture, you can also see how the salt starts to turn red. Then vacuum the rug thoroughly.
2. Use a mixture of 2 cups of warm water, a spoon of white vinegar and a spoon of dish washing detergent. Apply it on the stain using a towel. Wait until it dries and repeat the process a few more times, until you see that the color of the stain fades. Then, with a sponge moistened in clean water, clean the stain until it is completely gone.
In case you’re dealing with a red wine spill you haven’t noticed so it is already dry, removing the stain is then gets harder, but not impossible. Spray some warm water on the stain and then apply a stain remover detergent – we recommend Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover or Vanish Gold Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner Spray. Follow the instructions of the product used waiting the instructed time and then clean the stain with a sponge or towel.
To get coffee stains out of carpet you can apply the salt method too. This will work when the stain is fresh. For an older coffee stain try one of these methods:
1. Spray some warm water on the stain and then add a little hand soap or dish washer detergent. Rub it carefully and rinse well, then vacuum.
2. If method 1 didn’t work very well, apply some shaving foam on the stain, then clean it well using a sponge/towel and let it dry.
3. For a very “stubborn” stain you could also use a thick mixture of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water – apply it on the stain, let it drain completely and the vacuum thoroughly.
Milk doesn’t stain that much but the sour milk odor can be very, very unpleasant. To get milk out of carpet, act quickly by trying to absorb as much of it as possible. Then, pour a generously amount of baking soda on the stain and leave it a few hours or, better, over night. Afterwards, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.
To get blood out of carpet, follow these tips: clean the fresh blood stain out of your contemporary rug by spraying some cold water and then blot the bloodstain dry with a clean rag. Repeat the process until the stain is completely removed.
If you’re dealing with a dry blood stain, try using a thick paste made of salt and water or cornstarch and water. Apply it directly on the stain and let it do its job for a half an hour or so. Then blot the stain with a damp rug until it disappears. Let the rug dry and vacuum well.
On a wool rug it’s also very useful to mix a drop of dishwashing detergent with a cup of cold water. Spray it on the blood stain, let it act for a little while then blot the spot with a damp towel to remove the soap. Dry blot and vacuum.
To get dog pee out of carpet, if you don’t have a pet stain remover (again we recommend Dr. Beckman Pet Stain and Odour Remover), you can follow these tips:
If the urine stain is fresh, as already mentioned, just try to get as much liquid out as possible by pressing a rag against the stain. Make sure to blot from outside to inside. Then apply a solution made of equal parts of water and white vinegar, to remove the pee stain.
After the stain is gone, the smell can still be there. To get urine smell out of carpet sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the area and let it act for 24 hours. After that, rub carefully the sodium bicarbonate by using a brush and then vacuum thoroughly.
A lot of accidents can happen at home. So what can you do when your lovely modern rug has wax stains or nail polish stains on it? Let’s see what are the solutions to these problems.
To get candle wax out of carpet, if it’s a fresh candle wax stain, first put an ice pack directly on it. When the wax has hardened, clean off the wax with a blunt knife and remove as much of it as you can. Then, put a clean cotton material or a thick paper on the wax stain and iron the area with a hot iron at a medium temperature. The wax should transfer on the cloth or paper.
To get nail polish out of carpet, use hairspray, especially if you have a light/white rug. Spray the fixative over the stain, then gently dab with a napkin. For a colorful rug, you could use some medicinal alcohol (spirit). Spray it over and then clean lightly with a cloth.
N.B. To get ink out of carpet, you can use alcohol as well. Dip the cloth in alcohol and apply it to the stain, then clean the rug in a clockwise circular motion. Leave the alcohol on the stain for at least half an hour and afterwards rinse very well. Dab the surface until it dries and then vacuum.
Grease and oil stains can be difficult to remove, but there are some things that can help you.
To get oil out of carpet, first, use a cloth/napkin to absorb the oil excess.
1. Cover the oil stain with an absorbent powder such as cornstarch or baking soda and let it act for a few hours. Afterwards vacuum and see if the stain is gone.
2. If not, it’s time for plan B. Use some dishwashing soap and water solution. Apply it on the oil or grease stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Then rinse with water and absorb all the excess liquid with a cloth. It may be necessary to repeat this procedure several times.
We hope you find these tips and tricks on how to get stains out of carpet useful. We also recommend you to read our simple guide on how to take care of your designer rug.
Now that you know everything about removing stains off rugs, we invite you to discover our Vibrant contemporary wool rugs online and in our showroom/design studio. You will find a unique selection of colorful rugs, geometric rugs, large rugs, small rugs, irregular rugs and also a curated selection of glass art by Tim Rawlinson, hand painted ceramics by Alice Rose and jewelery by Karola Torkos.
We would love to welcome you in a homely environment, with a glass of wine, freshly ground coffee and artisanal nibbles. Viewing by appointment is recommended to ensure that we are available to give you our full attention.
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14 York Rise, London
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