Carpet Spots and Spills

After saving and saving, you finally decided to have new carpeting installed in your home. Standing back, you admire what your hard-earned money accomplished, as well as the transformation in look and feel. Unfortunately, one week later you had no idea that you would be faced with the first of many spills on a brand new carpet. Even homes without kids will experience spills on carpeting but the good news is to know how to handle the situation will make a huge difference when it comes to eliminating an ugly stain.

Move Quickly

If possible, you want to get to work on the spill immediately. Delaying will only allow the liquid or food time to soak into the fibers. Keep in mind that most residential carpet now sold is treated so it is highly resistant to not only spills but also dirt, grease, and other things you never want on carpeting. However, if a spill is not cleaned up quickly, even the highest quality carpet will be challenged.

Do Not Rub

Regardless of the substance that has been spilled on your carpet, never rub it. Instead, use a clean, white cloth and gently blot the spill to absorb as much of it as possible. Rubbing the spill would only push the substance even deeper into the carpet fiber, thus making clean up even more difficult. If the spill is food, then be sure you pick up any of the larger pieces prior to blotting the remainder.

Consult Manufacturer

If your carpet is relatively new, you should know the manufacturer. You can visit their website to see what type of product or solution is recommended for the type of carpet you have. If you do not have any idea as to the manufacturer, then use only a high quality cleaning product formulated for the type of carpet you have. However, before using even the best carpeting cleaning product sold, find an inconspicuous area such as in a back room closet to test a small piece of carpet to make sure the cleaning product will not cause bleeding of color or any other type of damage.

Other Remedies

If you do not have carpet cleaner around or the spill happens after the stores have closed, you can also use a number of home remedies. For instance, you can start with plain tap water but if that does not work well enough, mix about one-quarter teaspoon of non-bleach and mild dish soap (Dove, Palmolive) to one cup of warm water. Another solution that works well is mixing one cup of white vinegar with one cup of warm water.

Using the Solution

Regardless of the solution or product you use, apply a small amount to the spill at a time. Then, let the solution sit on the carpet for about five minutes. From there, begin to blot the spill from the outside in, which will keep the spill or stain from spreading even further. You may need to work on the stain for some time and repeat the application of cleaning product or solution but it will come up. If for some reason the spill cannot be removed, contact a professional carpet cleaning company as soon as you can.