Carpeting is a highly favored interior design element in Singapore homes. This comes as no surprise, since carpeted flooring is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eyes but also exudes warm, soft feel when walked on. Carpeting is also safer as it offers a comfortable playing spot for children and lowers the risk of them having injury during an unexpected fall.
Notwithstanding its overall comfort and warmth, carpeting’s biggest disadvantage is its need for strict care and maintenance. Without regular carpet cleaning, carpet flooring wears out quickly. It is also susceptible to fading and harbors deep-seated stains which are highly difficult to remove despite best cleaning efforts.
Different types of stain can wreak havoc on various carpeting material. Accidents happen, and before you know it, your favorite red wine or your child’s Kool Aid juice has spilled all over your beloved carpet. Problem is that, while in a state of panic, most carpet owners perform the stain removal process erroneously. The common practice is to reach for the towel or tissue paper and aggressively rub the stain. However, rubbing the stain before even blotting it out is a big no-no. Intense rubbing enlarges the stain, causing it to seep deep into carpet fibres and broadening the affected area. It’s important to gently blot out the stain first before rubbing the area to make sure the moisture is fully extracted from the carpet fibres.
How to Effective Remove Different Carpet Stains
Here are some natural cleaning solutions that you can use to remove the tough stains on your carpet:
Wine Stains
Use a white cloth to blot as much of wine stain. Soaking up the moisture through liberal application means better stain removal. Thereafter, pour cold water onto the stain to dilute the visible marks. To completely remove the stain, prepare a baking soda paste (baking soda mixed with water) to be applied onto the affected area. Once the baking soda paste is already dry, remove it by vacuuming. If the baking soda paste does not deliver the best results, you may try applying a mixture of white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid (one teaspoon each) using a sponge or spray over the stained area until the stain is removed.
Blood Stains
In cleaning blood stains, it is important to use cold water instead of hot water. Blood coagulates with heat, thus using cold water is better to prevent the stain from further seeping deep and permeating the carpet fibres. Soaking the affected area with a mixture of cold water and grease-fighting detergent is ideal to oxygenate the blood stain. Thereafter, blot out the stain and pat it dry using a dry towel or cloth to enable the streaks of blood stain to transfer to the cloth.
Ink Stains
There are two common types of ink stains: water-based ink and ballpoint pen inks. To remove water-based ink stains, mix a bowl of warm water with detergent. Apply this solution onto the stained area until the stain is removed. For ball point pen inks splodges, you may use a water and distilled vinegar mixture or rubbing alcohol and dab onto the stained area.
For natural fibre carpet with ink stains, try applying non-oil hair spray onto the affected area to soften the stained area. Never scrub the area as it will only spread the stain marks. Hand brush the affected area only when dry and then vacuum it until all traces of ink are removed.
Pet Stains (Urine and Stool)
If it’s a stool stain, clean up the initial mess and dispose of the fecal matter. If the fecal stain and urine stain seeped into carpet fibres, try to moisten the soiled area and blot out until dry. While some home owners commonly use ammonia-based cleaning products, it is advisable not to because urine of pet dogs contains ammonia. Once they smell the scent of ammonia in your carpet, they may feel encouraged to reoffend again in the affected carpet area.Thus, you may simply use a water and vinegar mixture and apply the solution liberally to soak the affected area. Once it is dry, sprinkle a handful of baking soda onto the stained area. Thereafter, apply another solution which consists of half a cup of hydrogen peroxide and mild liquid detergent. Dissolving the baking soda into carpet fibres works well in sanitising carpet fibres. Vacuum thoroughly once the area is completely dry.
Chocolate Stains
Scrape off the remaining chocolate bits from the carpet. Apply rubbing alcohol onto the stain. Thereafter, apply a mixture of dishwashing liquid (1/4 teaspoon) and 1 cup of water. If the stain is still visible, you may use a hydrogen peroxide and ammonia mixture and apply it onto the affected area. Be careful however not to use the ammonia mixture on wool carpets, otherwise the latter will get destroyed.
Hiring Carpet Cleaning Professionals: Why It’s a Better Choice
