Put your hands up if you’re OCD about keeping the carpets clean? *puts hand up*
Let’s face it, no matter how hard you try to keep the carpet clean and spotless — doggy fences, no shoes inside the house, use a cheap rug, vacuum and clean regularly — it’s inevitable that someone will spill something. Stains happen even to the best of us.
Whether it was the time you ran up the stairs with a cup of coffee or your pooch decided to mark its territory, to the time the kids decided to do some improv painting, sh*t happens.
What really matters is how you deal with them, and the method of stain removal you use, does not cause further damage to your beloved carpet.
Thankfully, there are many solutions to remove stains out of your carpet, many of which can be made from common household products or purchased at your local Bunnings.
Ahhhh good old Bunnings, where would we be without you.
Now, before you go ahead and start slapping together a homemade cleaning solution, there’s one step you should never skip.
First, have the right products on hand
Step 1 — What type of carpet do you have?
Alright. The first step to removing a stain from your carpet is to find out whether your carpet is made from synthetic or natural fibres. This will determine what cleaning solution is best for the type of stain as well as the type of carpet to ensure you don’t damage it any further.
Now that you know what type of carpet you have, it’s time to find the right cleaning solution.
Step 2 — Choose your weapon (cleaning solution)
You’re about to go to war with perhaps one of the toughest of stains. Could be red wine, could be coffee. So, ideally, you want to be equipped with the most effective cleaning solution that will help you win this battle.
What professional cleaners to use on synthetic carpets
There are four major types of synthetic carpets which include nylon, polyester, polypropylene (olefin) and triexta. Professional cleaners to use —
- Detergent and water: Mix a smidge (¼ tsp) of clear dishwashing liquid into a cup of warm water.
- Vinegar and water: Dilute 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
- Solvent: Nail polish remover Non-acetone (applied to a dry clean cloth.)
- Britex ‘Spot n Stain’ Remover
- Instant Spot & Stain Remover
What cleaners to use on natural fibre carpets
Natural fibre carpets include wool. Natural rugs are usually made from cotton, seagrass, jute, silk, sisal and coir. Carpet cleaners to use —
- Detergent and water: Mix a smidge (¼ tsp) of clear dishwashing liquid into a cup of warm water and place into a spray into a spray bottle.
- Vinegar and water: Dilute 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and pour into a spray bottle.
- Ammonia and water: Add one tablespoon of clear household ammonia to ½ a cup of warm water and pour into a spray bottle.
- Solvent: Nail polish remover Non-acetone (applied to a dry clean cloth.)
- Britex ‘Spot n Stain’ Remover
- Instant Spot & Stain Remover
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty.
How to remove food and drink stains from synthetic fibre carpets and rugs
Use any of the cleaners mentioned above to remove stains caused by wine, tomato sauce, coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, juice, fizzy drink or fruit.
- Dip a clean white cloth or paper towel into any homemade synthetic cleaning solution, or follow the instructions as per the product, and dab repeatedly. Hold the cloth down for a few seconds and then wait 15 minutes for the cleaning product to break down the stain. Remove the cloth and use a clean paper towel or dry white cloth to absorb any excess liquid. Avoid pouring the solution directly onto the carpet as it will only make things worse.
- The stain should appear lighter now. Rinse by blotting the affected area using a wet clean white cloth. Wait about one hour for the carpet to dry. For tougher stains, place a stack of white paper towels over the stain and place a plate on top for 15minutes.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the stain is gone.
How to remove food and drink stains from natural fibre carpets and rugs
Great for cleaning up spills and stains caused by tea, coffee or beer.
- Spray the stain using any of the homemade cleaners mentioned in step 2 and blot with a dry white cloth or paper towel. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you’ve purchased a cleaning product from Bunnings.
- Then spray regular water onto the affected area and again, blot and dry with a white cloth or paper towel.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the stain is removed.
For tougher stains (wine, juice, chocolate or milk), you may need to incorporate one extra step and that is spraying the stain with the ammonia solution and then blotting with a dry white cloth or paper towel.
How to clean and remove stains caused by pets on synthetic carpets and rugs
No matter how hard you’ve tried to potty train your pets, there comes a time when they will soil your carpet. Here’s how to best deal with pet accidents.
- First you’ll need to clean up as much excess liquid as possible using a dry white cloth or paper towel(s). (yuck!)
- Next, dip a new clean cloth into any of the cleaning solutions suitable for synthetic carpets and dab the affected area repeatedly. Wait 15minutes and then soak up any excess liquid with a paper towel.
- Wait an hour or so until the carpet dries completely. The stain should appear lighter. To remove completely, repeat steps 1 and 2 until the stain is gone.
How to clean and remove stains caused by pets on natural carpets and rugs
- Spray the stain using any of the homemade cleaners mentioned in step 2 and blot with a dry white cloth or paper towel. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you’ve purchased a cleaning product from Bunnings.
- Then spray regular water onto the affected area and again, blot and dry with a white cloth or paper towel.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 mentioned above until the stain is removed.
How to remove marker stains on synthetic carpets and rugs
With the right cleaning solution, marker stains are a thing of the past. The following steps will help remove stains caused by ballpoint pens, felt-tip to permanent markers.
- Add a splash of nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and blot the affected area. Wait 15 minutes for it to dry and repeat until stain is removed.
- Using a wet cloth, rinse the area by blotting.
- Use the solvent method to remove permanent marker stains.
- Repeat steps until stain is removed.
How to remove marker stains on natural carpets and rugs
- Spray the stain with any of the solutions made and blot with a dry white cloth or paper towel.
- Spray the affected area with regular water in a spray bottle and blot with a paper towel or dry white cloth.
- Use the solvent method to remove permanent marker stains.
- Repeat steps above until stain is removed.
Are considering replacing your carpet altogether? Jupps has a wide selection of carpet styles fit for WA homes and organisations. Read our guide if you need a crash course on carpet styles or some of our articles on heat resistant flooring, broadloom carpet versus carpet tiles and the best flooring for commercial spaces.
