Maintaining your rug or carpet is a must. For one, no homeowner wants their carpet or rug to get messed up due to stains and improper cleaning. Carpet and rug cleaning should be done on a regular basis to ensure its superb quality for as long. However, carpet and rug cleaning can be expensive if you rely on professionals to take on the job. Nonetheless, proper care for your antique rugs, tribal rugs, or any kind of rug or carpet you have is a must.
But sometimes, accidents do happen. The next thing you know, you see that horrendous-looking stain on your precious carpet or area oriental rugs. Cleaning a carpet or rug may not be as easy as it seems. However, there is still hope to remove those stains.
Getting started
First of all, you should know what kind of stain your carpet or rug has. For basic stains, you can blot the stained area. Use clean water to blot the stain, and then blot again until the stain is somehow removed. Never, ever, rub the stain as it can ruin the carpet or rug fiber and make stain removal worse.
Then again, your next step depends on what type of stains your handmade rugs have. There are actually different types of stains that occur on carpets: water-soluble stains, special water-soluble stains, oil and fat, and wax.
Among examples of water-soluble stains include:
- Dyes
- Ice cream
- Milk
- Washable ink
- Latex paint
- Urine and excrement
- Alcoholic beverage
- Sodas and juices
On the other hand, among examples of special water-soluble stains include:
- Vomit
- Coffee
- Mustard
- Blood
- Wine
- Tea
Meanwhile, fat, wax, and oil are more complicated to remove as these are denser types of liquids than the aforementioned stain types. That said, these need a different stain removal method that will ensure it won’t damage the carpet or rug fiber and lessen the appearance of stains.
Removing dirty footprints, pet hair, and other non-liquid stains are different matters to tackle as well. Having said that, carpets and rugs are indeed a challenge to clean regardless of the type of stain obtained.
How to clean stubborn carpet stains
As mentioned, cleaning carpet stains depend on the type of carpet or traditional rugs stain. On one hand, you can use commercial cleaning solutions to remove carpet or rug stains. You can mostly buy these stain removal solutions online and home improvement stores near you. If you have extra budget, you can hire professional cleaners so you can make sure your carpet or rug is thoroughly clean and stain-free.
On the other hand, you can choose to clean stains on your own. For water-soluble stains, mix ¼ teaspoon white vinegar or non-bleach detergent with about 32 oz. water. Do the blotting technique until the stain is removed.
For special water-soluble stains such as chocolate or mustard, mix one tbsp. ammonia and 1 cup of water and then blot on the stained area. However, do not use this mixture in wool-based carpet or rug or it may damage its material. For dyed carpets or rugs, you can mix one part bleach with five parts of water. To be sure, you can check with the carpet or rug manufacturer and confirm what type of material your rug or carpet has.
For denser liquids such as fat and oil, put a paper towel on the stained carpet area. Place iron on top of the paper towel and then adjust on the warm setting. This should help remove the stubborn stain from the carpet.
Other ways to remove stains the natural way
You can remove carpet stains using items you can usually find at home. Among these household items you can use as natural carpet or rug stain removers include the following.
Beer
Surprising as it seems, using a beer can help you remove carpet stains. Pour a small amount of beer on the stained area and then gently rub until the stain disappears.
Vinegar
This is a popular household stain remover and a good cleaning material as well. You can mix it with water, cornstarch, or laundry detergent depending on the severity of the stain.
Shaving cream
Pat the stained area with water and then squirt a good amount of shaving cream on it. Then, clean it using a damp sponge.
Cleaning carpet and rug stains effectively
There are a lot of ways in removing stains on antique rug or carpet. However, make sure to check with the manufacturer about the best stain removal methods you can use for your carpet. If you are looking for quality carpets and rugs, make sure to buy only fro the best rug stores in Vienna VA.
