How to Remove 4 of the Most Stubborn Carpet Stains

To get the most out of your carpets and rugs, it’s best to arrange professional carpet cleaning at least annually. This enables you to get all of the dust and dirt out from deep within the carpet pile, removing allergens and mites, and helping to keep your carpets looking fresh. However, to keep you carpet looking and smelling fresh, you’ll still need to treat stubborn carpet stains between cleans.

However, between carpet cleans, it’s quite common to have the odd ‘carpet emergency’; a knocked over cup of coffee, or a drip of red wine. Your chances of restoring your carpet to its original glory are greatly improved if you act fast to remove stubborn carpet stains.

Whilst you could just give one of our branches a call and arrange for some additional carpet cleaning attention, there may be some stains that will respond to rapid action and a couple of choice ingredients from the kitchen. However, more stubborn stains may still require professional attention.

Here are some of our favourite tips on removing the most common stubborn carpet stains:

Tea and coffee spills

Tea and coffee contain tannin which can stain your carpet, so acting quickly is essential. First, blot the carpet area to remove all excess moisture from the tea or coffee.

Then, soak a cloth in white vinegar to dab on the stain. Keep it pressed on for some time, then wash the patch with a clean cloth soaked in lukewarm water. You may need to repeat this several times until the stain vanishes.

Ink stains

Ink from a stray pen can really ruin a carpet, but act fast and you’re in with a chance. Use a combination of soda water, table salt and baking soda.

Combine 5 tablespoons of baking soda with an equal amount of salt and half a cup of soda water. Then pour it onto the stain and rub it in. Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before using a vacuum cleaner to remove the leftover grains of salt and baking soda.

Grease and oil marks

Dropped food can leave stubborn grease marks on your carpet. However, some talcum powder from the bathroom cabinet is all you need to get your carpet looking fresh and clean once more.

Cover the grease stain with talcum powder and wait at least 6 hours for the talcum powder to absorb the grease. Then vacuum the talcum powder up and most stains will disappear with it.

Chewing gum in the carpet

If you have children in the house then chewing gum in the carpet is something you may well have to face. Freeze the gum using ice cubes in a plastic bag. Once the gum is frozen solid, you can chip it away with a spoon or fork, removing it from the carpet pile. Then vacuum up the gum residue.

If you would rather get the professionals in, with their knowledge on textiles and stains and their professional carpet cleaning units and cleaning fluids, call Rainbow International.

With more than 60 branches across the UK, there’s bound to be a Rainbow branch near you that have the trained staff and the right equipment to deliver a professional carpet cleaning and stain removal service when you need it. You can find your nearest branch on our website, or give us a call on our 24/5 helpline 01623 422 488, 365 days of the year.