DIY Spot Cleaning for Carpets

Flooring is one of the biggest investments in your home. You want to keep it looking good for as long as possible. With that said, it is inevitable that your carpets will eventually endure some kind of spill.  Do not worry. Cleaning up spills on your carpet is not terribly difficult if you act fast. Below are some basic tips to help you combat fresh blemishes to your carpets before they become a long-term issue.
Please note that the tips outlined here are generic and may not apply to all spills. If you should have any questions or concerns, please contact the professionals at Soil-Away Cleaning & Restoration.

• Absorb the spill– Use a white cloth or paper towel to soak up as much of the spill as possible.
• Blot, don’t rub– Make sure to blot with the towel. If you rub, it could spread the spot and/or distort the texture of the carpet fibers.
• Start on the outside– When blotting, make sure to start from the outside and work your ways towards the center of the spill. This will help prevent spreading the spill to unaffected areas.
• Use warm water– When you have absorbed most of the spill, start to use water to help clean. Take a clean white towel and dampen it with warm water. Keep blotting until the spot has stopped transferring to towel. Be careful not to over wet the carpet.
• Use a mild detergent– If the spot remains after cleaning with water, you can mix up a light solution (1 teaspoon of mild non-bleach laundry detergent and 1 quart of water). Apply detergent solution, without over wetting, to the affected area and let stand for about five minutes.
• Remove the detergent– Go back to the water and towel stage. Blot up the solution in the carpet. You may need to repeat this process multiple times until the detergent is removed. This is important because detergent residue could lead to accelerated re-soiling.
• Dry the carpet– Using dry towels, layer them over the spot. Weigh the towels down with an object that will not be damaged by moisture or transfer color (i.e. use plastic, glass, ceramic, etc…). The water will wick into the towels overnight.
• Vacuum the area– Once everything is completely dry, vacuum the area to restore the texture.
• Inspect– If the area is not clean to your satisfaction you can try to repeat the process. Another option is to give the carpet cleaning professionals at Soil-Away a call.

Soil-Away is an IICRC Master-Certified Firm for carpet cleaning, water damage mitigation and fire damage restoration. The company services south/central New Hampshire (NH) and northern Massachusetts (MA). Soil-Away was established in 1990 and is family owned and operated. Contact us today to schedule your professional carpet cleaning appointment.