What can be your ‘Best Friend’ for Stain Removal

Handy Hints On How To Treat Carpet Stains

Unless you have been super careful, made your guests stand outside with their food & drink (they’d love you for that) then you may have no doubt had a few whoops moments over the Festive Season.

Chocolate and wine are some of the most common stains that to deal but it could be just about anything that has landed on the deck, and you my not have noticed until now!! So before you run out and buy lots of products or hire expensive equipment….. I asked Ian LSA Clean for his expert professional advice.

What’s the FIRST thing you should do??

1.Don’t Panic
Keep the carpet as dry as possible, don’t over-wet it as you risk damaging the backing materials, as well as making the stain harder to deal with. Always use detergents that are specifically made for cleaning carpets. Stay WELL away from washing-up liquids, laundry powders, household bleach and disinfectants.

Use the carpet cleaning detergents at the recommended dilutions. (READ the instructions!!) Scrape up or blot any excesses prior to treatment. Do not scrub or rub. Doing this will only push the stain further into the carpet fibres.

Most of my stains tend to be ‘greasy’ 

2. Greasy Stains
Whether it’s chocolate, butter, oil, lipstick, Surgical Spirit can be your best friend which can be bought from any chemists

Use a small quantity of surgical spirit and apply to cotton wool or cotton buds.
Using the cotton wool, gently apply the surgical spirit to the edges of the stain, dabbing slowly towards the centre. Remember – do not rub!
Don’t over-soak the stain, it could darken the carpet initially.
Once the surgical spirit is applied to the full stain, use kitchen towel to gently blot. Repeat until the stain no longer transfers onto the towel, it may take a few goes, but better save the carpet than rush.
Dry the stain slowly using a hairdryer on a medium heat.

Oh yes and wine too

3. Water-based Stains
Had a wine spillage? Then firstly blot up any excess with absorbent material such as kitchen towel. Remember, Did I mention………. do not rub! Then:

If you have a ” wet pick-up” vacuum, use it.
Using tepid water, wet the area using cotton wool or a piece of clean sponge. Do not over-wet.
Then, using kitchen roll, blot. Repeat until the stain has gone.
Dry with a hairdryer, keeping it moving at all times to prevent watermarking.

What if it’s been there for a while?

4. Dried Stains
Moved back the settee to find an old, hidden stain? Don’t worry, it’s worth trying to remove yourself

Make a solutions using 2 litres of tepid water, 1/4 of a teaspoon of carpet shampoo and an eggcup full of white vinegar.
Using cotton wool, re-wet the area using the solution.
Blot using kitchen roll. If the stain is still transferring onto the kitchen roll, repeat step 2.
When the kitchen roll is clear, place 5-6 layers of kitchen roll on top of the stain.
Place on top a heavy object, such as a telephone directory and leave for 24 hours. The time will allow any stain in the base of the fibres to rise to the top.

Tried all that, I’ts not budging 

5. Call In The Professionals

If you live in the Lytham St Annes/Blackpool/Fylde Coast area then give Ian & LSA Clean a call on 01253 713769 or 07817 111259 for a free quote. They have had some incredible successes with very nasty stains in both residential & business premises.

Thanks Ian, so after all that, he tells me there’s a video!! Watch here www.youtube.com

Link to their Directory Listing HERE