Before you decide to call an expensive cleaning service, try one of the below trusted household solutions to help you wipe out any kind of tough carpet stain first. No matter what it is that you have spilled all over your carpet, these nine tips are sure to help.
1. Beer
While getting that coffee or tea stain out of your rug may seem impossible, believe it or not, you can actually lift it out by pouring a bit of beer right on top. All you need to do is rub the beer lightly into the material and the stain should disappear. Note, however, that you may have to repeat the process a couple of times to remove all traces of the stain.
Salt is an excellent homemade carpet stain remover. If you spill red wine on your white carpet, while the red wine is still wet pour some white wine on it to dilute the color. Afterwards, clean the spot with a sponge and cold water, then sprinkle the area with salt and wait about 10 minutes. Then, vacuum up the whole mess.
If you've noticed a greasy food stain on your carpet then mix one part salt to four parts rubbing alcohol and rub it hard on the grease stain. Do be careful to run in the direction of the rug's natural nap though.
Salt is also great to clean up a ketchup spill. You need to act fast though as once it dries it will be nearly impossible to get out. Simply sprinkle the salt all over the spill and let it sit for a few minutes, then vacuum. Sponge up any residue and continue salting and vacuuming until the stain has completely disappeared.
3. WD-40
Ink or any other stain need not ruin your fine carpet. Simply spray the stain with WD-40 and wait for a minute or two, then use your regular cleaner or gently cleanse the area with a sponge and warm soapy water. Continue to use this method until the stain is completely gone.
Dampen the stained area, then rub in some borax and let the area dry. Vacuum or blot it with a solution of equal parts vinegar and soapy water and let it dry. Repeat if necessary. Before doing so, test this DIY carpet stain remover on an inconspicuous corner of the rug or on a carpet scrap before applying it to the stain.
5. Baking Soda
Baking soda is probably your best choice to quickly clean up any vomit or urine stains. Wipe what you can, then pour baking soda over the affected area and pat with a paper towel. Let the homemade mixture dry completely before vacuuming the residue. Baking soda will clean, sanitize and deodorize the messy spot. It can also be used to lift grease stains when combined with equal parts salt. All you need to do is sprinkle the mixture over the grease spot and use a stiff brush to work the powdery concoction into the spot. Then let it sit for 4 or 5 hours. When done, vacuum up to completely remove the stain.
Club soda works wonderfully on pet urine and any other tough stains. To do so, immediately blot up excess urine with paper towels then soak with club soda and blot again. Then scrub with diluted carpet shampoo. Club soda also removes spilled coffee and tea stains. All you need to do is pour it liberally over the stain and blot to dry.
7. Baby Wipes
This simple cleaning hack can be used to blot up spills from your rug or carpet. They also make excellent homemade carpet cleaners, absorbing both the liquid and the stain. Wipes can also be used as a homemade stain remover when attacking various spills and drips on your clothing and upholstered furniture.
There are instances where removing a stain can be tough, primarily when it has soaked deep down into soft fibers. To remove those deep stains, try using a soft-bristled nylon toothbrush dabbing it gently to work in the stain-removing agent (such as bleach or vinegar) until the stain has completely gone.
9. Ice Cubes
If you somehow got chewing gum stuck to the fibers of your carpet, using an ice cube will be the only stain remover you need. Simply freeze the gum with ice cubes in a plastic bag then scrape with a butter knife and blot with trichloroethylene, a dry cleaning fluid.
