General stains

Whether freshly spilt or dried-in, any type of stain on the carpets looks unsightly. Acting fast is always the best advice when a spilt cup of coffee stains the carpet, but the reality is that sometimes the colours sit for ages before we attempt to clean them. Or we don’t even know they’re there until we move the sofa. You can remove most carpet stains if you know how. The easiest method uses a simple soap and water solution, which works well to lift out most freshly spilt water-based stains. Try using this method initially when treating water-based stains left by produce like fruit, milk, natural food colourings, fizzy drinks and jelly. Do this as soon as possible after it’s been made. If stains are allowed to dry into the fibres, they’re much more challenging to get out; fresh stains are usually still wet and come out with much less effort. Use a microfibre cloth, a tea towel, or another clean cloth that won’t dissolve upon contact with water and blot the stain. Paper towels may seem like a good idea, but small pieces of tissue can become stuck to the carpet fibres once they break up. Spray the stain. Fill a spray bottle with cold water, adding a teaspoon of mild washing-up liquid. Spray lightly onto the stained area, but don’t saturate and leave it to work for five minutes. They work from the outside, encouraging the dirt to transfer to the cloth rather than to the other floor parts. 

Playdough

Playdough and silly putty may provide hours of fun for your kids, but they’re stuck and will inevitably get caught up in everything. There is no need to panic. However, We know some easy ways to limit the damage playdough or silly putty might do at home. When you’re trying to remove playdough from carpet, clothes and other surfaces, water and a stiff brush is the easiest way to make sure you remove all traces. Mix a cleaning solution; we recommend one cup of water with two tablespoons of good-quality detergent. Use a cotton ball to blot the carpet with your solutions, ensuring the putty is fully covered. The solution needs time to work, so leave it to soak for 20 minutes. Use a damp cloth to wipe the area clean, ensuring no traces of cleaning solution are left behind. Allow the playdough to dry before removing it from your carpet fibres with a stiff brush. Use a vacuum to collect the loose pieces. If you have some leftover stains, blot at them with rubbing alcohol. If your carpet is white, use hydrogen peroxide instead. Never mix cleaning chemicals, particularly strong chemicals like hydrogen peroxide or anything containing bleach. Doing so could release toxic gas, impact your health, or damage the item you’re trying to clean. Leave the kitchen roll on top of the stain and allow it to dry before giving it one more vacuum to ensure all the residue is removed. 

Water-based stains

Some water-based stains like red wine, coffee and blood can leave a mark if only treated with water and detergent and may require an additional active ingredient. In those cases, you can use a stain removal product or counteract the stain with soda water or tonic water. Pouring salt over it is also an excellent way to soak up the stain. If soap and water haven’t worked and your stain still lingers, you may need to use something stronger. Before using any new method or product, it’s important to note that some stain removers and ammonia can cause damage to wool carpets or natural fibres. So it’s best to stick to gentler cleaning solutions for these carpets. Always follow the instructions on your chosen cleaning product label and test it on a small, inconspicuous carpet area first. 

Shoe polish stains

Shoe polish can leave a thick, sticky and unsightly residue on your carpet if you don’t act quickly. To eliminate shoe polish stains, follow these steps. Remove all loose shoe polish by scraping the stained area first with a blunt knife or spoon. Remember not to rub the stain, but use a firm scraping motion to lift the top layers of shoe polish off the carpet. Sponge the area with water and some carpet stain remover. Rinse the sponge in a bucket of warm water whenever you see that it begins to pick up the shoe polish.

Oil stains

You can quickly remove oil stains from your carpet by placing a paper towel on the stained area and blotting continuously. Keep blotting until the paper towel is no longer picking up any oil. Dab some rubbing onto the stain using a clean white cloth, blotting as you go. If this does not entirely remove the stain, mix a small amount of washing-up liquid with water and sponge directly on the stain. 

Wax and gum stains

The trick to tackling wax and gum stains is to freeze the stain, but you can easily remove them. Wrap some ice cubes in a thin cloth or plastic bag and hold it over the stain. Leave it there for a few minutes or until the wax or gum has frozen. Then gently peel the wax or gum from the fibres using a spoon or a blunt knife. Get rid of any fragments in the bin. Put the kitchen roll or cloth over the stained area and place a warm iron over it for wax. You will see it absorb the wax residue and lift out the carpet. Repeat this step until all the wax has been removed. Rinse the area where the wax or gum was using a sponge dipped in water and some mild washing-up liquid. Pat the area dry with a clean towel or cloth. 

Rust stains

Rust stains can be incredibly challenging to remove from carpets because of their unique chemical composition. Rust contains iron oxide, and certain store-bought chemical stain removers can set, rather than lift, rust stains, so only use a carpet stain remover explicitly made for rust stains. You’ll get the best results when you mix suitable carpet stain remover with all-natural ingredients to help break down rust. First, apply the rust carpet stain remover liberally over the stain with a sponge. Let it settle for about five minutes, then gently rub the stain with a sponge soaked in warm water. You should see immediate results. Next, squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice over the stain and pour salt granules on top. Let the mixture sit for about 24 hours. The next day, rinse the area by blotting it with a wet towel and repeat if necessary. Hoover up the salt residue and leave it to dry. Some stubborn stains require an altogether different approach to remove them, especially if you’ve got burn marks on your carpet.