Are you having trouble getting rid of set-in stains in your carpet? Do you want your carpet to look brand new when you have company over?
If so, then you’ll be happy to know that there is a variety of solutions to a clean carpet. These options make sure that spilled drinks and food, as well as messes from children and pets, don’t get in the way of your carpet’s appearance.
With our knowledge of home improvement, you will be giving your carpet a long shelf life.
Here are some tips for how to get rid of old carpet stains and have your floors looking good as new.
1. Attack Excess Quickly
Messes are best addressed the second they occur, and that especially applies to how to get set-in stains out of carpets. While the source of the mess may come in a solid and easily movable form, the stain they leave behind could absorb into the carpet’s surface quickly.
If food or bundles of dirt fall onto your carpet, use a spoon or butter knife the second it lands so that you can remove the stain right away. Grab an absorbant cloth and start rubbing the center of the stain to address the toughest part first before you move on to the rest.
2. Apply Carpet Stain Removers
While there are multi-purpose objects throughout your kitchen that can come in handy with cleaning up your carpet, there are tools specifically designed for this situation to make sure the job is done the right way. In the case of how to get old stains out of carpets, carpet stain removers are the way to go.
Make sure to read the instructions on the box beforehand so that you don’t have to go for more than one round of cleaning. Applying the right amount of the remover will make sure that you don’t leave behind any marks that other people could easily notice.
3. Consider Club Soda for How to Get Rid of Old Carpet Stains
Certain messes provide more of a challenge for giving your carpet a makeover, such as your pets using it as a toilet or your kids running into the house after a football game in the mud. That’s where club soda comes in, as it is an important tool for how to remove set-in stains from carpets.
All you need to do is apply a hefty amount of paper towels to the urine or dirt and follow it up with a hefty amount of club soda. Use some diluted carpet shampoo as an assistant, and blot the stain to make sure that the carpet dries to the best of its ability.
4. Just Add Water
While club soda comes in handy for tougher stains, some messes don’t require as big of a weapon. Water is a prime example, as it just needs a little help from nonbleach detergent to take care of spilled drinks or dropped food when you have dinner or a party.
A paper towel covered in water can serve as your homemade carpet cleaner whenever your infant spills a cup of milk on the floor or a scoop of ice cream on your cone falls when you go for a lick. The bigger the stain, the more water you will need.
5. Make Use of Your Home
Your house is full of items in different rooms that can serve as reliable tools from getting your carpet back into shape. Some prime examples include bathroom items, such as baby wipes for larger stains from dirt and mud and toothbrushes for smaller drops of wine or liquor from get-togethers.
Go to the kitchen and pick up a few ice cubes for when you spot some gum fall onto your carpet. The dry-cleaning liquid in your basement can be helpful for when a friend drops her lipstick on the carpet or when a relative drops butter that they are trying to put on a sandwich.
Our Take
Knowing how to get rid of old carpet stains involves considering how everything in your house can be used to remove messes. It is also important to know what material is needed for certain sources and amounts of messes.
Some items are designed specifically for removing carpet stains, while others come in handy for messes that come from inside or the outdoors. With these tips, you will be able to keep your floor looking fresh on a regular basis.
Check out more of our home improvement expertise to keep your house or apartment looking how it did when you first stepped into it.