Thursday,
August 10, 2006
Your guide to removing tough stains !
CARPET Care And Maintenance for Maximum Performance
Information from this page courtesy of The Carpet & Rug Institute
Maintenance: Proper maintenance of your carpet will extend its lifespan and keep its fresh appearance. You should vacuum properly, remove spills, and provide long-term care and deep cleaning.
Regular Cleaning: It is essential that you vacuum regularly with a strong, well-functioning vacuum cleaner. A good vacuum cleaner features a strong motor or dual motors; a powerful airflow; a high-efficiency filtration and internally housed vacuum bag; and correct brush height adjustment.
Protecting Against Stains: Most of today's carpet is treated with special finishes to resist soil and stains. However, no carpet is entirely stainproof. Many fiber manufacturers provide toll-free help for cleaning assistance (consult your warranty).
Stain-Resistant finishes hold the spill on the fiber's surface, giving you some time to absorb the liquid and use spot removal techniques before the spill has a chance to penetrate the fibers. The longer you leave the spill unattended, the more difficult it will be to remove.
See the chart following to select a cleaning agent for emergency stain removals for different substances and follow each step. Pretest a small, inconspicuous area to ensure that the solution will not damage the carpet or its dyes. With a clean, white, absorbent cloth or paper towel, gently work in the cleaning agent from the edges of the spot to the center. Blot thoroughly and repeat until the spot no longer transfers to the cleaning cloth. Use clean water to remove any remaining cleaner residue and absorb remaining moisture with paper towel layers. When completely dry, brush or vacuum the pile to restore texture.
Find the spot source in the first column and read across that row for the correct spot removal method to try. Continue using the first method until there is no longer a transfer of stain to the cleaning cloth. Try the first method suggested, then the second, and third, etc. until the spot is successfully removed.
Key to Cleaning Methods
1. Dry Cleaning
Fluid - SPOT 2 A nonflammable spot removal liquid.
2. Nail Polish Remover - Amyl Acetate - Often has a banana fragrance.
3. Detergent Solution - Mix 2 cups HOT water and 1 teaspoons mild SPOT 1
or SPOT 3.
4. Warm Water - Lukewarm tap water.
5. Vinegar Solution - One cup WHITE vinegar to two cups water.
6. Ammonia Solution - Two tablespoons household ammonia to one cup
water.
7. Spot Removal Kit - Our system, SPOT KIT..
8. Call a Professional - If you cannot completely remove the spot.
9. Vacuum clean
|
Spot |
Method |
|
Acne Medication |
1,3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Alcoholic Beverage |
3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Bleach |
3,4,8 |
|
Blood |
6,3,4(cold),7,8 |
|
Butter |
1,3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Candle Wax |
2,1,8 |
|
Catsup |
3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Charcoal |
9,3,8 |
|
Chewing Gum (Freeze with
ice, chip away, then...) |
1,8 |
|
Chocolate |
1,3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Coffee/Tea with cream &
sugar |
3,5,4,7,8 |
|
Cosmetics |
2,1,3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Crayon (Freeze with ice,
chip away, then...) |
1,3,8 |
|
Food |
3,6,4,8 |
|
Fruit Juice |
3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Furniture Polish (Water
Base) |
3,4,1,6,7,8 |
|
Furniture Polish (Solvent
Base) |
2,1,3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Grass |
2,1,3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Grease |
1,3,4,8 |
|
Ink-ball point pin |
2,1,3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Iodine |
1,3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Kool-Aid |
9,3,5,4,7,8 |
|
Lipstick |
2,1,3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Medicine |
2,1,3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Milk |
1,3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Mud |
3,4,8 |
|
Mustard |
3,5,4,7,8 |
|
Nail Polish |
2,1,3,4,6,7,8 |
|
Oil |
1,3,8 |
|
Paint, latex |
3,6,4,7,8 |
|
Plant Food |
3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Rust |
5,3,4,7,8 |
|
Shoe Polish |
2,1,3,6,4,7,8 |
|
Soft Drinks |
3,6,5,4,7,8 |
|
Tar |
1,7,8 |
|
Toothpaste |
3,5,6,4,8 |
|
Unknown |
2,1,3,5,6,4,7,8 |
|
Urine, wet |
3,6,5,4,8 |
|
Urine, dry |
3,4,5,6,8 |
|
Vomit |
3,6,5,4,7,8 |
NOTE: Some spills contain chemicals that may discolor or even damage the carpet fibers or dyes. If you have doubts about what caused the spot and how to remove it, contact a professional carpet cleaner.
For Stainmaster Carpets, see Dupont's carpet care
Spotbusters Inc.