When you have a clean rug, it never fails. You have just bought a new carpet or had one of our specialists clean and refurbish one of your antique rugs, and then there is a spill. Maybe one of your kid’s friends drops a popsicle, your St. Bernard has an accident, or maybe one of your relatives gets a little sloppy with a liberally filled glass of wine. It happens.
The main thing to remember with a spill is to address it as soon as possible to avoid a stain. You will want to soak up liquids and scrape off and vacuum anything else right away.
Chewing gum can be frozen with ice cubes and chipped away. Some hardware stores sell a spray that chemically solidifies the gum for more serious cases. Try not to scrub anything into the fibers of the carpet, just blot the stain in a vertical direction with a dry cloth or sponge.
A Note On Spot Removers
Store-bought spot removers can be dangerous on valuable carpets as they can bleach out dyes or damage the fibers. This is especially true if the carpet is made from natural materials or dyed with natural pigments. If you are using a spot-remover, be sure to test a small inconspicuous spot of the rug first to make sure that it is safe. If you notice any discolouration, try to blot it out right away.
There is often a simple homemade solution for common carpet stains. Not only are these usually less expensive, they are safer for your carpets and for your family. In our next post we’ll have some helpful tips for different situations.