Common Carpet Stain Removal Guide
04/08/2021
Common Carpet Stain Removal Guide
No matter how careful you are, it’s inevitable that you will (at some point) spill something on your carpet. I have compiled a handy Common Carpet Stain Removal Guide for the best way to remove it from your carpet.
Contrary to popular belief – shaving foam, lemon and other concoctions do not remove stains from carpet.
Common stain removal guide:
If in doubt seek professional advice!
- Beer – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissues or paper towel.
- Bleach – This type of stain requires immediate action by a professional cleaner – contact us.
- Blood – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissues or paper towel.
- Burns/scorch marks – Rub gently with a coin and brush off; if the discolouration is left rub gently with sandpaper and brush off.
- Butter/margarine – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Candle wax – Place a wad of absorbent paper on the spot and heat gently with a hot iron to melt the wax. On wool pile only, not advised for synthetic carpets.
- Central heating radiator fluid – This type of stain requires immediate action by a professional cleaner – contact us.
- Chewing gum – Harden deposit by freezing using ice cubes in a plastic bag, or by using a proprietary freeze-type chewing gum remover, remove by scraping gently with a blunt knife or spatula.
- Chocolate/cocoa – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Coffee – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissues or paper towel.
- Cola – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissues or paper towel.
- Cosmetics/make-up – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Crayon – Apply white spirit/mineral spirit to a white cloth and place on the stain. Leave for two minutes then blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth.
- Cream – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Dirt/soil – Vacuum clean thoroughly (if possible) a vacuum cleaner with a brush bar to agitate the carpet fibres.
- Egg – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula.
- Faeces – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Felt-tip pen – Apply Woolsafe Approved spot remover to a white cloth and blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth.
- Fruit juice – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Glue/adhesive (plastic base) – Apply acetone (or nail varnish remover without oil) to a white cloth and place it on the stain. Leave for two minutes then blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth.
- Grass – Vacuum clean thoroughly (if possible) a vacuum cleaner with a brush bar to agitate the carpet fibres.
- Gravy and sauces – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Grease – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Hand/body lotion – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Icecream – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Ink (ballpoint) – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Ink (fountain pen) – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Jam/marmalade – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Jelly – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Lipstick – Apply white spirit/mineral spirit to a white cloth and place on the stain. Leave for two minutes then blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth.
- Mayonaise – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Metal polish – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Milk – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Mustard – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Nail varnish – Apply acetone (or nail varnish remover without oil) to a white cloth and place it on the stain. Leave for two minutes then blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth.
- Oil – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Paint (oil-based) – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Paint (water-based) – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Rust – This type of stain requires immediate action by a professional cleaner – contact us.
- Salad dressing – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Shoe polish – Apply Woolsafe Approved spot remover to a white cloth and blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth.
- Soft drink (cordial) – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Soot – This type of stain requires immediate action by a professional cleaner – contact us.
- Tar (asphalt) – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula.
- Tea – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Tomato sauce/ketchup – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Urine (fresh stain) – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Urine (old stain) – This type of stain requires immediate action by a professional cleaner – contact us.
- Vomit – Scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a blunt knife or spatula. Then blot the remaining spot with a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Wine (red/rose) – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
- Wine (white) – Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel.
NEVER rub a stain, always blot, to do this just apply hand or foot pressure to the area.
If in doubt, always seek professional advice – contact us.
We provide professional stain removal across the whole of Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside. Available 24:7 for emergency callouts (excluding bank holidays).
Hopefully, this Common Carpet Stain Removal Guide should help but if not please do reach out to us.