How to remove stains from your carpet

How to remove stains from your carpet

There’s nothing worse than the first big stain you get on your brand-new carpet – the panic, the tears, the upset! But not to fear, we’ve got a handy guide to take you through how to treat pretty much every stain we can think of (and even some we don’t want to think of…) so, if you’re googling in a panic, you’ve found the best place.

How to get stains out of carpet

First things first, we need to discover two things: what your carpet’s made from, and when the stain happened. 
 
In general terms, polypropylene carpets are difficult (but not impossible!) to stain.  Polyester carpets are also pretty good at repelling marks, whereas nylon stains very easily. Wool and wool-blend carpets have many benefits, but they don’t react well to heat. So, try not to drop your hair straighteners or a hot cup of coffee on them! 
 
Then there’s the question of time. The golden rule is to treat the stain as soon as possible after you’ve made it. If you leave a stain for any length of time, it’s usually harder to remove and more likely to leave a mark.
 
Here are some of the basic steps you should take regardless of the type of stain you are faced with, but we do go into more detail about specific steps for certain stains later in this article.
 
  1. First things first, you’re going to want to get whatever could cause the stain off the carpet. Scoop or scrape up solids, working from the edges to the centre of the stain.
  2. Then, you’ll need to blot the spill with a white towel or tissue paper, working from the outside in.
  3. Apply a carpet cleaner, suitable for your fibre type, to a white cloth and blot the area. Don’t scrub or apply carpet cleaner directly to the carpet. You can discover our pick of the best cleaning products, here.
  4. Before applying any cleaning agent, test it on an inconspicuous area of the carpet.
  5. Repeat with clean water to remove any residue and repeat until the cleaning agent is removed.
  6. Dry the area with a white cloth or towel.
  7. Vacuum the area once it is dry.
  8. Repeat these steps to remove any smells from your carpet that stick around. If you stick with these tips, you’re sure to keep your carpet in good condition!

Watch our stain removal video to see just how easy it is to make coffee, red wine, and lipstick disappear from your carpet. Ta-da!

How to get burn marks out of carpet

If you’ve ever accidentally knocked over a candle or had an accident with some rogue birthday cake candles, then burn marks can be a pain. If the carpet is synthetic, then it’s likely the burn marks won’t be repairable. If it’s a small burn, the ends of the pile could be trimmed. If the burns cover larger areas, then they might have to be replaced with saved waste. If your carpet is wool, then it could be salvaged by rubbing the burned areas with a coin and brushing them away. For either, ensure that you vacuum the floor thoroughly to pick up any debris after cleaning and repairing. Alternatively, for more tips on how to repair your carpet, check out our handy guide, or to keep your flooring in top top condition, discover our guide on how often you should hoover your flooring.

How to get paint out of carpet

Getting paint out of carpet needn’t be a pain, you just need to know exactly what type of material you’re working with. If your carpet is made of synthetic fibres, you need to begin by scooping up as much as you can with a spoon and then blotting the spot with a paper towel. Then, you’ll need to apply a small amount of dry-cleaning solvent to a white cloth and blot. Make sure you don’t wet the backing. Blot dry and repeat if required. When this has removed most of the paint stain, repeat the blotting with water to remove any residue.

The cleaning process for removing paint from the carpet is almost identical for wool carpets too, except instead of blotting with dry-cleaning solution, you should apply white spirit to the stain carefully, leave it for five mins and then begin the blotting process.

How to get blood out of carpet

Blood stains on the carpet can be a scary one to deal with, but the process is quite simple. Blot up as much of the blood as possible using a clean white cloth or paper towel. Next, you should freeze the affected spot with ice cubes in a plastic bag or use a specialist gum remover and scrape it off. Apply water to a white cloth and blot to remove blood from the carpet. Repeat this step until no more stains transfer onto the cloth. Then, dry the treated area with a white cloth and, using your hand or a super soft bristle brush, align the pile in one direction.

How to get red wine out of the carpet

A red wine stain on the carpet is another stain that requires that all-important blotting process. Begin by blotting as much as possible using a clean white cloth or paper towel. Repeat the blotting process with water to remove residues, then dry the treated area with a white cloth and, using your hand or a super soft bristle brush, align the pile in one direction.

How to get sick out of carpet

One of our most frequently asked carpet stain questions is how to clean sick off the carpet. Sick on the carpet is sometimes unavoidable when you live with children or pets, but you don’t have to get a whole new carpet for every little accident, and you certainly don’t have to live with the smell if you clean the stain properly! Scoop up as much as you can with a spoon, then blot the spot with a paper towel. Apply a suitable pet stain remover to a damp cloth and blot again, paying extra attention to woollen carpets. Repeat the blotting with water to remove residues and then dry the treated area with a white cloth and, using your hand or a super soft bristle brush, align the pile in one direction.

When it comes to how to get the sick smell out of the carpet, we recommend using a strong air freshener, opening the windows, and repeating the cleaning process several times if there is still no improvement.

How to get tea stains out of carpet

As a nation of tea lovers, there’s always going to be the possibility that we get a tea stain on our carpet when guests are around, or the dog gets too excited and knocks a cup over. If you act fast, tea stains can be a thing of the past. Blot up as much as possible using a clean white cloth or paper towel, then apply a suitable spot cleaner to a white cloth and blot and repeat. Pay extra attention to woollen carpets. Next, blot with a clean white cloth and repeat applications and blotting if necessary. When this has pulled up most of the stain, repeat the blotting with water to remove any extra residues. The same rules apply to removing coffee stains from carpets too. 

How to get shoe polish out of carpet

When it comes to shoe polish, you’ll be really lucky if vacuuming right away can pick any of it up. This type of stain is going to require the services of a professional cleaner.

From bloodstains to removing paint from carpets, our guide should help you in any scenario where carpet stains strike. For the ultimate guide to carpet care and maintenance, why not check out our tips on how to clean carpets, or our guide on effectively cleaning a rug? If you would like more information (or even have some handy cleaning tips for our team to add to this article!) you can get in touch with us or head on over to our care guides.

Share

Help & Advice