Carpet Stain Removal and What to Look Out For
Stains happen, often the worst possible combinations such as red wine on a cream carpet or grease on a fabric sofa. Dealing with them is often a case of acting quickly, particularly when the stained item is a carpet. The very structure of carpets means that stains can sink into the fabric and make it harder to remove. But how do you know what stain removing products to use?
Store bought solutions
There are some great products out there to deal with stains, particularly ones on carpets but all should be approached with just a little caution. Some of the products are detergent based – this creates a nice foam that appears to do a great job on removing the stain.
While this is often the case there is a downside with some of these products – they can have a negative impact on the carpet as well as a positive one. Because they contain detergent, the debris sticks to them but because we don’t wash away the product after use, it continues to attract debris and can result in a dark patch on the carpet.
Another potential issue can be the strength of these products. We all know that bleach and other similar cleaning products can result in loss of colour in anything it touches. But even carpet cleaning products can dilute colour in a carpet if used often enough or in particular strength. It is important to understand the different between a patch of carpet that is a little cleaner than that surrounding it and one that has had its colour leeched away.
Setting the stain
Another problem that can come from DIY stain removal can be that you have the opposite effect to what you desired. By using a product that doesn’t work well with your particular carpet, you can have the effect of setting the stain. This is a term used by professional cleaners when the chemical composition of a stain has been altered by an attempt at cleaning and means that even a professional struggle to remove it.
Laundry stain removers may seem like they do the same job as a carpet stain remover and there is always the temptation to grab one of these if you have a spill. Avoid the urge! Laundry stain removers are far thicker than carpet stain removers and are designed to work on much thinner material than a carpet. The result is they don’t remove the stain, may set it in and are hard work to remove, leaving a sticky, discoloured area that debris will adhere to.
Conclusion
With caution, removing a small stain with a store bought product can be a successful undertaking, leaving your carpet looking good once again. But for bigger or more complicated stains, it is worth considering a professional as by trying to solve them problem yourself, you could end up making things worse. A professional will know what chemicals will work on your carpet and have the equipment to make stain removal a quick and easy process.
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We have operated as an oven & carpet cleaning business in Newcastle and the North East for over 30 years. We cover Newcastle, Gateshead, Whitley Bay, North Shields, South Shields, Gosforth & all Tyneside NE postcodes. Plus Durham, Chester-le-Street, Birtley and Cramlington.